Traditional Pork Tamales

Traditional Pork Tamales

Click to rate this post!

Prep Time: 1 Hr 10 min

Cook Time: 3 Hr 30 Min

Serves 32 Servings

Difficulty Advanced

Ingredients

FILLING

  • 3 lbs. pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsps. Crisco® Pure Corn Oil
  • 1/2 C. chopped yellow onion
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 32 corn husks

 

DOUGH

Directions

  1. For Filling: SEASON pork with salt. Heat oil in 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork, cooking and stirring until browned on all sides. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is soft. Stir in tomato sauce, chipotle chiles, oregano, cumin and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Discard bay leaf. Shred meat and set aside.
  2. POUR boiling water to cover over corn husks in shallow pan. Let set for at least 30 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels.
  3. For Masa Dough: BEAT shortening, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl, with electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Blend in masa flour, 1 C. at a time, mixing on low speed. Gradually add chicken broth, until dough is the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes.
  4. SPREAD 3 Tbsp. masa dough on a dry corn husk, leaving a 1-inch border along top and sides of husk. Spoon 2 Tbsp. pork filling in center. Fold the left side, then right side of the corn husk over the filling. Fold the long pointed end up towards the center. Wrap a 1/4-inch strip of corn husk around tamale. Tie strip to secure filling. Repeat process making 32 tamales.
  5. REMOVE basket from steamer. Place steamer filled with water to boil on stove. Arrange tamales in steamer basket, open ends facing upward. Cover and bring water to a full boil. Reduce water to a gentle simmer. Cook 1 hour or until husks begin to pull away from filling. Add additional water to steamer as needed. Allow tamales to rest for 10 minutes before serving.