Quick Pressure Cooker Tamales Recipes

QUICK PRESSURE COOKER TAMALES

Steps:

• Rinse the corn husks and put them in a large shallow dish, like a casserole, and pour enough boiling water to cover. Use a heavy object, like the top from a pan, to keep the husks immersed.
• In the bowl of your mixer add masa harina, shortening, baking powder and salt. Using the paddle attachment, slowly incorporate the ingredients and pour in about half the water into the bowl of a stand up mixer. With paddle going slowly, drizzle about 1½ cups of the liquid. Masa should have a very soft "play-doh" type consistency - combined and sticky to the touch, not runny or crumbly. More or less liquid can be added to achieve the desired masa consistency.
• Lay out your work area with corn husks, filling, masa and either the cooking liquid from Carnitas or chile sauce.
• Just before starting to construct the tamales, flip the corn husks around so the ones that were soaking on the bottom are now on the top.
• Lay out one or three corn husks and wipe them down with a kitchen towel to dry and spread an even layer of masa in the middle top ⅔ of the husk.
• Place a small amount of meat (or filling of your choice) in the middle. Wet with carnitas cooking liquid or chile sauce.
• Carefully fold closed, and then fold the bottom part, without squeezing. Leave the tops open.
• Add 2 cups of water to the pressure cooker, add the steamer basket, and place the tamales open-side up. It may take a bit of arranging and some may be diagonal but no horizontal tamales!
• If not all can fit, cook in two batches. If you have just a few, tie them together in groups of threes with kitchen string (Alton Brown -style) so that they form a bit of a tripod can stand up on their own.
• Close the lid and set the valve to pressure cooking position.
• Electric pressure cookers: Cook for 20 minutes at high pressure. Stovetop pressure cookers: Lock the lid and cook for 15 minutes at high pressure.
• When time is up, open the pressure cooker with the Natural pressure release. Electric pressure cookers: Disengage the "keep warm" mode, or unplug the cooker, and open the lid when the pressure indicator/lid-lock has gone down (about 20 to 30 minutes). Stovetop pressure cookers: Move the cooker off the burner and wait for the pressure to come down on its own (about 10 minutes).Serve hot tamales in their wrappers.Makes 36-40 tamales - depending on the size.

INSTANT POT PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Place the dried corn husks in a large pot (not the pressure cooking pot) and cover with water. Place a heavy plate or a smaller pot full of water on top of husks to keep them submerged. Let soak for 3 hours or up to 1 day, flipping occasionally until husks are softened.
• Add the water, onion, garlic, both chili powders, salt, pepper and cumin to the pressure cooking pot and stir to combine. Add pork and lock the lid in place.
• Select High Pressure and 75 minutes cook time. When the cook time ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid. Transfer the meat from the pressure cooker to a bowl and shred with two forks. Discard any excess fat as you shred.
• Strain the cooking liquid and reserve to make the masa. At this point, you can chill the cooking liquid in the fridge for several hours or overnight to easily skim the fat off the top.
• Taste and season the shredded pork with additional chili powder, salt and cumin. As you season the meat, add a small amount of cooking liquid to moisten. Take care not to add too much-you don't want it to be runny.
• In a stand mixer, mix masa, shortening, oil, salt, and baking powder. Add the reserved cooking liquid with more hot water as needed and beat at medium speed or higher until fluffy. The dough should resemble a loose cookie dough.
• Place a steamer basket in the pressure cooking pot and add 2 cups water.
• Unfold 2 corn husks onto a work surface. Take ¼ cup of masa and, starting near the top of the husk and using damp fingers, press the masa into a 4-inch square, leaving a 2-3 inch border on the bottom of the husk. Place a heaping tablespoon of the pork filling in a line down the center of the masa.
• Fold in the sides until they just overlap, and wrap the husk tightly around the dough. Fold up the bottom part of the husk to seal.
• Stand the tamales up in the steamer inside the pressure cooking pot.
• Seal the lid and select High Pressure and 20 minutes cook time. When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid and remove the tamales from the pressure cooker.

PRESSURE-COOKER TAMALES

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a large bowl, cover with cold water, and weigh down with a plate to keep husks submerged. Soak until softened and pliable, about 30 minutes.
• Heat broiler with rack 4 inches from heating element. Cut poblanos in half lengthwise and remove seeds and veins. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and broil, turning often, until charred on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rub with a paper towel to remove skins, being careful not to tear flesh. Cut into thin strips.
• With a mixer, beat butter until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With your hands, mix masa harina, 1 teaspoon salt, and the warm water until it forms a dough. Add masa mixture to butter and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Remove husks from water, letting excess drip off. Working in batches, lay husks on a work surface, long sides closest to you. Tear two to three husks into 1/4-inch strips; reserve for tying. Spread about 1/4 cup dough thinly on center of each husk into about a 3-by-4-inch rectangle. Place a few poblano strips and a rounded tablespoon cheese in the center of dough. Bring together two long sides, to encase dough. Fold in two shorter sides. Use a strip of husk to tie tamale loosely closed.
• Place a 1-inch rack in 6- to 8-quart pressure cooker and fill with 3 cups water. Place the steamer insert on rack. Place tamales standing upright in steamer insert. Stovetop: Secure lid. Bring to high pressure over medium-high heat; reduce heat to maintain pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, quickly release pressure, then remove lid. Let cool slightly.Electric: Secure lid. Manually set cooker to 15 minutes and let it come to pressure. Once time is complete, turn off, quickly release pressure, then remove lid. Let cool slightly.
• Serve with cilantro and salsa.

