Tamales Remix

Method

Day 1:  Make the Ancho Sauce

Heat a pot of water to boiling on the stove.  Open the dried ancho chilis, scrape out all the seeds and stems.  Once water is boiling, turn off heat and immerse the chilis in the water to rehydrate.  Cover.  This takes about 30 minutes.  Once the chilis are rehydrated (they will change color and become more pliable), move them with tongs to a blender.  Blend them into a paste.  Add the spices and about half a can of enchilada sauce and blend again until well mixed.  Pour into a pan on the stove, add the remaining can and a half of enchilada sauce and heat.  Cook for about 15 minutes, then cool and pour into jars or a container that can go in the fridge.

Day 2: Prepare the Meat

Cut the roast into 1-2 inch cubes.  I cut most of the big pieces of fat off but some fat is okay.  Place in the crock pot.  Pour seasonings on top.  I probably put in a couple of Tbs. of cumin and about 1/4 cup of chili powder, but you can do what “smells right” to you.  Cook in the crock pot on low all day.

*Note: I have a KitchenAid mixer that I LOVE.  If you don’t have a stand mixer that will chop beef, I’m sure you could use a fork for this step:

For me, when the meat is cooked in it’s juices, I take the meat pieces out a little at a time and blend in my mixer (I show how I do this in THIS post).  It will shred the beef for you perfectly.  Return the meat back to its juices, and unplug the crock pot to let the meat cool.  Once the meat is cool, I take the whole bowl out of my crock pot and place it in the fridge.  If yours doesn’t detach, you can put the meat in a separate bowl or ziplock bag.

Day 3: Tamale Assembly

Step 1: Set out your meat & ancho sauce

You don’t have to heat the meat to make your tamales, but go ahead and set the meat and the sauce out on the counter so they can be coming to room temperature as you make the masa.

Step 2: Prepare the corn husks

You will need to purchase a package of corn husks at a Mexican market or even regular grocery stores carry them in Texas around the holidays, especially.  Fill your sink with hot water.  Separate each individual corn husk, brushing off any corn silks or dirt, and place them in the water to soften.  You may need to set a plate or something on top of them to make sure they sink and stay covered in water.  I flip them every now and then to make sure they’re all getting saturated.  You can leave them soaking while you prepare the masa.  (Once they’re soft, set them on a towel & pat dry).

Step 3: Prepare the masa

Ingredients:

10 lbs. masa (these come in 5 lbs. packages at a Mexican grocer already prepared with water and lime.  Make sure you get one with NO SALT added, but if that’s all you can find, it’s fine, just don’t add salt when you prepare it).
2 lbs. lard
4 Tbs. salt
4 cups chicken stock

I divide this job into four batches in my kitchenaid mixer.  For each batch, melt 8 oz. of lard on the stove.  Crumble 5 lbs. of the prepared masa into your mixer.  Add 1 Tbs. salt.  Start the mixer.  Alternate pouring in the melted lard with 1 cup of chicken stock, then mix on a relatively high speed for several minutes until the mixture resembles a butter-like spread.  When the masa is ready, a pinch of it will float in a cup of cold water.  If it sinks, you just need to whip it longer.  Eventually, it will float.  Promise.

Step 4:  Assemble

Pour your chili sauce into your meat and mix well.

Pat your corn husks dry.

Put all the masa in a big bowl or container.

Bring all these things to the table.  Another thing that I find to be a HUGE time saver is a masa spreader.  I found mine at HEB on an endcap of the canning supply aisle.