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My Grandmother’s Tamale Recipe

Ingredients
Makes approximately 5 dozen tamales
Fresh corn masa, 5 lbs.
1 lb. corn husks
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 lb. lard
5 cups cooked beef broth (drained from cooked beef) To be set aside, used as needed
8 oz. whole chili anchos
5 lb. beef shoulder
3-4 cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
Instructions

Step 1 : Prepare the Chili Ancho

Put the ancho pods in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes or more until soft, then remove the stems and seeds and coarsely chop. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Step 2

Let cool and carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor and process adding reserved soaking liquid as needed until smooth. Pour blended mixture through a fine mesh sieve and transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3 : Prepare the Husks
Fill a stock pot with warm water and corn husks and soak overnight. Just before you’re ready to make your tamales, rinse husks and dry well and, if too wide, cut in half. Set aside.

Step 4 : Prepare the beef

Cut beef shoulder into small (1-2 inch) pieces. Add garlic, beef pieces and spices to a large stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat for about 3 hours or until meat is tender.

Step 5
Remove meat and shred. Let meat cool and refrigerate overnight. Reserve beef broth.
The Day Of

Step 6 :Prepare the Masa

Beat 1 lb. lard with mixer or by hand until light. Add salt and fresh corn masa. Add in the chili mixture little by little until a dark pinkish color, and to taste. Beat with heavy duty mixer or knead like bread with a little beef broth, until dough is light. The dough is ready when a small amount floats when dropped in a glass of water.

Step 7 : Prepare the beef Filling

Heat some lard in a heavy saucepan. Add a cup (or more, to your taste) of the blended ancho chili mixture to lard and simmer until sauce slightly thickens. Add some salt to taste. Now add shredded meat and both and cook for about 20 minutes. You may want to add more of the blended chili mixture to your liking.

Step 8 : Fill the Corn Husks

Put some of the masa in the center of the corn husk. With the back of spoon, spread the bottom 2/3 of corn husk evenly to edges. Line plenty of beef meat down center. Fold side of corn husks toward center, overlap. Now fold top (without masa) down and set aside on platter until ready to cook. Continue these steps until all masa and beef filling is used up.

Step 9 : Steam Tamales

Bring 3-4 cups of reserved beef broth to boil in a steamer. Place tamales with folded side down in steamer standing upright. Cover tamales with moist corn husks and a clean moist dish towel. Put lid on steamer and steam for 1 ½ hours or until husk can be easily peeled from the dough. Add more broth as needed to continue steaming being careful not to pour broth on tamales.

enjoy!!