chita's pork tamales

How To Make chita's pork tamales

• Step 1
  Remove corn husks from package and place in a large bowl or plastic bin. Add hot water to cover. Let soak while you prepare the meat and sauce.
• Step 2
  Prepare the meat: Cut pork into small chunks (bitesize) and put into a large pan. Add the garlic heads, onion, salt and bay leaves. Add water to fully cover pork, but don't add too much. It should not be soupy. Cook, covered, until the pork is cooked through. Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes to allow the remaining liquid to cook off. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Step 3
  Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Wash the serrano chiles. Remove the stems. Cut lengthwise and scrape off the seeds.
• Step 4
  Peel the husks off the tomatillos and wash them. (Sometimes they come already husked). Your hands will feel waxy. Place the washed tomatillos in a pot. Add the garlic, onion, and ONLY half the cilantro and half the serrano chiles. Add water just to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the tomatillos are soft and bursting, about 6-8 minutes.
• Step 5
  Transfer the tomatillos to a blender jar with a slotted spoon. Reserve the cooking liquid. Add the remaining cilantro to the blender. Add the serrano chiles, to taste. Process until they're a sauce consistency. Add some of the cooking liquid if it's too thick. (But it should not be soupy - more like the consistency of a runny gravy). Add salt to taste. Adjust chiles for your level of spiciness, remembering that the meat and masa will temper the spiciness. Add more serrano chiles if desired. If more heat is desired, see note...
• Step 6
  NOTE: If you like the sauce spicier, you can add even more serranos. Or you can toast some dried Chiles de Arbol (just three or four), remove the stem, split and seed them, and add them to the sauce. Process again in the blender.
• Step 7
  Make the masa: Place the prepared masa in a large bowl. Add some of the prepared tomatillo sauce to flavor and give a bit of color. Add a little at a time - the masa should not be runny. It should be easily spreadable, but hold it's shape. Set aside.
• Step 8
  Make the tamales: Drain the husks. Prepare a large pot by placing a trivet or steamer on the bottom. If you don't have one, see my note at the end!
• Step 9
  Pour the remaining sauce over the cooked pork and stir to combine.
• Step 10
  My Mom and Grandma used to set up an assembly line. Cover your table with a waterproof picnic cloth. Place the elements in a row: Corn husks, masa & large tablespoon or serving spoon, filling & large tablespoon or serving spoon, stock pot or deep tray. One person would be spreading the masa on the husks. One person would be placing filling and folding tamale, and one person would be stacking tamales in the stock pot. But it can all be done by one person... been there, done that!
• Step 11
  Add warm water to the stock pot, until even with the trivet.
• Step 12
  Using one large husk at a time (or two smaller ones overlapped), spread about 1/4 cup of masa edge-to-edge on the bottom (wide) half of the husk. Cupping the battered husk in one hand, add about two tablespoons of filling, then fold one side of the husk over the filling, then the opposite side. Like a tri-fold wallet! Finally, fold the pointed (unfilled) end up. Place the finished tamale upright in the stockpot.
• Step 13
  Repeat until all in elements are used up. You can stack multiple layers of tamales in the stockpot, but do it carefully.
• Step 14
  Cover the stockpot with the lid. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low. Cook for about 2 hours. Check to make sure the steam continues. If the water starts to get too low, add more hot water by pouring down the side of the pan, between tamales.
• Step 15
  If the tamales seem too mushy after 2 hours, take one out an let it sit a bit. It should firm up as it cools. If not, add more hot water to the pot and continue steaming for another half hour.
• Step 16
  NOTE:If you don't have a steamer trivet, you can wad up aluminum foil into balls the size of tennis balls. Put at the bottom of the pot. Make sure it can take the weight of the tamales. Place a layer of corn husks over the aluminum. Put a foil pie plate on top, in which you've poked holes, over the foil balls. Stack tamales on top of the plate.
• Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!