Tamales for a Crowd

Delicious Tamales!

Friends came over and we made tamales. We drank Margaritas and there was talking, laughing and of course tamales.

I called this Columbusing a little. To Columbus something is actively tell a person from not your culture that you can make their food better than they can; that your food is more authentic. Sounds awful, huh? 

We didn't do that because that would be wrong but sadly I didn't have an experienced tamale maker in my friend group, so I thought watch some videos and make it happen. This is what we did. 

1 8 pound pork butt or shoulder

salas or the stuff to make salsa 

Ancho chili powder

salt 

garlic

Cook the pork a day ahead in a crock pot. Don't be shy about salt and seasoning. When it is fork tender 8 to 10 hours later cool and shred. After shredding pour the crock pot liquid over the pork and refrigerate until needed.

Tamale Dough

1.33 cups lard or shortening or a combination

4 cup masa

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

2.66 cups broth or water, broth is better

1 big bag of corn husks

Soak the corn husks overnight or heat in simmering water for an hour. 

Whip the fat until it's aerorated. In a second container combine the masa, salt, baking powder, cumin and chili powder. Into the lard add 1/3 the flour, then 1/2 the broth, scrape the sides between every addition. Continue add the flour and broth in parts until it's all combined. Whip a minute or two longer. It's suggested to cool the mixture an hour then whip it before using. 

Put the corn husk cut side to the top. Spread about a quarter cup of masa onto the husk, it will feel like cookie batter.  3x3 about an inch from the top edge. Put a strip of filling down the middle. Fold over both sides like swaddling a baby, then fold up the top. Tie around the middle, tight enough to hold together but not synched around the middle like a belt. The tamale will expand as it cooks. 

Set the sanding on end, top open in a steamer. Steam covered for 75-90 minutes. Check for doneness by pulling one out of the steamer, opening it and touching the masa for firmness.

I made the dough 4 times to use all the pork and it made about 100 tamales. That's the crowd part, because seriously who is going to eat them all?