Tamales

Ingredients

• 5 lb. pork shoulder
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup ground red chile
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1 tbsp. flour
• Water
• 6 cups masa harina
• 1/2 cup lard
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. dried corn husks

Directions

Cover the pork with water, add the garlic, and bring to a boil. Simmergently, covered, until meat is tender. Cool slightly. Discard thegarlic. Chop the meat and set aside. Mix the chile powder, oregano, andflour with 2 cups of the meat stock and add this to the chopped meat.Bring to a boil and simmer gently until mixture is thick. Cool. Beat thelard until it is light and fluffy. Blend in the masa harina. Then addenough meat stock or water to make the mixture soft and pliable. Youshould be able to spread it easily, but it shouldn't be soupy. Soak thehusks in hot water until they are soft. Drain. Spread a thin layer ofmasa on a husk. Put a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture down thecenter of the masa. Roll the husk carefully around the meat filling.Wrap another husk from the opposite side. Don't squish them! Tie endswith string. Stand the tamales on their ends on a layer of corn husks ina steamer or blancer. Steam for about an hour. Drain and serve withmore red chile sauce and beans.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: The Best of New Mexico Kitchens
Submitted By: Rick Smith
rick@dragons.net
Tamales