Pork Tamales with Verde Salsa

My awesome friend Misty made these over the weekend. I helped slightly, but not much. I don’t know for sure what she did differently, but here is the base recipe, which she found on aninspiredcook.com. Here is what I have gathered from my observing during eating. Oh, and these get a 7.5, maybe an 8 if there was more filling (I actually love the tamale tortillas, it’s a carb thing)

Pork Tamales with Verde Salsa

Filling

2 3/4 pound Pork Roast We seasoned ours with oregano, chili powder, a whole onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cumin
1 14.5 ounce can Chicken Broth
Salt and Pepper
2 cups Verde Salsa
1 pound White Mexican Cheese, grated (optional) We used Monterey Jack
Roasted Sweet Corn, optional I think Misty left this out

Verde Salsa We used the Fine Cooking version I blogged a few minutes ago, and added cilantro and a poblano chili instead. It’s almost the same though

4 large Tomatillos
1 large Red Onion, quartered
4 cloves Garlic
2 Jalapeno Peppers
1 Poblano Chile
4 Hatch Green Chiles
1/4 cup fresh Lime Juice
1 tablespoon Honey
1/3 cup Fresh Cilantro
Salt to taste

Tamale Dough  (*Note:  the ingredients listed for the Tamale Dough represents 2 batches.  For easier prep make half of the recipe at a time)

2 cups Lard I am pretty sure she used shortening
8 cups Masa Harina (use Tamale flour, not Tortilla flour)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Salt
6 cups Chicken Stock, (strained stock may be used from cooked pork roast)

Over the open flame of a gas grill, arrange tomatillos, chiles, onions and garlic on a grill plate to place on grill.  Rotate chiles and tomatillos often to char skin on all sides.  Remove to a plastic bag and let steam for 15 – 20 minutes.  Garlic will soften and onion pieces will begin to separate.  Remove garlic and cook the onions pieces until soft and slightly charred.  Run chiles under running water to remove skin.  Remove stems, seeds and core tomatillos.

Place all chiles, onions, garlic, tomatillos, cilantro, lime juice and honey into a blender and puree.  If blender should clog, take a spatula and run along edges to move it along.  Puree until you have a slightly chunky consistency.  Salt to taste.

Heat a cast iron skillet or dutch oven, drizzle with olive oil, season pork roast with salt and pepper to brown on all sides.  Place roast in dutch oven or slow cooker, pour 4 cups of stock in with the roast and bring to a simmer.  Simmer over medium low heat for 4 – 5 hours, turning the roast every 2 hours.  **Note, you may cook the roast for 8 hours on a low simmer or overnight. When done the roast should appear tender and start to easily pull apart.

Let the meat cool slightly, remove to a separate pan or bowl and begin to shred the pork with 2 forks.  Add 2 cups of the Verde Salsa to the shredded pork.  Strain the stock to use in the tamale dough or save for another use.

To make tamale dough, beat lard on medium speed of a mixer in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine masa harina, baking powder and salt.  Alternately add masa harina mixture and broth to shortening, beating well after each addition.  Add just enough broth to make a thick cookie dough like texture.  **Note, we made 2 batches of tamale dough, cutting the recipe in half.  Half the dough used about half the pork mixture and enabled us to steam 1 batch of tamales while preparing the next batch.

Soak corn husks in warm water for approximately 20 minutes, rinse to remove any corn silk, drain and pat dry.

To assemble tamales you will need to judge the size of your corn husks and spread anywhere from 2 – 4 tablespoons of tamale dough on the center of the corn husk.  First take the tamale dough and roll into a ball.  Begin pressing with your fingers to spread the dough outward 1/8 inch thick leaving about 1/2 inch clear on each side.  Leave about 2 inches at the top and bottom if folding both ends.  **Note:  if the dough becomes sticky to work with, dip fingers in a bowl filled with cool water.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the pork filling in the center of the masa.  Top with grated cheese or roasted corn kernels if desired. Roll the two sides together so that they overlap.  Fold the bottom husk up first, then the top.  Secure tamale by using small strips of corn husk to tie the ends.  Place water in the bottom of a steam pot and bring to a low boil.  Place a few husks over the steam rack and stack tamales upright making sure not to pack them too tightly as the masa will expand as they steam.  Cover with lid and steam 50 – 55 minutes or until masa easily pulls away from the wrapper.  Let cool slightly before serving with additional Verde Salsa.

Prepare tamales in freezer bags or vacuum seal to place in freezer for up to 6 month’s.  To reheat, steam frozen tamales 25 minutes or thawed 3 – 4 minutes.  Or microwave thawed for 1 minute.

Makes approximately 50 tamales

Mel’s Source

recipe retrieved 8/3/15 from http://aninspiredcook.com/2012/08/28/pork-tamales-with-verde-salsa/