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Servings: 20
Calories: 234kcal
Ingredients
For the corn husks:
- 8 cups water
- 40 corn husks
For the guiso:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound pork tenderloin very small chopped
- 1 cup white onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups diced canned tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
For the masa:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cups corn masa flour
- 8 cups beef broth
- Hot sauce
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove it from heat.8 cups water
- Separate, wash, and clean the corn husks. Add them to the boiled water and push them down to soak. Cover the pot and let corn husks soak for 2 hours. Drain and reserve.40 corn husks
- In a cast iron, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown the pork on medium-high heat until the sides of the meat have a caramel color.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 pound pork tenderloin
- Add the onions, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and black peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and softened. Add the canned tomatoes. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 20 min.1 cup white onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 cups diced canned tomatoes, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 bay leaves
Make the masa:
- Add corn masa flour, oil, salt, and 3 cups of beef broth and stir by hand to combine. Stir and knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, adding corn four, and broth as needed. If the masa is too wet, add more corn flour and if it’s too dry, add more broth. You should reach a soft and easy-to-work consistency, similar to play dough.1 cup vegetable oil, 4 cups corn masa flour, 8 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon salt
Assemble Tamales
- Lay one corn husk, rough side up on a plate or in your hand and add about two tablespoons of masa to the bottom half.
- Spread it out smooth on one half only and add 1-2 tablespoons of the pork filling to the center of the masa.
- Fold the sides into the center of the tamale and fold it in half. Now wrap it again with a second corn husk and fold it like a pocket. Tear off a piece of a small corn husk and tie it around the center of the tamale to seal it. You can also tie them with baking twine.
- Place the tamales into a steamer basket until it is filled up.
- Put a damp kitchen towel over the tamales. Place in a large pot with water below the basket and cover with a lid. Steam for 1 hour.
- Remove and rest for a few minutes before serving with hot sauce and cilantro.Hot sauce, Cilantro
Notes
- Masa consistency: aim for a soft, spreadable dough about as firm as play dough. Too dry, add broth a spoonful at a time; too sticky, work in more masa harina.
- Work the masa well and, if you like, use the float test: a teaspoon of dough dropped in cold water floats once it is aerated enough for light tamales.
- Do not overfill: 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling per tamale, or they will not fold closed.
- Keep the corn husks under a damp towel as you work so they stay pliable and do not tear.
- Doneness test: pull one tamale, rest it a couple of minutes, and peel the husk. If the masa releases cleanly, it is done; if it smears, steam longer.
- Rest the finished tamales a few minutes off the heat before judging doneness, since many that seem underdone are just unrested.
- No steamer: improvise with a metal colander or rack in a large lidded pot, keeping the water below the tamales the whole time.
- Pork safety: pork is safe at an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) with a short rest; between the simmer and a full hour of steaming, this filling cooks well past that.
- Refrigerate 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months for best quality.
- Cool safely: do not leave tamales out to cool; refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Reheat by steaming to 165°F (74°C), 15 to 20 minutes from the fridge or 30 to 35 minutes from frozen.
- Nutrition: the nutrition figures are an estimate provided for guidance, not a guarantee.
Nutrition
Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 577mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
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