Tamales

submitted by Lester Pieniazel

Basic Procedure:

Prepare fillings, dough, and soak corn shucks.

Place water in steamer.

Roll Tamales

     - Take a shuck.
     - Spread dough on shuck.
About 1/8 to 1/4 inch think depending on taste and dough.
Dough is flush on "near" side.
Leave a about 1/2 in gaps at bottom and far side. About 1 in at top.
Place tablespoon of filling on near edge of dough.
Roll near to far side.
Fold down top side.

Stack in steamer.

Steam for a few hours until dough is well cooked.

Most of the time is making the meat fillings.
You can roll five or so dozen in half an hour.
A pound of filling gives a few dozen.

Dough:

Use Tamal Masa and sort of follow the directions.

Tips

-- Use Crisco and bacon drippings instead of lard. Be sparing.

-- Use stocks instead of water. ( omit or reduce salt)
-- Add a few pinches of cumin, chile, etc.
-- For light dough, reduce fat, increase baking soda.

-- Avoid watery doughs. Limit the liquid so that the dough just becomes workable.

Fillings:

Pork
Cube meat. Country ribs or cheap roast work fine. Head is traditional back home.
Simmer low in just enough stock to cover. You might add Bay, mexican oregano, etc.After a few hours the meat will shred easily. Drain meat and saute shredded meat in a skillet with a little oil. Saute with chile, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano.
Here chile means ground chile, not chili powder. But that would work. Home ground pasilla, new mexico, and cascabel are tasty. When grinding, remove the seeds from the whole dried chiles.

Cheese and chile
Prepare shredded cheeses. Jack, cheddar, or fresco are typical. Use shredded green chiles, eg Pickled jalapeno, serrano, chipotle adobo, etc. Or use chile flakes from ground chiles ( see above).
 

Spread cheese and sprinkle with chile per taste and piquancy.

Comments:

These are more southwest style with a firmer filling and dough. They are seldom prepared correctly elsewhere. Too soupy, soggy, greasy, and bland.  It is very important to have a decent steamer to cook them. They are traditional Xmas fair in some locals. Some wags say they originated with the Koronkawa (East Texas cannabals).
 

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