Pork Tamales

3 1/2 lbs pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed of fat & cut up

10 cups water

1 medium onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 cups red chili sauce (see recipe below)

3/4 cup shortening

6 cups masa harina

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

50 dried corn husks (about 8 inches long)

50 Tamales

In a 5 qt Dutch oven, bring pork, water, onion, garlic and 1-1/2 salt to boil. Simmer covered, about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender. Remove from broth. (Cool meat and broth.) Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding fat.

Strain the broth and reserve 6 cups of the broth.

In a large sauce pan, heat the red chili sauce and add meat.

Simmer meat and sauce, covered for 10 minutes.

For Masa:

In a large bowl beat shortening on medium for 1 minute. Stir together masa harina, baking powder and 2 t. salt.

Alternately add masa harina mixture and broth to shortening, beating well after each addition. Add just enough broth to make a thick, creamy paste.

Soak corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes.

Rinse to remove any corn silk. Drain well. To assemble each tamale, spread 2 T. masa misture on the center of the corn husk. (Each husk should be 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top. If husks are small, overlap 2 small ones to form one. If it is large, tear a strip from the side) Place about 1 T. meat sauce in the middle of the masa.

Fold in sides of husk and fold up the bottom.

Place a mound of extra husks or a foil ball in the center of a steamer basket placed in a Dutch oven. Lean the tamales in the basket, open side up. Add water to Dutch oven just below the basket. Bring water to boil and reduce heat.

Cover and steam 40 minutes, adding water when necessary.

Red Chili Sauce

15 large dried chili peppers (Anaheim, California, New Mexico, or pasilla)

4-5 cloves garlic

1 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground chipotle

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons olive oil

Remove stems and seeds from dried chili peppers. Place peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in 350 degree oven for 2 to 5 minutes or until you smell a sweet roasted aroma, checking often to avoid burning. Remove from oven and soak in enough hot water to cover for about 30 minutes or until cool. Put peppers and 2 1/2 cups of the soaking water into a blender. (Save the remaining soaking water) Add garlic, cumin, chipotle and salt. Cover and blend until smooth. In a 2 qt sauce pan, stir flour into oil or melted shortening over med heat until browned. Carefully stir in blended chili mixture. Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

(If sauce gets too thick, stir in up to 1 cup of the remaining soaking water until you reach the desired thickness) Use this sauce for traditional tamales.

I got this recipe from Karen in Colorado, and it looks like it's going to be a winner!