Day Two: Masa, Spreading, Cooking...

This should be on Day Two of Tamale making.


Mixing the Masa

To the 4lbs of wet masa I added:

• ¼ TBSP of chili powder

• 2 TBSP of paprika

• 2 ¼ TBSP of salt

• ¼ TBSP garlic powder

• ¾ c. reserved chili pod water

• 1 cup of Crisco  ( the second batch I used more the rule is 1 lb of manteca for every 5 lbs of masa)

• Reserved pork broth

Masa came out well. We spent all day spreading the ojallas. Me, Carmen, and even Yasmin and Maya. It's important to keep the spread ojallas covered with damp dishtowels at all times.

Cooking has been problematic. Although I lined the pan with ojallas, put a cup in the middle of the oval porcelain pot, and covered it with aluminum foil on medium heat for 45 minutes, I got SCORCHED EDGES and a few tamales that did not peel off easily of the ojallas, sometimes sticking. This did not stop my family from eating this whole batch within in a week. My plan was to make a small batch to work out the kinks in my recipe and then try again in a week.

Conclusions:

• Use a tamelera steamer (this was my tia Ofelia’s method)

• Use meat broth in steamer.

• Use chile ancho pulpo for masa instead of paprika and chili powder, this first batch, tamales looked a bit pale for my taste.

• Make a spicy batch of meat and keep separate from regular batch using sliced jalapeños in a can. I like La Costena, we put this on everything, tacos, enchiladas, carne...

• This is a two day process, this is a two day process, and this is a two day process…no need to kill yourself doing it.

All’s well that ends well. This first batch was a big eye opener for me. I feel a lot more confident in my skills. The next week I followed this recipe to a T and bought an iMUSA tamalera steamer   (I got mine on sale at H.E.B. for 19.99) and my tamales came out incredible. All you have to do is put the water or pork meat broth (2 cups) on the bottom, stack the tamales criss-cross, cover with foil and lid, put the steamer on high to a boil, when it comes to a boil, turn down to medium and cook for 45 minutes-one hour and 15 minutes.  No scorched tamales. The tamales peeled off the ojallas like a dream, so tender.