As far back as I can remember, two of my aunts have always made tortillas at Christmastime. Every year I would say I was going to videotape them and learn how to make them but I never seem to be home when they are making them.
So when I noticed a tamale making class was taking place, I signed up for it. While the tamales weren’t to my liking, the class allowed me the opportunity to spread the masa and get comfortable with that aspect of tamale making.
This is a simple tamale recipe that still gives you great flavor and allows you to make a small batch. Well, if you can call 5 or so dozen a small batch. I’m not a fan of chili peppers and all that comes with cooking with them so this recipe calls for chili powder instead of boiling and blending your own sauce. I also use a shortcut of using prepared masa as that saves a step too.
I took some tamales home over the holidays intending to give some out to my numerous aunts and uncles. Yeah, my dad ate one and wouldn’t let me give any away. I barely smuggled some out for my sister. In fact, I caught my dad one night talking to himself and I asked him what he was doing. He started laughing and said he was trying to decide if he should eat another tamale before bed or just wait and have one for breakfast. I love that man.
Last weekend I made more for him as I know he’s probably going through withdrawals now that he has finished the first batch. I experimented with some chopped brisket bathed in barbecue sauce then wrapped up into a tamale. My coworkers tried them and loved them! There are so many ways you can make tamales and I can’t wait to experiment more!
Now let me be clear: Tamale making is time consuming. Even small batch tamales like this take time. I roast the pork on one day and make the tamales the following day. It’s messy and tiring but oh so worth it. Or you could just pay for some but I enjoy watching people eat the food I make so off to make tamales I go.
Give them a try and don’t forget these tamale making tools: The spreader will save you time until you become a pro at making tamales.
Tamales Masa Spreader
Tamale Steamer
Roaster Oven
Simple Pork Tamales recipe
Ingredients for Pork:
6-8 lbs pork butt
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 white onion, cut into fourths then separated
Cloves from 1 garlic head
10 cups water
Ingredients for Masa:
1 – 5 lb bag prepared masa
1 lb. lard, melted
2 Tbsp chilli powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
1/2 – 2/3 c pork broth
Ingredients for Pork Filling:
Shredded pork
3 Tbsp chilli powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper
3/4 c pork broth
Instructions:
For Pork:
Combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Pat dry pork butt. Season all sides of pork with spice mixture.
Place onion and garlic in electric roaster. Turn roaster on to 350 degrees. Place pork butt on rack in roaster. Add 10 cups of water to roaster. Cover and let cook for 4 hours, turning pork butt over halfway through cooking process. Meat should be fall apart tender when done.
Prior to making the masa, you want to take your corn shucks out of the bag and soak them in hot water for 1 hour.
For Masa:
In a large mixing bowl, add masa, melted lard and spices. Gradually add warm pork broth to the mixture. Mix with your hands to incorporate all the spices into the masa. You want your masa to have the same texture as creamy peanut butter. Add more pork broth as needed to get to peanut butter texture consistency.
For Pork Filling:
If using pork the following day, warm up shredded pork in a large saute pan. Once heated, remove from heat and add to large mixing bowl. Add in spices and warm pork broth. Toss together to combine.
You are now ready to begin filling your tamales.
Drain your corn shucks. Using your tamale spreader, start spreading masa on the shucks. You don’t want your masa spread too thin.
** Here’s the link that shows you how to use the tamale spreader and what convinced me to buy it too.
Once masa is on the shuck, take about a tablespoon of filling and place down the middle of the masa. Take one side and roll over the pork filling then roll again to form the tamale. Take bottom and fold under to secure in place. Set tamale aside.
Once you have completed making the tamales, take a piece of cooking twine and cut some string. You will place six tamales together and tie the string around them to hold them together easier when you place them in the steamer.
Fill the steamer pot with water to just below the steamer insert. Place the steamer insert in the pot. Place tamales standing up with open end facing up in the pot. Take a dish towel and soak it in water. Place the dish towel over the tamales and around the tamales to keep them from touching the pot. Turn heat to high and bring water to a boil. Once water starts to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and steam tamales for two hours.
Allow tamales to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
If freezing the tamales, allow tamales to cool completely. Tear enough foil to wrap six tamales at a time. I usually double wrap my tamales.
Makes around 5 dozen tamales.
PS: Please excuse the Christmas background in January – I took the photos in December thinking I was going to post them at that time then needed to work on the recipe a bit. Better late then never, right!
*** Affiliate links are included so you can see exactly what I used to make my tamales. The link just takes you to Amazon who then gives me a small (very teeny tiny) commission if you buy the item – at no cost to you. This helps me pay for the website and hosting of this site so thanks!
