Recipe: Meat Filling
5-lb. Pork
3-5 Dried Red Poblano Peppers
1/4 Cup Mixed Whole Cumin & Pepper
3 Garlic Pods Peeled
1-2 Cups Meat Broth
Salt to taste
Boil, broil, bake or slow-cook the meat. Reserve the broth for the masa and the filling. Chop or shred cooked meat. Clean peppers and boil in one cup for about 5 minutes. Place in blender and add the mixed cumin and pepper seed, and garlic. Blend until a paste is formed and all the spices are ground. Place chopped meat in a large pot and add broth, pepper and garlic paste, and salt. Mix until all ingredients blend together. Use immediately or refrigerate overnight, allowing the seasonings to ferment into meat.
Recipe: Tamala Masa (traditional version)
5 lbs. Fresh Masa
1 lb. Lard
l cup Veg. Shortening
1/8 cup Salt
1/4 cup Chili Powder
2 cups Broth or Water
1/8 cup Baking Powder
1/8 cup Garlic Powder (Optional)
Place masa in large bowl, break into pieces. Set aside. Melt lard and shortening on low heat; add chili powder, salt and mix. Stir together broth, baking powder and garlic powder. Gradually combine broth and lard mixture to masa. Mix well after each addition. Masa should be smooth. Let masa rest 10 minutes. Spread fast and easy using the Mas Tamales Masa Spreader. Add your favorite filling and steam cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Recipe: Tamala Masa (light version)
5 lbs. Fresh Masa
2 Cups Broth from Meat
1 Cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/4 cup Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
Place masa in a large bowl, break into small pieces. Add broth and mix using a mixer. Set aside. Add to oil the chili powder, garlic powder, salt and mix to dissolve the spices. Add to Masa and whip for a few minutes. Add baking powder and mix. Let masa rest for a few minute. Spread fast and easy using the Mas Tamales Masa Spreader. Add your favorite filling and steam cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
TAMALE MASA USING MASA HARINA
| Masa Harina | 4-cup | 16-Cups |
| Broth | 4-cup | 16-Cups |
| Salt | 1-TBSP | 1/3Cup |
| Ground Garlic | 1-TBSP | 1/3Cup |
| Chile Powder | 1-TBSP | 1/3Cup |
| Oil | 1-cup | 4 Cups |
| Baking Powder | 1-TBSP | 1/3Cup |
Place masa in a large bowl, add broth water combination and mix using a mixer. Mix oil, chili powder and salt, add to masa. Mix using a mixer. Add baking powder and mix. Start on low and then whip for about 10 minutes. Let masa rest for 10 minutes then spread using the Mas Tamales Masa Spreader.
Notes:
- For low fat tamales you will need to use lean meats for your filling.
- Use fresh spices for a better traditional flavor. Spices include dried poblano peppers (chile ancho), whole mixed pepper corns and cumin seeds, and garlic.
- Estimating how much masa and meat to purchase, a good estimate is that for 5 lb. of MASA you will need 5 -10 pounds of meat. Measuring the same as masa will yield equal amounts of filling as to masa. If you like twice the meat as masa then go with 10 pounds of meat for every 5 pounds of masa.
- For spicy tamales use one small poblano pepper (chile ancho) for each pound of meat. If you donŐt like them spicy then use one pod for every 2 lb.
- Make them HOT TAMALES by adding your favorite peppers.
- Corn husks: for 5 dozens of tamales you will need about 6 oz. of corn husks. Make sure you spread on the silky side of the corn husk.
A video demonstration of the tamale making process is also available: Tamale Making Video Demo