Hailing from Cooking Con Claudia's kitchen, this Tamal Chile Verde recipe promises to deliver an authentic taste of tradition right to your table. With tender, succulent pork wrapped in a delectable green sauce and steamed to perfection in masa dough, these tamales are a true culinary delight. Perfect for family gatherings or a cozy night in, let's bring a little bit of Claudia's heart into your home.
Ingredients:
For the Meat:
- 7 lbs pork shoulder, with bone
- 1 whole onion
- 1 head of garlic
- 4 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- 10 cups water
For the Green Sauce:
- 15 tomatoes
- 5 chili sanos (mild chiles)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 whole cloves
- 1/2 of a small white onion
- 6 roasted and peeled Anaheim or hatch peppers
- A handful of cilantro
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
For the Masa:
- 1 1/2 cups lard
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 6 cups masa (corn dough) for tamales
- 7 1/2 cups reserved broth from the meat
- Corn husks, soaked overnight
Equipment:
- Instant Pot
- Blender
- Frying pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Spatula or pastry cutter
- Large steamer pot
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Servings: Approximately 20-25 tamales
Instructions:
1. Add pork shoulder, whole onion, head of garlic, bay leaves, and salt to an Instant Pot. Cover with 10 cups of water.
2. Seal and use the meat setting on the Instant Pot, cooking for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
3. Let the meat sit for 20 minutes after cooking. Release any remaining steam, then remove the meat to cool. Shred it once it's cool enough to handle.
4. Strain the broth and reserve it for later use.
5. For the sauce, in a pot, boil the tomatoes and chili sanos. Once boiled, transfer them to a blender.
6. To the blender, add garlic cloves, whole cloves, white onion, Anaheim peppers, cilantro, whole black pepper, oregano, cumin seeds, and salt. Blend until smooth.
7. In a frying pan on medium-high heat, add some oil. Once hot, add the green sauce and mix with about 3/4 cup of the reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and season with salt as needed.
8. Combine the shredded meat with the sauce in the pan, mix well, and simmer again. Once simmered, turn off the heat and let it cool.
9. For the masa, in a stand mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups of lard on medium speed for 5 minutes. Reduce speed and gradually add the baking powder, followed by the masa and the reserved broth. Mix well until the dough is light and fluffy.
10. Test the masa by dropping a small piece into a cup of water. If it floats, it's ready.
11. Set up your steamer by filling the bottom with water and lining it with corn husks to prevent the tamales from getting wet.
12. Lay out a softened corn husk, spread a scoop of masa on it, and add a spoonful of the meat filling.
13. Fold the sides of the husk towards the center, then the bottom flap up, securing the tamale.
14. Place the tamales upright in the prepared steamer pot and steam for about 2-3 hours or until the masa pulls away from the husk easily.
15. Let the tamales rest for a few minutes before serving with reserved green sauce on top, if desired.
Cooking Tips:
- Make sure to let the meat and the green sauce cool down before assembling the tamales. This helps prevent the masa from getting soggy.
- If your masa isn't floating after the first test, continue adding broth and mixing until it does.
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Attribution to: Cooking Con Claudia - https://www.youtube.com/@CookingConClaudia
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