Yesterday I slow roasted a pork shoulder roast for pulled pork sandwiches. The leftovers I reserved for tamale making today. A couple of months ago I made tamales and created a delicious tamale sauce to go with them. I froze the extra sauce and thawed a container today. I bought some prepared white corn masa a couple of weeks ago. In my pantry I had a can of red chili sauce, dried corn husks, and dried passila chili’s.Using leftovers and items on hand I made a delicious tamale dinner with a side of saffron rice that has been in my pantry for as long as I can remember. The last time I made pork tamales I told you they were the best tamales I ever made. Well, these were better, and easier! These pork tamales win. I’ll tell you how I did it.
Season the pork shoulder roast with the pico de gallo seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Place the roast in a shallow pan and tent with aluminum foil.
Place pan in a 350 degree oven then pour two cups of water into the pan. Cook the pork for several hours until it falls apart and can be pulled. Separate the fat and discard. Finely shred the meat. You can refrigerate the meat overnight and prepare the tamales the following day or you can move right on to making the tamales. Place the pulled pork into a heavy bottom medium saucepan. Pour in one can of red chili sauce and one can water. Drop in the dried passila pepper and the chopped onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer slowly until the liquid is almost completely absorbed. Remove the pepper and discard it. Using two forks pull the meat even more to make the smallest pieces possible for the tamale filling. Refrigerate the filling until time to assemble the tamales.
Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes.
Assemble all of your ingredients, the corn husks, filling, prepared masa, clean dry towel, and kitchen twine, and steamer. I use an electric steamer but you can use a stove top type as well. Get the steamer heating as you assemble the tamales.
Take a large corn husk from the water. If you have small ones, use two and overlap them. Lay them on the dry towel. Moisten your fingers in the cold water and spread the prepared masa onto the corn husk. You will need about 1/2 to 1/3 cup of masa for each tamale. Keep the masa a couple of inches away from the top and bottom. It isn’t necessary to spread the masa to the sides either. Place a couple of tablespoons of filling in the middle of the masa. Fold one side of the corn husk over then the other to encase the tamale. Fold the bottom up and secure with a strip of corn husk tied around it. Fold the top down and secure with two strips of corn husk tied together or cheat like I did and use kitchen twine. When your tamales are all assembled place them, small side down into the steamer. Some people leave the top of the tamale open and do not fold and tie it. Since there are only two of us, I don’t make enough tamales to fill the steamer. I have had tamales fall over and if the top is open, they get soggy. That is why I fold both ends over. Steam the tamales for 2 hours. You can open and check one at 1 1/2 hours. The masa should be firm, not dry. Watch your water level in the steamer and NEVER go shopping and ask your husband to watch it. NEVER.
Serve the tamales with the red sauce of your choice, sour cream, and cilantro garnish. Enjoy them steaming hot. The leftovers can be frozen and reheated later but I like to freeze them before steaming if I anticipate extras, then steaming them for 2 hours after thawing at a later date. They just taste better cooked fresh. Try homemade tamales. Impress your friends and family. It’s easy!
I shopped for the ingredients for this delicious tamale meal right in my own home. Win. Win.
Pulled Pork Tamales
- INGREDIENTS:
- 3 lb. pork shoulder roast
- Pico de Gallo seasoning
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 10 oz can Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce
- 1 large dried passila pepper
- Water
- Prepared Masa (or make your own)
- Corn husks (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes)
- Red sauce for garnish
- Sour cream for garnish
- DIRECTIONS:
- Season the pork shoulder roast with the pico de gallo seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Place the roast in a shallow pan and tent with aluminum foil.
- Serve the tamales with the red sauce of your choice, sour cream, and cilantro garnish. Enjoy them steaming hot. The leftovers can be frozen and reheated later but I like to freeze them before steaming if I anticipate extras, then steaming them for 2 hours after thawing at a later date. They just taste better cooked fresh.
- Place pan in a 350 degree oven then pour two cups of water into the pan. Cook the pork for several hours until it falls apart and can be pulled. Separate the fat and discard. Finely shred the meat. You can refrigerate the meat overnight and prepare the tamales the following day or you can move right on to making the tamales. Place the pulled pork into a heavy bottom medium saucepan. Pour in one can of red chili sauce and one can water. Drop in the dried passila pepper and the chopped onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer slowly until the liquid is almost completely absorbed. Remove the pepper and discard it. Using two forks pull the meat even more to make the smallest pieces possible for the tamale filling. Refrigerate the filling until time to assemble the tamales.
- Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes.
- Assemble all of your ingredients, the corn husks, filling, prepared masa, clean dry towel, and kitchen twine, and steamer. I use an electric steamer but you can use a stove top type as well. Get the steamer heating as you assemble the tamales.
- Take a large corn husk from the water. If you have small ones, use two and overlap them. Lay them on the dry towel. Moisten your fingers in the cold water and spread the prepared masa onto the corn husk. You will need about 1/2 to 1/3 cup of masa for each tamale. Keep the masa a couple of inches away from the top and bottom. It isn’t necessary to spread the masa to the sides either. Place a couple of tablespoons of filling in the middle of the masa. Fold one side of the corn husk over then the other to encase the tamale. Fold the bottom up and secure with a strip of corn husk tied around it. Fold the top down and secure with two strips of corn husk tied together or cheat like I did and use kitchen twine. When your tamales are all assembled place them, small side down into the steamer. Some people leave the top of the tamale open and do not fold and tie it. Since there are only two of us, I don’t make enough tamales to fill the steamer. I have had tamales fall over and if the top is open, they get soggy. That is why I fold both ends over. Steam the tamales for 2 hours. You can open and check one at 1 1/2 hours. The masa should be firm, not dry.
- Serve the tamales with the red sauce of your choice, sour cream, and cilantro garnish. Enjoy them steaming hot. The leftovers can be frozen and reheated later but I like to freeze them before steaming if I anticipate extras, then steaming them for 2 hours after thawing at a later date. They just taste better cooked fresh.
Kelly says
You make it look easy. In my head though, it seems complicated. I have never made tamales in my life.