Chicken Pork Tamales Recipes

RED CHILE PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• For the braised pork: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds black pepper and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles and bring to a boil. Cover, turn off the heat and let sit until the chiles have softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender with the cumin, oregano, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds black pepper and puree until very smooth.
• Pour the sauce back into the Dutch oven, then add the pork and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low to maintain a steady simmer and cook until the pork is very tender and the sauce is brick red, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, about 1 hour.
• Discard the bay leaves from the pork, then shred the pork with 2 forks. Stir in the apple cider vinegar; taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the masa dough: Beat the lard, baking powder, chile powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and light in texture, about 2 minutes. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.) Reduce the speed to low and add the masa harina. Once just incorporated, slowly add 2 1/2 cups of the chicken broth and mix until combined, 2 to 4 minutes. Test the dough by placing a 1/2-teaspoon dollop in a cup of cold water--it should float. If not, add the remaining 1/2 cup broth and mix until combined, about 2 minutes more. This will ensure that the masa dough is light and fluffy.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end of a husk, spread about 3 tablespoons of the masa dough down the length of the husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing open-end up in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the dough is firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the steamer and cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve with lime wedges if desired.

CHICKEN & PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• 1. simmer chicken in one pot and pork in another, and add onion, green pepper, garlic, cilantro, adobo, cumin, salt & pepper to each pan.
• 2. simmer chicken till done remove from pan , cool , shred and remove fat, skin and bones, set aside, keep the broth.
• 3. simmer pork about 4 hours till very tender, remove from pan shred pork, set aside. keep the broth. Mix chicken and pork together, set aside.
• 4. rinse ancho peppers put in a large pot and fill with water, bring to a boil and simmer about 1/2 an hour, till peppers are soft. remove from heat and let cool.
• 5. when peppers have cooled ,tear pepper open and remove stem and seeds ,put peppers in food processor and set aside. Strain seeds from the water ancho peppers cooked in, reserving the water. add about 2 or 3 cups of ancho water to food processor and process till smooth, you can add more water if needed. set aside. reserve 2 or 3 tbs for the masa.
• 6. heat a large pan add 3 tbs oil and heat oil and add about half a cup of sofrito and a small can of tomatoe sauce , about 1/2 tsp adobo powder and 1 pack sazon. cook 2 or 3 minutes, add ancho paste , 1/2 tsp cumin and 2 tbs salt, add 4 to 6 cups of tomatillo/ jalapeno sauce. cook 5 minutes stirring constantly.
• 7. pour over chicken and pork and mix well, add broth a cup at a time, if it needs more , you want a saucey mix, the pork and chicken absorb a lot of the juices, simmer for about 15 or 20 minutes. set aside.
• 8. prepare the masa or use the already prepared masa for tamales. I prefer the prepared, I do add ancho paste and broth and some lard to the prepared also.
• 9. to make masa : in a large bowl beat lard for 1 minute,add 2 or 3 tbs of ancho paste, mix well. in a separate bowl mix together masa , baking powder and salt. alternating add masa and broth to lard beating well after each addition, add just enough broth to make a thick creamy paste,(about consistency of thick peanut butter) add broth just a little at a time.
• 10. spread masa on husks or parchment paper not too thin or too thick, add filling and wrap up folding the top and bottom over to close. with husks you can leave the top open, but you need to pay more attention to how you stack them in the steamer pot.
• 11. stack in steamer pot and steam for at least 1 hour. enjoy 8] I make the masa as I need it, and I make a large amount of tamales, everything can be adjusted as you need. You can do any filling that you like, I always just play around and add what I like 8]

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the bouillon powder and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool; cut into small pieces. Reserve the broth.
• Puree the cilantro and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved broth in a food processor until smooth (save the remaining broth for another use). Transfer to a medium pot. Add the garlic, cumin and salsa and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Make the dough: Soak the ancho chile in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the chile, then mince to make a paste. Combine the chile paste, masa harina, lard, 2 2/3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt
• in a bowl. Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) 10 to 15 minutes, or until a marble-size ball of dough floats in water.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the tamales pull away from the husks, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Cover corn husks with cold water; soak until softened, at least 2 hours., Place chicken, onion, salt and garlic in a 6-qt. stockpot. Pour in 3 qt. water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove bones and skin; discard. Shred chicken. Strain cooking juices; skim fat. Reserve 6 cups stock., For dough, beat shortening until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in small amounts of masa harina alternately with small amounts of reserved stock, using no more than 2 cups stock. Drop a small amount of dough into a cup of cold water; dough should float. If not, continue beating, rechecking every 1-2 minutes., For filling, heat oil in a Dutch oven; stir in flour until blended. Cook and stir over medium heat until lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Stir in seasonings, chicken and remaining stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes., Drain corn husks and pat dry; tear 4 husks to make 20 strips for tying tamales. (To prevent husks from drying out, cover with a damp towel until ready to use.) On wide end of each remaining husk, spread 3 tablespoons dough to within 1/2 in. of side edges; top each with 2 tablespoons chicken filling and 2 teaspoons olives. Fold long sides of husk over filling, overlapping slightly. Fold over narrow end of husk; tie with a strip of husk to secure., Place a large steamer basket in the stockpot over water; place tamales upright in steamer. Bring to a boil; steam, covered, adding hot water as needed, until dough peels away from husk, about 45 minutes.

