bugdude - 12-18-2005 at 03:37 PM
A combination of memories of my "wellita's" kitchen this time of year and ubiquitous Google search has yielded a few worthwhile recipes, but none
using the pre-made masa available at panader?as? As I seem to remember there were a few additional ingredients/techniques to preparing the masa?
Gracias. Feliz Navidad.
bajajudy - 12-19-2005 at 07:37 AM
Ingredients
* 5 lbs. lean pork or beef, cooked and shredded
* 6 to 7 lbs. fresh masa
* 1 1/2 lbs lard
* 1 tbls. salt
* 1 1/2 pts. red chili sauce
* 1 bundle oujas (corn shucks)
Directions
To make tamales, cook meat by boiling in a large covered pot with enough water to cover completely. Add salt to taste and slow boil till
completely done. Cool meat and save broth. When meat has cooled, shred and mix in the chili sauce. Clean oujas (corn shucks or outer husk)in warm
water. (make masa by hand or with mixer) Mix the masa, lard , salt and enough broth to make a smooth paste. Beat till a small amount (1 tsp) will
float in a cup of cool water.
Spread masa (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick layer, or to preference) on ouja, add a small amount of meat and roll up. Fold up ends of ouja and place(fold
down) on a rack in a pan deep enough to steam. Add 1 to 2 inches water, cover with a tight fitting lid and steam about 1 1/2 hours. (a cloth can be
used under the lid to make a tighter fit)
Many variations of ingredients can be used in making tamales. You can use a combination of beef and pork, use chicken or even fried beans. One or
two olives may be added to the center or try adding a few raisins.
This recipe will make 4 to 5 dozen tamales
This sounds pretty good although 4 to 5 dozen is certainly a lot.
I would use manteca as the lard if you can find it. It gives the masa a little flavor.
Also I thought that it was spelled hojas
Good luck. Let us know how that turn out.
bajabound2005 - 12-19-2005 at 07:41 AM
I have found this website to be most helpful in making tamales, especially since I'd never made them before. We made them following this recipe and
these techniques successfully time and again - even did a tamale making party. The pictures were a big help to us!
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/tamales/
elizabeth - 12-19-2005 at 10:10 AM
I like to make tamales...different kinds for different times of year...or just different cravings!!! Between thanksgiving and the feast day of la
virgen de guadalupe, I always make tamales miahuatecos, more or less following the recipe of Zarela Martinez in her Oaxaca cookbook. Slightly sweet
and spicy, pumpkin puree is incorporated in the masa, they are stuffed with chipotle flavored black bean puree, and wrapped in banana leaves.
I also like to make sweet pineapple tamales with currants for dessert.
I once tried making the masa from the nixtamal and hand grinding!!! Don't bother trying this at home...
Also...from my point of view, the best lard is the almost liquid, yellow, unfiltered kind...actually the very best is home rendered with little bits
of cracklings. I can't remember the correct word for it right now...
bugdude - 12-24-2005 at 12:29 PM
Thanks for your thoughtful replies.
Feliz Navidad to you and your families.
oladulce - 12-26-2005 at 07:18 PM
This thread has gotten me in the mood for New Years Tamales but I've got to get some better equipment. My steaming supplies are a pain in the butt and
take forever because I can only do a few at a time.
The link above for "son of the south tamales" shows a large capacity pot with a steaming basket that you stand the tamales in vertically.
Is this a gourmet or specialty item just for tamales? Any other suggestions for tamale steaming equipment , and where to purchase?
bugdude - 12-26-2005 at 10:55 PM
I think those are a specialty item. My wellita would use a large 16+ quart granite ware pot with a smaller pot in the bottom to stack the tamales on
and keep them out of the water during steaming. I have seen aluminum pots with steam inserts at local swap meets in soCalif - neat set up - or maybe
at Walmart or a local panader?a.
http://www.abestkitchen.com/store/hispanic-pots.html
I think the way to go is with the premade masa available at panader?as. My wellita would usually make at least ten dozen for the holidays to give to
relatives and friends.
One observation: Using a strand of ouja to tie the tamales closed at the top produce nice moist tamales. In leaving the ends open, much of the
moisture and flavor escapes - trust me.
[Edited on 11/12/2005 by bugdude]
Geronimo - 1-2-2006 at 08:32 PM
Go to a Mexican grocery and find the blue speckled pots very cheep with a rack in side. Food City in Phx always has a hundred or so in stock. My
Nana used to make a 100 dozen over wood fire to sell at Christmas time! We buy them from a neighbor as the memory of spreading Masa for two days
haunts my mom. Lots of work.
Geronimo
elizabeth - 1-3-2006 at 01:21 PM
The blue speckled steamer pots are really best. There are some non-blue ones for sale right now at Calimax in Rosarito! I have an enormous stock
pot, and I just improvise with three overturned tuna cans, and a broken vegetable steamer (the kind that collapses). Has always worked!
Whatever you use as a steamer, do not forget to put a few coins in the bottom of the pot so you don't run out of water...and put a folded towel
between the top layer of tamales and husks or banana leaves, and the lid of the pot to keep steam from condensing and falling.
Marinero - 1-3-2006 at 01:28 PM
Coins in the bottom of the pot! Is that an offering to the fickle kitchen gods or does it have something to do with an early warning system. I would
love to know. 
Early warning system
DanO - 1-3-2006 at 01:39 PM
You're running out of water when the coins stop rattling.
oladulce - 1-3-2006 at 06:23 PM
I was able to grab the last 16 qt tamale pot on the shelf at walmart- the blue enamled kind with the steamer insert. It was so much easier to be able
to steam a large volume of them at once.
Elizabeth, do you have to change the towel at the top of the tamale pot periodically when steaming one batch (2 hours plus) or just let it collect
the steam for the duration of the batch?
We did a variation of a few different recipes and this batch was the best.Pork and chicken combined, with tomatillo and green chili sauce, and pi?a
and pasas with olives.
I highly recommend "Lizano sauce" which is a spicy, whorchestshire-like sauce from Central America to dip your tamales in. You can find it online or
ask friends to bring some back when they visit C.R, Nica, El Sal, or Guatemala. You'll find yourself putting Lizano on everything.
elizabeth - 1-3-2006 at 10:03 PM
Oladulce
Congratulations on your new pot. You'll find it much easier to have the large steamer.
I just use one towel for a batch...a terry kitchen towel folded in two. You also need to be sure that the tamales are covered with a layer of corn
husk, or banana leaf, whichever you are using.
The ONLY tip an trick to getting good tamales....
Hook - 2-20-2006 at 08:09 PM
.....is to drop by your Mexican friends mom's house in early December with a bottle of tequila.
Works every time......de pollo or de puerco. 