VEGGIE TAMALES

Steps:

• For the filling: Add the shortening to a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the squash and cook, stirring only once, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, jalapenos and garlic and stir to combine. Add the onion, chili powder and cumin and cook until the onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes and salt and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Transfer a bowl and chill to cool.
• For the tamales: In a stovetop pressure cooker, add 3 cups of water along with the corn husks. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for locking on the lid. Cook under high pressure just until the pressure is reached. Quick-release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. Remove the husks and cover with a damp towel, reserving the hot liquid.
• Place the masa in a medium bowl and whisk in the salt and baking powder. Add the vegetable shortening by pinching it together with the masa, rubbing it together to disperse. Add all of the hot water from the pressure cooker and stir until a batter is formed.
• Lay the husks out and spread a large golf ball-sized amount of the masa in a thin layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Add about two tablespoons of the chilled filling. Fold the tamale like an open-ended envelope, starting with the sides and then the bottom. Place the tamale seam-side down in a steamer basket to let gravity hold it in place. Continue with the remaining husks and filling. Very carefully wrap the whole bunch of tamales in foil, leaving the tops exposed, and stand the tamales on their ends so they stand upright in the steamer basket. If your steamer basket has handles, this will help. Add 1 cup water to the pressure cooker, then lower in the filled steamer basket, and pressure cook over high heat at high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick-release the pressure, then remove the basket and plate your hot tamales.

INSTANT POT® TAMALES

Steps:

• Place 20 dried husks in a large Dutch oven and cover with water. Place a plate or bowl filled with water on top of husks to keep submerged. Let soak for at least 3 hours (or up to 24 hours), flipping occasionally until husks are softened.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Combine 2 cups water, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt, chipotle powder, and cumin in a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®). Cut pork shoulder into 4 equal pieces and add to the pot. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 60 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• While the filling is cooking, prepare the sauce: Split chile peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces (there is no need to cut the de arbol chiles.) Place chiles, 2 cups chicken stock, tomatoes, and garlic cloves in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are fully softened, about 30 minutes.
• Carefully pour the sauce mixture into a blender. Secure the lid and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over the opening and process on high speed until completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Carefully transfer blended hot mixture back to the saucepan. Stir in remaining 1 cup chicken stock, cumin, salt, and onion powder. Return mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened and color is a deeper red, about 30 minutes.
• When the filling has finished cooking, release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions for 10 minutes, then use the quick-release method to release remaining pressure, 1 to 2 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Remove pork to a shallow baking dish. Discard any fat and shred meat using 2 forks. Place shredded meat in a bowl.
• Strain cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer and discard solids. Skim as much grease as possible from the liquid. Reserve 1 cup strained cooking liquid for cooking the masa and discard any remaining.
• Combine masa, 2 teaspoons salt, and baking powder for masa mixture in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed until completely combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and gradually add melted, warm lard alternately with 1 cup reserved, warm cooking liquid and 2 cups warm water; beat until dough is completely combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until dough is light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. The dough should resemble a loose cookie dough; adjust by adding 1 tablespoon warm water at a time, if needed.
• Stir 1 cup sauce and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into the shredded meat; set filling aside. Set remaining sauce aside for serving.
• Drain husks and cover with a damp paper towel. As you prepare the tamales, make sure they are not longer than 4 to 5 inches in order to fit in the pressure cooker with the lid closed.
• Place one damp husk on a work surface with the pointed end facing you (it will make a capital "V" shape.) Spoon 1/4 cup masa mixture onto the husk. Using damp fingers and starting near the top of the husk, press mixture into a 4-inch square; leave 1 inch clear at the top of the husk, and 3 to 4 inches clear at the bottom. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in a vertical line down the center of the masa. Grab both sides of the husk and bring them together until they meet and are touching. Pull the left side of the husk away, and wrap the right side over the masa mixture. Take the left side and wrap it tightly over the right side, completely enclosing the filling. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam and tie with a strip of corn husk, if desired. Repeat to make remaining tamales.
• Stand tamales up vertically with the open side up in the steamer basket of the Instant Pot®. Place the trivet in the cooker and add 2 cups tap water. Place steamer basket on the trivet, and close and lock the lid. Select high pressure and set timer for 20 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions for 10 minutes, then use the quick-release method to release remaining pressure, 1 to 2 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Let tamales rest in the cooker for 10 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, warm the remaining sauce to serve with tamales.