RED CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• For the filling: Toast the chiles on both sides in a dry skillet over medium heat until pliable, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand until soft, about 30 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the soaking water and drain the rest. Puree the chiles, reserved soaking liquid, garlic, onion, oregano and cumin in a blender until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Add the chile puree and fry, stirring (be careful, the mixture may splatter), until very thick and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon salt, then add the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, turning the chicken occasionally, until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Increase the heat to medium high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Shred the chicken into small pieces and then coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and add enough of the sauce to coat it well; season with salt. Reserve the remaining sauce to serve on the side. Refrigerate both until ready to use.
• Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of hot water until pliable, about 1 hour. Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and place a steamer insert inside.
• For the masa: Mix the masa harina with 2 cups of the chicken broth, kneading by hand to incorporate. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.
• Beat the lard, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the masa harina mixture in 2 batches and beat very well to combine. Add the remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth and beat until lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Form a small ball of masa and see if it floats in a glass of water. If it does not, continue to beat the masa for a few minutes until the masa floats. Cover with plastic and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Assemble the tamales: Drain the corn husks and wring them dry.
• Lay a corn husk on a work surface, smoother side up, with the wide part of the husk closer to you. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of masa onto the bottom half of the husk and use an offset spatula to spread in a thin, even layer (leaving the top half of the husk bare). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto the masa. Then roll the husk up to enclose the filling. Fold the narrow side of the tamale under and arrange the tamale, open-side up, in the steamer insert. Repeat with the remaining masa, husks and filling.
• Bring the water in the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and steam until the masa is cooked through and separates easily from the husk, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
• Warm the reserved sauce and serve on the side.

PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Make the filling: Put the pork in a deep saucepan and cover with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 2 teaspoons salt, the onion, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and peppercorns; cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the pork is tender, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transfer the pork to a plate and shred. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid; keep warm.
• Meanwhile, soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Combine the pork, cumin, 1/3 cup chili powder, the garlic, flour, sugar, vegetable oil and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid in a large skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: Mix the masa harina, lard, 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 2 2/3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid in a bowl until combined.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and steam until the dough is firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

TAMALES DE POLLO (CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TAMALES)

Steps:

• Place the corn husks in a large bowl and add enough warm water to cover. Weigh down with a plate if needed and soak until softened, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, whisk the harina de maíz nixtamalizado, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the lard and rub into the dry ingredients with your fingers until thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is sandy. Add 2 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix and knead in each addition with your hands until fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough should be soft and tacky but not sticky. If needed, continue adding broth 1/4 cup at a time, kneading well after each addition.
• To assemble a tamal, remove a husk from the water and pat dry. Use your fingers or a palette knife to spread a handful of masa (about 1/4 cup) in the center of the husk, covering about two-thirds of the husk with masa about 1/4-inch thick. Leave at least 3 inches clear at the pointed end and at least an inch on the other sides. Put 1 heaping spoonful of the chicken tinga filling lengthwise down the center of the masa. Wrap by bringing the right side of the dough over the filling and folding in half. Continue rolling tightly to the long end of the husk, then fold the pointed bottom end over the tamal towards the open top. Set aside folded ends down. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Prepare a large steamer by setting a steamer insert or rack above gently boiling water. Stack the tamales flat seam side down on the insert, leaving an empty space in the center. Cover with remaining husks, then the lid. Steam, replenishing the water as needed, until the tamales are firm and the masa comes away easily from the husk, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm in the steamer until ready to serve. Steamed and cooled tamales can be wrapped individually and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and steam until heated through to serve.

REAL HOMEMADE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
• Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.
• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
• Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
• Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.