Good Eats Hot Tamales Alton Brown 2009 Recipes

HOT TAMALES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, kosher salt, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and cumin. Divide the mixture in half and reserve 1 half for later use.
• Cut the Boston butt into 6 even pieces and place into a 6 to 8-quart saucepan. Add half of the spice mixture and enough water, 3 to 3 1/2 quarts, to completely cover the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the meat from the cooking liquid to a cutting board. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot. Both meat and liquid need to cool slightly before making dough and handling. Remove any large pieces of fat and shred the meat into small pieces, pulling apart with your hands or using 2 forks.
• Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and remaining half of the spice mixture and continue to cook for another minute. Add the meat and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• While the meat is cooking, place the husks in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in hot water. Soak the husks until they are soft and pliable, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• For the dough:
• Place the cornmeal, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the lard and using your hands, knead together until the lard is well incorporated into the dry mixture. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 3 to 4 cups to create a dough that is like thick mashed potatoes. The dough should be moist but not wet. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside until ready to use.
• To assemble the tamales:
• Remove a corn husks from the water and pat dry to remove excess water. Working in batches of 6, lay the husks on a towel and spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the husk so the dough surrounds the meat, then fold the bottom under to finish creating the tamale. Repeat until all husks, dough and filling are used. Tie the tamales, around the center, individually or in groups of 3, with kitchen twine.
• To cook the tamales:
• Stand the tamales upright on their folded ends, tightly packed together, in the same saucepan used to cook the meat. Add the reserved broth from making the dough and any additional water so the liquid comes to 1-inch below the tops of the tamales. Try not to pour the broth directly into the tops of the tamales. Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 12 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to low, to maintain a low simmer, and cook until the dough is firm and pulls away easily from the husk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve the tamales warm. For a 'wet' hot tamale, serve with additional simmering liquid. Store leftover tamales, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the freezer, for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and steam until heated through.;

GOOD EATS TURKEY TAMALES (ALTON BROWN 2009)

Steps:

• MEAT FILLING: Place chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper and turkey legs into a 6-quart pot and add enough water to completely cover the meat, approximately 2 1/2 quarts. Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Remove the meat from the water to a cutting board, and set aside to cool. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot (add tomato paste to liquid now if using). Once the turkey legs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and shred, discarding any skin or cartilage. Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-translucent, approximately 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic and chili and continue to cook for another minute. Add the meat and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and cook until heated through and the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• FOR THE WRAPPERS: While the meat is cooking, place the husks in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in hot water. Soak the husks until they are soft and pliable, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours. If you have an electric kettle, place the husks in the kettle, fill with water and turn on. Once the kettle turns off, allow the husks to sit for 1 hour in the hot water.
• FOR THE DOUGH: Place the masa, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the lard and using your hands, knead together until the lard is well incorporated into the dry mixture. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 2 to 4 cups to create a dough that is like thick mashed potatoes. The dough should be moist but not wet. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside until ready to use.
• ASSEMBLY: Remove a corn husk from the water and pat to remove excess water. Working in batches of 6, lay the husks on a towel and spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the meat mixture in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the husk so the dough surrounds the meat and fold the bottom under to finish creating the tamale. Repeat until all the husks, dough and filling are used. Tie the tamales, around the center, individually or in groups of 3, with kitchen twine.
• STEAMING THE TAMALES: Place a steamer basket in the bottom of an 11-quart pot and add enough water to come to the bottom of the basket. Stand the tamales close together on their folded ends and lean them in towards the center, away from the sides of the pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Check the water level every 15 to 20 minutes, and add boiling water by pouring down the side of the pot, if necessary. Steam until the dough is firm and pulls away from the husk easily, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve warm. Store leftover tamales, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the freezer, for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and steam until heated through.

TO-GOOD TAMALES

Steps:

• 1. DAY ONE: Soak dried chilies in hot water, in a large ziploc bag for 15 minutes (or as long as it takes to cut up onion and meat)
• 2. Trim fat off of pork shoulder and place in a large crock pot
• 3. Cut up onion into large chunks (in 8ths)
• 4. Carefully, take chilies and working over the bag of water, pull off tops and rinse the seeds out. Place whole chilies in the with meat (I push the chilies down in between the meat), do the same with the onion. Then add about two cups of the chili water, that has been strained.
• 5. The meat will need to cook all day or over night, at least 12 hours. During the cooking, take the excess juices out and set to the side DO NOT THROW AWAY. I would suggest you put a sheet pan under the crock pot, in case the juices spill over while you are away from it.
• 6. Pull meat from crock pot leaving the drippings behind. Put the meat in a large ziploc, strain the drippings into a large bowl, you don't want any of the chili skins they are uneatable. Let them both completely cool in the fridge. (You don't have to do this step, BUT it makes it easier to work with)
• 7. DAY TWO: Reheat the meat drippings adding chili powder, garlic and cumin. Pull meat from bag and shred into a large stock pot over medium heat, adding about 2 cups of meat drippings and stirring so it won't burn, if you'd like add about 1/4 cup of canola oil. Once it has heated through pull it off the heat.
• 8. TO MAKE THE MASA: In a LARGE bowl or tub (you have to have lots of mixing room) empty the entire contents of the Maseca. Add paprika, garlic, cumin, and chili powder, mix well so that there are no "pockets" of spices. Add the oil (4 cups) and mix WELL. While mixing add the rest of the meat drippings, should be about 3-4 cups. You are looking for a thick peanut butter consistency, should not look "dry" at all. If you need more liquid (which you probably will) add the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time until you reach a good consistency. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes while you soak the corn husks. Corn husks should be soaked in hot water (usually in my sink, weighted down with something to keep them under water)
• 9. TO ASSEMBLE: With an ice cream scoop for the masa, and a small tablespoon scoop for the meat, take a corn husk and on the SMOOTH side (one side will have ridges) lightly dab with a paper towel.
• 10. Take a scoop of masa and place it in the middle of the wide edge of the husk. Pressing down with your hands, spread the masa till its about 1/4 inch thick, 1/4 inch from the edge and 1 inch from each side.
• 11. Take two scoops of meat and place in the center of the masa. Working from the edge closest to you, roll the masa over the meat, making sure that the husk does not get under the masa, so masa and meat should be touching. Roll and fold the narrow end of the husk towards the top. Place the tamale open end up in a steamer. Repeat...repeat....repeat.
• 12. Steam tamales for 2 hours with lid on. Keep an eye on the water level.