Tamales

We made Tamales today.

the store had 99 cent a pound pork shoulders on sale so I cooked up and shredded 2 about 18 pounds worth which is well more than needed to make 141 tamales

was shooting for 144 an even 12 dozen but ran out a Masa and had just a few corn husks left , the 3-4 pounds of meat I have left will be used for tacos.

I am sure these are not the most authentic Tamales but for middle aged Scandinavian white guy in Wisconsin with kids that think Medium salsa is too hot , they work for us.

back around Christmas they had a sale on a big Tamale pot at the Grocery store 30 liter steamer pot almost looks like a 10 gallon metal garbage can but it works well

I get all the meat and Masa ready to go then the wife and kids assemble





11 more meals made ahead

Good job. They look good. Question, why is the masa red? Typically they are the natural color of masa.

I love tamales. Hands down my favorite Mexican food. I'm definitely jealous!

6 heaping table spoons of Paprika
6 heaping table spoons of chili powder


for each 4 pound bag of Masa give it the red coloring

like I said they are muy gringo

we found a web site where the guy explained making them maybe 10-12 years ago and just use that recipe , we decided to do just pork instead of pork and chicken

my change to the recipe was if it said a table spoon of a seasoning I made it a heaping table spoon.

and when the recipe says make 2 pounds Masa at a time I just go all 4 at once I use a pair of meat lugs to hold/season the meat and prepare the Masa in.

Oh cool. That makes sense. Awesome. How did they taste?

I've never tried mixing meats together in them. I've used various meats but never mixed them.

very good , they are big 2 is really a meal.
with 5 of us that makes a meal and a lunch for someone the next day on a dozen

the recipe called for an 7 pound shoulder and a chicken , they were good with both but doesn't really change the flavor or texture any. it is additional work to pick the chicken and it is enough work making 12 dozen

I think a 8 pound shoulder, a 4 pound bag a masa and a pound of husks is about perfect for 60-72 depending how you roll them. this is also what fits in the steamer for a batch.

That looks awesome ! I'm going to make some now.

thanks for the idea Pete

One of my favorite foods on earth. Yours look good. I can't get the right masa here but every time I get back to the states I make a batch with my buddy. I cook the pork or chicken with lots of dried chiles and use the strained broth to make the masa so i get a reddish masa too. In California you can buy big bags of pre made masa and that saves time.

Now I'm jealous AND hungry.

Pete

Looks great. I absolutely love them. Lots of work for a meal.

each batch of Masa for me is

a 4.4 pound bag of the corn flour
6 heaping table spoons each chili powder , paprika , salt and garlic powder
2 heaping table spoons cumin seed

I mix this all together well with a whisk then mix in with the dry Masa flour well with the whisk.

then make a well in the flour and add

4 cups corn oil and 2 quarts of broth and work it in by hand I put on a pair of Nitrile gloves and work it all in I can't tell you exactly how much broth I use total but around a gallon.

I am looking for a consistency I want to be able to grab a big hand fulls and squeeze and have it squeeze out between my fingers well and smooth but not so much as to be wet or sticky

I have a pitcher of broth and just keep adding a little and working it in till I get the right consistency , I like the broth warm but not hot as I think it helps the flour absorb it better and also then I am working with warm dough and not cold.

I am mixing this in a Meat Lug that is about 14x18 inches and 4-5 inches deep

if you go too wet you must wait if just a touch wet or add more corn flour of you went more than a touch, since a sack of corn flour is about perfect to fill a pound of dry corn husks and fill the steamer once with about 6 dozen Tameles I work up slowly to find my correct consistency.

It is a lot of work but when you think of it as making 12 meals for 5 people at once then it seems a more efficient use of time and work.

the meat cooked about 6 hours I started it at night and turned it off about 6 hours in then let it cool till morning.
it probably takes around 90 minutes to get everything ready the meat shredded and seasoned. The masa seasoned and to the right consistency. about 45 minutes for the wife and kids to fill an roll 6 dozen they are sitting around the table talking during this time. the time depends on how much goofing around they are doing.
I fix drinks and keep other stuff moving while they fill and roll.

then 2 hours in the steamer this is a minimal effort check on it after 2 minutes and turn the heat down some then wait.

it's an all day thing but not exactly hard labor, it sure beats digging trenches.