Carnitas Tamales Shredded Pork Stuffed Corn Husks Recipes

Steps:

• Make the filling: Put the pork in a deep saucepan and cover with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 2 teaspoons salt, the onion, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and peppercorns; cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the pork is tender, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transfer the pork to a plate and shred. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid; keep warm.
• Meanwhile, soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Combine the pork, cumin, 1/3 cup chili powder, the garlic, flour, sugar, vegetable oil and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid in a large skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: Mix the masa harina, lard, 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 2 2/3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid in a bowl until combined.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and steam until the dough is firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

Steps:

• Set a multi-cooker to the Saute setting and add the oil.
• Sprinkle the cubed pork generously with salt and pepper. Sear the pork in batches on all sides until well browned. Remove to a plate, add the onions and poblanos and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the oregano, cumin, chile powder and garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute.
• Add the lemon-lime soda and orange zest and juice. Return the pork pieces and any liquid that is on the plate to the multi-cooker. Cover and position the vent to the Sealing setting. Set the multi-cooker for High Pressure, use the Manual button to adjust the cook time to 25 minutes and cook. When the time is up, allow the multi-cooker to sit for an additional 10 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Carefully release the remaining pressure by switching the vent to Venting. Let the steam vent until the float valve has dropped, then remove the lid. Remove the pork mixture with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet and shred the pork with 2 forks.
• Place the baking sheet under the broiler and crisp the carnitas for 2 to 3 minutes. (Watch carefully to prevent burning.) Remove from the oven, ladle some of the juices from the pot over the carnitas and carefully toss. Serve alongside the warm tortillas with peach salsa, Easy Queso and fresh cilantro leaves.
• Combine the cheese, the whole can of tomatoes and chiles and the jar of pimientos with their liquid in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is fully melted, 5 to 7 minutes.

Steps:

• In a pan heat oil then add the last 6 ingredients and cook over medium heat till softened about 20 minutes. Stirring every couple minutes.
• Mix in shredded pork.
• This can be made ahead up three month in freezer container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Fill your favorite wraps, corn or flour tortillas or tacos garnish as you please with sour cream, salsa, avocado -- .

Steps:

• Put all ingredient in a pot and simmer until pork is tender. Remove bay leaf. Reserve 2 cups of broth for Carnitas Tamales (tamale dough).

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork shoulder with salt, then arrange the pork in the Dutch oven. Cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Pour in the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue to simmer until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Transfer the pork shoulder to a large baking sheet, reserving the cooking liquid. Drizzle with a small amount of the reserved cooking liquid and lightly season with salt.
• Bake the pork in the preheated oven until browned, about 30 minutes. Drizzle more of the cooking liquid on the meat every 10 minutes, and use two forks to shred the meat as it browns.

Steps:

• Prepare Shredded Savory Pork and Chile Colorado as directed. Soak the corn husks in hot water about 30 minutes to soften.
• Meanwhile, for dough, in a large bowl, stir together masa harina and the water. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes (mixture will appear dry). In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and 1/2 teaspoon salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Gradually beat in flour mixture until combined (mixture should resemble a thick, creamy paste).
• For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine Shredded Savory Pork and Chile Colorado; heat through.
• Drain corn husks well; pat dry with paper towels. For each tamale, spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough into a 5 x 4-inch rectangle on each corn husk so one of the long sides of the dough is at the long edge of the husk. (If husks are small, overlap two small husks.) Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filing lengthwise down the center of the dough. Fold the long edge of husk over the filling so dough edges meet. Roll husk around outside of filled masa mixture. Tie ends securely with strips of cornhusk or 100-percent-cotton kitchen string.
• To prepare steamer, if desired, place a cone-shape ball of foil in the center of a steamer basket. Stand tamales upright in basket (don't pack tamales too tightly, but fill the space). Place about 1-1/2 inches of water in bottom of steamer or Dutch oven. Place baskets over water. Bring water to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and steam for 40 to 45 minutes or until tamales pull away from corn husks, adding water to pan as necessary. Makes 16 tamales.
• Make-Ahead Directions: Wrap and freeze the cooked tamales in the corn husks. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Place the tamales in a steamer basket over gently boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

Steps:

