Tamales Finally

So I promised in this post, that I would dish out the recipe for my grandma's famous tamales and I am finally fulfilling my word. WARNING: May result in fatigue after spending an entire day making them and will be accompanied by an addiction to their delicious taste powers.

So here it is...

Ingredients
Panca (Corn Husks) - 1 Pack
Chicken - 1 whole small
Pork - Picinic boneless (.8 lb.)
Eggs - 6
Onions - 1 large
Achote (Spice) - 1/2 Tb
Cumin - 1/2 Tsp.
Garlic Powder - 1/2 Tsp.
Red Chile Puree - 3/8 C
Garlic Puree - 1/4 C
Salt
Water
Oil - 1 C & 7/16 C
Tamale Flour - 1/2 Pkg
Shortening - 3/16 C
String - A few feet


1. Cut up the whole chicken and put all the "spare parts" (anything non-breast) aside.

2. Fill a large pot 1/4 filled with water. Add a pinch of salt, the "spare parts", eggs and the pork. Then put it on high heat. Let this boil for 30 min.

3. After the broth has cooked take out the pork and "spare parts." Set the broth somewhere it can cool. Then cut the pork into chunks and set aside.

4. Take the uncooked chicken breasts and cut then into strips. Then cut at an angle to form medium chunks. Make sure the chunk to tamale ratio is equal.

5. Wash the corn husks. Place them in a pot to dry.

6. Heat on high 1 C of oil and 1 large diced onion in a large pot. Cook onions until they start to brown.

7. In a small pan put 1/2 Tb of Achote with 1/4 C of oil on high and wait until it boils.

8. Add 3/8 C of Red Chile Puree (California Red Chiles, & Oil) & 1/4 c of Garlic Puree (Garlic & Oil).  

9. Add the chicken chunks, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1 Tb salt, achote juice, broth (if needed) & 1/2 tsp garlic powder on medium heat. Let this boil for 15-10 min with the pork chunks.

10. Put 1/2 the Tamale flour in a medium plastic bin.

11. When the chicken and pork are done place them in a separate bowl then the left over juice and onions.

12. Take the first and second broth and make sure they are cool. If not put their pots in cold water.

13. Put 2 Tb of salt, 3/16 C of shortening and 7/16 C of oil into the tamale flour.

14. Add the clear broth and the red broth. Then mix with your hand using a scooping motion. You will know it's done when the dough does not stick to the sides.

15. Form a tamale assembling line. 1. Corn husks 2. Quartered Eggs 3. Pork and chicken chunks 4. tamale dough 5. finished tamales 6. cutting of tamale strings

16. Putting a tamale together 1. First put dough in two overlapped husks with a dip in the middle. In the dip add a piece of pork and chicken, egg, (olives optional), then cover with more tamale dough and overlap the husks so there are no openings. Then cut a long piece of string and tie it on the tamale just like a bow on a Christmas present

17. To cook tamales stack them in a large pot. Cover them with corn husks. Fill the pot 1/2 way with water and cook on medium heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

18. Enjoy your 50ish tamales!!!

Picture courtesy of Katie Schumm