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Beef Tamales
Recipe
adapted from Food911. Beef shoulder roasted is simmered with garlic,
onions, ancho, pasilla, and New Mexico chiles.
Yield: 25 tamales
i n g r e d i e n t s
2 pounds beef shoulder roast
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 garlic bulb, cloves removed and peeled
4 ounces dried New Mexico
chilies
2 ounces ancho chiles
2 ounces pasilla chiles
2 tablespoons cumin seed,
toasted
1 tablespoons salt
2 bags dried corn husks,
about 3 dozen
4 cups masa mix for tamales
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups reserved beef broth, warm
1 cup vegetable shortening
d i r e c t i o n s
Beef;
Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large
heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to
cover the roast along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic.
Cook until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about
2 hours. When done, remove the roast to a platter to cool, reserve the beef
broth. Hand shred the meat and set aside.
Sauce; To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out
most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with
water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes
until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs
and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.)
Puree the chiles until smooth. Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer to
remove the remaining seeds and skins. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl
and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if
necessary. Add the shredded beef to the bowl of chili sauce, and mix
thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Husks; go
through the husks and sort by size and remove any silks or debris. Soak
the corn husks in your sink filled
with warm water until soft,
about 30 minutes. (You can also soak husks in large bowls of water if you
are not doing a lot of tamales).
Masa; In a deep bowl, combine the masa,
baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time,
working it in with your fingers. In a small bowl, beat the vegetable
shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a
spongy texture.
Drain Husks; Rinse, drain, and dry the corn husks. Set them out on a sheet pan covered by
a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and beef in chili sauce.
Spread Masa;
Start with the
largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate
or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you.
Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a
tablespoon dipped in water. The easiest method of
spreading masa is with a masa spreader (see side panel for how this is used) Do not use too much,
keep the masa thin.
Add about a tablespoon of
the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the
center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa
will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
Fold; the sides of the corn husk to center over the masa so that they
overlap to make a long package.
Fold the empty part of the husk under so that it rest
against the side of the tamale with a seam.
Steam; Place the tamales in a steamer and cook tamales for
2 hours. Check every 20 minutes.
Do not let the water boil away. The tamale is cooked when it separates easily from the
corn husk.
Serve; Unfold the husk and spoon about a
tablespoon of remaing beef filling on top. |
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Tamale Spreader Instructions
I have to admit I was
a bit skeptical of using this
tamale masa spreader gadget for spreading masa. But after struggling
with a spoon I gave this a try and now "I'm a believer"!
Pick up ½ cup of masa dough with front of spreader.
Place on husk and press to the angle of the spreader
Slide towards the bottom of the husk until the entire husk is covered.
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The spreader works
best with soft, warm, masa
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Use the large smooth
surface to spread.
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For thicker masa use
more masa and less pressure.
tamale masa spreader from gourmetsleuth.com
About Masa
Fresh masa dough is always preferred.You can purchase
"masa for tamales" at your local tortilla factory if there is one in your
area. If it is not available then we feel Maseca brand Masa is the best on the market.
Maseca masa for tamales
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