• Carnetas (Little meals) Meat Mixture The recipe for Carne Adovada may also be used in place of this Carnitas Recipe. IMPORTANT: Make sure that you have all the ingredients and equipment needed for the recipe before you start preparing. In a large pot over medium heat, combine pork cubes and just enough water to cover the pork. Add salt, onions, garlic, peppercorns, cumin seeds, and oregano; bring to a boil. To keep the peppercorns and cumin seeds separate, place them in cheese cloth and tie before adding to the meat pot (or you can do like me and use a tea ball - these work great). As the meat comes to a boil, a foam will rise to the surface; skim this foam off, then reduce heat to low, and let mixture simmer. You will need to simmer the meat for approximately 1 1/2 hours, adding water as needed to keep the pot from going dry. Do not allow this to boil during this time, simmer only. When done, remove from heat. Allow the pork to cool in it's own broth. Once cooled, removed the pork from the broth; reserving the broth for later use in making the Masa Dough. Shred the pork by using two forks to pull the meat apart, or you can use a food processor fitted with the plastic "dough" blade to shred. Thoroughly mix the cinnamon, black pepper and paprika thoroughly into the meat. Refrigerate the cooked pork and the pork broth, covered, until ready to make the tamales.
• These can be found in online and in the ethnic food aisle of most grocers or in produce. Fill a large pot, or your sink, with hot water and put the husks to soak. NOTE: There are some people who use foil or other wrapping materials, but I cannot see making tamales and not using the original ingredients. The corn husks allow the steam to penetrate just right, so the tamales are well cooked. Do not confuse Masa flour with cornmeal, as they are made from different types of corn and you will not achieve the same results in your tamales if you use cornmeal. Masa mix can be purchased in Latin American markets or supermarkets that carry Latin American products, some times they carry it in the aisle where they carry the flour and cornmeal. It can also be purchased by mail order (online) if not available locally. Skim the fat off of the chilled pork broth before using. In a large bowl (and I mean a very large bowl), place 1/2 the bag (approximately 2 pounds) of Masa/Maseca Tamale Corn Flour. To this add the paprika, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Using clean hands, work the dry ingredients together, mixing well so that you don't end up with clumps of spices (this wouldn't taste too good, and the rest of the masa would not be seasoned well). Once you have the Masa flour and the other dry ingredients well combined, add the corn oil all at once. Continue to work this with your hands, mixing the corn oil into the dry ingredients. Once this is distributed well, begin adding the warm pork or chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Keep mixing, and adding broth, until your Masa is the consistency of paste or peanut butter. You will probably be using both hands before you get to this point. NOTE: You may need to add more Masa mix, or more liquid as you are mixing so you obtain the right consistency.
• Assembling the Tamales: Carefully separate the soaked corn husks, and place them on a towel on the counter top. Arrange your ingredients in the order you will be assembling them (at least that is how I have found is easiest). * Corn husks first * Bowl of masa * Shredded meat * Steamer pot to cook them in. (1) Take 1 (or 2 if the corn husks are very narrow) corn husks and place them in your hand (pinched-looking end toward your fingers and smooth side of a corn husk up). (2) Slightly overlap the corn husks. If a corn husk rips or one is too small, overlap two together and continue wrapping and tying as usual. (3) Using a butter knife or with your other hand, take enough of the masa to spread over the corn husks covering the top 2/3 and 2/3 of one side. You want the masa to be about 1/4-inch. thick. If you spread it too thick, it will be difficult to roll up with the meat added and it will squeeze out onto your hand or counter. If you make it too thin, you will have the meat falling out in the steamer. (4) Add about 1 tablespoon of the shredded meat, spreading it evenly down the center of the masa (careful to leave 1/2-inch at the top and bottom, and room on the sides for the masa to close around the meat). After you have put together a few, you will be able to better guage the amount to add and still be able to roll up your tamale. (5) Carefully roll the tamale, starting with the side covered in masa. Turn right side over to center of filling; fold left side over filling, allowing plain part of husk to wrap around filling. Fold top end down over bottom end. (6) Roll it snug, but not too tight. Too tight and you might end up with a hand full of masa and this really cannot be used to make a new one.
• You may want to make your tamales "conveyor" style, or make several husks with masa, then proceed to the next step. Because of the amount of work put into making tamales, a great time to make them is when friends and family are present. Conveyor style allows you to get them into the pot faster, which means everyone gets to eat faster!
• Steaming the Tamales: Stand the tamales upright (folded side down) in a large steamer pot fitted with a steamer basked and a lid. For best results, the tamales should be firmly packed, put not too tightly, as the dough needs room to expand some. NOTE: I use my pasta pot, or my extra large stock pot with a wire rack supported on two clean bricks (very well washed bricks). There are "tamale" pots you can buy that are made specifically for tamale making. Once you have a full pot of assembled tamales, fill the bottom of the steamer pot with water, making sure the bottoms of the tamales are not in the water. Cover and bring just to a boil. Keep the water bubbling, not a hard boil. Once steam has begun to escape from the pot, reduce the heat to medium; keep these steaming for at least 2 hours, adding water as needed so the pot doesn't go dry. The tamales are done when the masa dough around the meat feels firm there are no parts of uncooked dough left. To test the tamales for doneness, remove one tamale from the steamer. Let this cool for a moment or two. As you open the husks, the dough should come away easily from the husks and be completely smooth. To make doubly sure, open up the tamales and see if they are spongy and well cooked throughout. Remove the tamales, and let them rest on the counter for a few minutes. This will help them finish "setting" up and let them cool so no one burns their mouth (well at least not from the stove heat, they may get a burn if the chili is extra hot!) They can be eaten right way, stored in plastic bags or containers in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, or they can be frozen for up to 3 months (that is if they last that long). If you use a vacuum sealer they can be kept frozen up to a year. To reheat the tamales, wrap in foil and place in 350 degree F. oven about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Soak corn husks in warm water to cover for at least 2 hours or until pliable. Heat oil in a large saucepan and sauté onion until tender. Stir in red sauce, shredded pork, and remaining ingredients except tamale dough and olives. Bring to a boil reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add a little pork liquid if mixture becomes too dry. Prepare Tamale Dough.Drain corn husks and pat dry with paper towels. Spread 1/4 cup dough across the center of each husk, from one edge to within 1/2 inch of other edge. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the pork mixture into the center of the dough top with an olive. Roll husks around the filling, starting with the dough edge. Then, fold each end up toward the center to make a packet. Secure with strips of corn husk or string, as needed.Set tamales on a rack in a large stockpot, Dutch oven, or steamer. Pour boiling water into the pot to just under the rack level. Place a coin in the pot to rattle when water boils too low. Cover the pot and keep water simmering over low heat for 1 hour. Tamales freeze well.