Passing by that Mexican restaurant close to my house has me craving some serious Mexican food…
And I LOVE tamales! But most times when I order them, they come out bland and leave me disappointed.
These my friend, will not disappoint! They are marvelous I tell you.
Even my 2-year-old mopped up her plate.
Shall I go on…?
Homemade Tamales Filling: – 1 lb of grass-fed beef or pastured pork – 1 large onion – 1 large bell pepper – 2 cloves garlic chopped – 2 tablespoons smoked paprika – 1/2 – 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)– 2 teaspoons sea salt
– 1/2 teaspoon coriander
– 1/2 teaspoon cumin
– 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper – 1/2 cup water Masa Dough: – 2 cups organic masa harina – 1.5 cups of homemade chicken or beef broth – 1 teaspoon baking powder – 1/2 teaspoon sea salt – 2/3 cup lard or tallow (I have also used olive oil in the place of) 1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
Blend both onion then bell pepper in mini food processor, or chop finely by hand
Cook down in a skillet for 5 min or so.
Add meat and spices and garlic cook until all cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add water and stir. Simmer with lid on for 15 more minutes.
Next take a few of your corn husks and soak them in a bowl of warm water.
This makes them pliable and easy to fill.
In a large bowl, blend the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
Fill your corn husks with a large spoon of dough, spreading to about 1/4 in thickness. Spoon in 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture in the middle.
Now here’s the trick…..fold each side towards the center till the masa touches and then fold the bottom part up. You may need to use town pieces of the husks to tie it together, though it isn’t necessary.
Continue until you are out of ingredients.
Steam in pot for 1 hour!
Top with cheese or refried beans or salsa……or just enjoy them plain! They are delicious!