Bex’s Pork Tamales, the Star of her Mexican Tamalada

Directions

• Make the Pork Filling
• Heat the lard or vegetable oil in a Dutch oven. Working in batches as needed (so as not to crowd it), brown the pork chunks, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a plate after it browns so that you have room for the next batch.
• Return all of the browned meat to the pot. Add the onion, garlic and the rest of the spices.
• Rinse, stem and seed the chiles. Dry toast the chiles on a medium hot cast-iron pan or comal for about 5 minutes. Add to the pot.
• Add water to cover the pork and other ingredients. Bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, cover with the lid, and reduce the heat to simmer.
• Cook until the meat is fall-apart tender, 1 to 2 hours.
• Remove the meat and shred it using a hand mixer or two forks.
• Strain and skim the broth. Let it cool. Set aside about 5 cups for use in making the red salsa and the masa, below.
• In a medium bowl, mix the toasted chiles with the shredded pork. Taste for seasoning, and adjust the salt and spices, as needed, to your taste. Set aside.
• Make the Red Salsa
• Rinse, stem and seed the chiles.
• On a medium-hot cast-iron or comal, dry toast the chiles for about 5 minutes.
• Dry toast the spices.
• In a saucepan, add the water, tomatoes, onion, toasted chiles and toasted spices. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Once the mixture is boiling, remove the pot from the heat. Discard the cinnamon stick.
• Transfer the chiles mixture and 2 cups of reserved liquid from cooking the pork (or use chicken stock) to a blender. Add the salt, piloncillo, masa harina and the garlic. Blend until smooth.
• Heat 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pot. Pour the blended salsa into the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• When ready, taste for flavor. Adjust the salt and spices, as necessary. Set aside.
• Make the Masa
• In a large bowl, pour in the tamales-grind masa harina. Follow the directions on the package and mix with warm water. Cover with a kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
• While the masa is resting, use a stand mixer with the whipping attachment to mix the lard or vegetable shortening. Beat on medium-high until fluffy (1 to 2 minutes).
• Add the baking powder and salt. Mix it in.
• When the masa is ready, switch to the paddle attachment on your stand mixer. Continue beating the mixture while adding the masa in golf-ball-size pieces, waiting a few seconds between each addition.
• When about half of the masa is mixed in, start alternating small amounts of both the remaining masa and the pork broth until all of the masa and broth are incorporated.
• Add about 1/2 cup of the red salsa. Blend it until the mixture is light and fluffy, adding a little more pork cooking broth if the masa seems too dry.
• Do the Masa Test
• When the tamales mixture ready, drop a ½ tsp of masa in 1 cup of cold water.
• If it doesn’t easily float, continue to whip the masa for few more minutes and test again.
• Add a tiny bit more of the pork broth if you need to. But remember, this is a fine dance: DO NOT add too much liquid, or you’ll end up with overly soft masa and shapeless tamales.
• Prep the Corn Husks
• Soak the corn husks in water for an hour before needed, or overnight.
• Rinse well with running water to remove any dust or corn husk fibers.
• Cut any ripped or too-short husks lengthwise so that you have 25 thin strips to use later when tying the tamales closed.
• To keep the corn husks pliable, keep them in water while filling your tamales. Dry one batch at a time.
• Assemble the Tamales
• Starting at the widest portion of the husk, spread 2 Tbsp of the masa with a spatula or spreader, leaving about a 1-inch husk border around it.
• Add with 2 Tbsp of pork filling on top of the masa.
• Fold the husk lengthwise, connecting the four corners. Then bring the tail of the husk toward the filled end, lining up the edges.
• Use a thin strip of cut corn husk to tie the tamales closed, so they won’t open during steaming.
• Steam the Tamales
• Fill a pasta pot with a pasta insert or place the tamale rack inside a tamale steamer. Add water up to the pasta insert or tamale steamer fill line.
• Place the tied tamales upright, with the fold against the sides of the other tamales to keep them upright and tightly closed.
• Cover the pot with a tightly fitting lid and gently boil 1 to 1½ hours.
• To test if your tamales are ready, scoop out 1 tamal. Place it on a plate and remove the corn husk. If the wrapper comes off easily without sticking to the masa and pork filling, your tamales are done!