TAMALE CONVERSATION THREAD

By serena On August 3, 2013 · Leave a Comment

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON TRIED AND TRUE RECIPES Chelsea Adams

Anyone know how to make tamales?

Serena Adkins Ellison Elizabeth Chambers-Hernandez would you please give us one of your mother in law’s homemade tamale recipes? I know yours will be good.
Elizabeth Chambers-Hernandez Wow, tamales is an event! I will certainly get you a traditional recipe from my Juarez friends, if I don’t talk to my Mother-in-law in the next day or two. Hog’s head is the main ingredient in traditional tamales. That I know for sure. But, I personally would probably opt for chicken. The key is to get your masa (dough) just right. It also calls for lard. We are pretty spoiled here in the Borderland, because we can buy the masa ready to use. Chelsea is in Ohio, it says, so I wonder if she’ll have access to all the ingredients she needs. She could also search for videos on Youtube . There are some great how-to videos on there. Emily Bonderer Cruz has made them, I know. She lives here in Juarez. I know she could probably share a great recipe! She’s a fantastic cook!
Serena Adkins Ellison I knew you would have the BEST!!!!
Elizabeth Chambers-Hernandez It makes me ready for Christmas! We eat them much more often in the Winter! It wouldn’t feel like Christmas here if we didn’t have tamales and Mexican hot chocolate (Abuelita brand).
Emily Bonderer Cruz I make tamales every year but it is SUCH an event. Like Elizabeth mentioned, we have easy access to prepared masa so I don’t really have a recipe for that. I opt to use a regular pork roast in place of the hog’s head because it’s cheaper, gives you more meat and let’s be honest, it’s not as gross as boiling a pig’s head. Although I have gone that route before and have some very interesting pictures in my FB albums outlining that process. I prefer the taste of a pork roast anyway, much less fat. Anyway my go-to recipe has New Mexican chile pods because I grew up in the Southwest before moving to Mexico and luckily I can still find those in El Paso, TX. I am partial to the Mesilla Valley Chili Company and I actually have been using their recipe for years. Cut it right off the bag of chiles and stuck it in my cookbook
Emily Bonderer Cruz Ingredients are 12 Chiles, 3.5 cups of water, 3 whole garlic cloves, 2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp who oregano (crushed)
Emily Bonderer Cruz Basically I clean off the chiles and then split them open and remove the stems and seeds. Then I boil them in the water and let them cook until they get pulpy. Then I put the chiles and a bit of water in the blender with the garlic and salt and oregano until smooth. I think I add about half of the water back in at this point to get the right consistency. Then you use the oil and flour to make a roux and slowly add in the chile mixture. Once that’s all complete you will add in your cooked, shredded meat… pork, beef, chicken, etc. It’s super good and dang, I’m with Elizabeth! Now I wish it were December I have the recipe somewhere let me go find it and I’ll post a picture… Wish I could be of more help with the whole masa thing…
Chelsea Adams I’m gonna start looking in some mexican stores hopefully they sell them…my next door neighbor use to make them they were so good so they gotta have the ingredients

Emily Bonderer Cruz They really are. I HATE making them. In Mexican culture, it’s done with a group, but I always find myself making them alone. I roast the pork one day in the crock pot, make the salsa/chile the next, then assemble on the 3rd dAy, but the assembly kills me. I usually make about 15 dozen every year. And every year I say it will be my last lol.

Cecilia Sarenana Making the masa is not as hard as every one making it I make mine it not as heavy as the already made masa and you can control how much lard you use. it all in the texture and shine .
Serena Adkins Ellison Cecilia will you share your Masa recipe?
Cecilia Sarenana I use to start 5 pound Bag of Mesa Heana (not sure on Spelling) I use Farmer John Lard 2 small box add salt as I go . I also use power Chile in the mesa . I slow add hot lard in the mesa and start mixing if to hot to mix have a cup of cold water near by and add to it if needed . I also use the juice from the meat and hand beat until the mesa has a shine to it then it ready. When cooking the meat I use New Mexico Powder Chile this way when adding the meat juice you getting the Chile in you mesa and it give it more flavor.