GD round 2 - tamales

Growing up in Texas means that we Texans are spoiled.
We can get the best, fresh, homemade tamales you've ever had from a little, local Hispanic woman in a local Texas town about any day of the week.  They come in foil packages and you can freeze them for parties or to stuff your face when you've had a long day and you don't wanna cook.
They come par-cooked so all you have to do is steam 'em for about 20 minutes and you've got an authentic, Mexican meal in no time.
But, being who I am, I have always wanted to try homemade tamales myself.
Dumb, yes.
But, I just had to.
And I was rewarded.
A lot of effort?  Yes.
But the satisfaction of making the ultimate tamale was worth it.
They weren't perfect or possibly even authentic.  But, MAN, were they tasty.
And the best part is that you can use leftover shredded carnitas (or roasted pork roast) to make them!
Just a few (well, okay.  Lie.  You need a whole lot of...) ingredients that you can (hopefully) get at a local Hispanic market (or if you're really lucky, a regular market) like:
corn husks

dried chiles to soak

masa harina

and some grilled salsa verde (store bought or homemade)
And you'll have this....

in no time :)

Tamales with Chili Sauce

Makes 24-30 tamales.

Start this recipe a day in advance...make the chili sauce, make the masa, and soak the husks the day before for easier assembly!
Taken from Fine Cooking.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
2 medium heads garlic, peeled
6 ancho chiles, toasted, stemmed, seeded, soaked in very hot water for 15 minutes, and drained
3 guajillo chiles, toasted, stemmed, seeded, soaked in very hot water for 15 minutes, and drained
2 cups canned, puréed fire-roasted or regular tomatoes
4 to 4 1/2 cups chicken or pork stock
1 Tbs. tamale-grind masa harina
1 Tbs. brown sugar or honey
1 tsp. cumin seed, toasted and ground
1/2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano, toasted
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
One 2- to 3-inch cinnamon stick

3 1/2 cups tamale-grind masa harina
1 1/2 cups lard, unsalted butter, vegetable shortening, or a combination, softened
Kosher salt

Leftover shredded carnitas, or any other shredded pork roast from a 3 - 3 1/2 pound roast
40 dried corn husks

Grilled salsa verde, to serve

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the onion and garlic to a blender.

Add the soaked chiles, tomatoes, and a little of the broth to the blender and purée until smooth.

Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, add the masa harina, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the chile-tomato mixture and cook, stirring regularly, until it has darkened in color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar or honey, cumin, oregano (if using), allspice, cloves, 2-1/2 tsp. salt, and enough chicken or pork stock to thin the purée to a sauce consistency. Add the cinnamon stick, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the color deepens slightly, the consistency is smooth, and a light sheen develops on the surface of the sauce, an additional 15 to 20 minutes, adding more broth as needed. Season to taste with salt and sugar.

In a large bowl, mix the masa harina with 2 1/4 cups hot (140°F to 160°F) water. Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), whip the lard, butter, or shortening on medium-high speed until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp. salt and continue beating 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 the masa with the rest of the chicken or pork stock until all of the masa is used. Add 1/4 cup of the chile sauce and whip until light and fluffy, adding more broth if the mixture seems too dry.

To test if the masa is ready, take a small piece (about 1/2 teaspoon) and drop it in a cup of cold water. It should easily float. If not, simply whip the masa for a few more minutes and test again. Set aside.

Soak the corn husks in very hot water for 30 to 45 minutes, or overnight in cool water with a plate or bowl set on top of the husks to keep them submerged. You’ll have enough husks to make the tamales, plus extra to line the steamer and make up for any broken husks.  Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups of the chile sauce with the shredded meat and season to taste with salt.

Wipe a soaked husk dry and put it smooth side up on a work surface.  Put about 1/3 cup masa in the center of the widest portion of the husk. With a spoon, spread it evenly over one-half to two-thirds of the husk leaving a 1/2-inch border at each edge.

Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pork filling in the center of the masa about 1/2 inch from the wide end.

Fold the corn husk in half lengthwise so the edges meet. Fold the seam back so it’s in the center of the tamale. Fold the tail of the wrapper to cover the seam (at least half the length of the tamale). Flip seam side down onto a tray or rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Fill a deep 8-quart pot with a pasta insert with enough water to reach just below the insert. Without the insert in place, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Have ready a kettle or pot of almost boiling water to add if the water gets low. Arrange the tamales upright (open end up) in the insert, leaving room for the steam to circulate. Fit the insert into the pot over the boiling water. Use the extra husks to cover the tamales (this helps concentrate the heat). Cover the pot with a lid. Steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the water just boiling. Check the water level frequently and add more as needed to keep the pot from going dry.
To test for doneness, quickly remove a tamale and replace the lid on the pot to continue the cooking. Put the tamale on the counter for a few minutes and then carefully unwrap it. If ready, the masa should be set and will pull away from the wrapper easily.
Let the tamales rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the masa to firm up. For softer tamales, let them rest in the pot with the heat off and the lid and extra leaves removed. For firmer tamales, let them rest out of the pot, covered with a cloth.

Serve the tamales in their wrappers with salsa verde, and have your guests unwrap them just before eating.
Once unwrapped, they cool quickly.  Enjoy!