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1
Prepare pork roasts by boiling the meat with about 2 tablespoons of garlic salt per roast.
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2
Use as many pots as you need to accommodate the roast.
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3
Cook the meat until fork tender and comes apart with no resistance.
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4
This usually takes about 2 hours.
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5
Reserve pork broth.
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6
Pull meat apart into chunks and refrigerate until ready to use.
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7
While the meat is cooking, clean dried chilies by removing the tops and discarding the seeds.
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8
Place pods into a bath of water and soak for a few minutes.
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9
While pods are soaking, fill a large pot halfway with water.
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10
Place your clean chili pods in the water and push them down until the water covers all.
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11
Bring to a boil and then simmer 34 to 45 minutes.
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12
When done, remove from heat.
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13
Transfer small bunches of the tender chili pods to a blender and blend on high until the pods turn to a liquid mixture.
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14
(The seed and skins will make the mixture seem a little chunky but that will be removed in a food mill.)
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15
Pour the chili sauce into a food mill which should be attached to a bowl or saucepan.
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16
Run the sauce through the mill until no more liquid is left in the top of the mill.
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17
Discard the leftover seeds and skin.
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18
Repeat this process for the remaining chili sauce until all of it has been run through the food mill.
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19
Next, add the ground cumin to the chili sauce.
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20
This sauce uses quite a bit of salt; add small amounts at a time, to taste.
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21
Once chili sauce is properly seasoned, add pork to the chili sauce.
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22
Stir until thoroughly mixed.
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23
No need to heat, just put the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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24
Open packages of cornhusks and remove the silk from each husk.
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25
Place cornhusks into a sink filled with warm water.
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26
Let the husks soak for about 3 minutes.
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27
Remove the husks from the water and place on a cookie sheet and cover with damp towel to keep moist.
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28
Prepare masa according to the directions on the package, or buy premade masa, available at specialty ethnic food stores.
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29
Also try calling a Mexican restaurant, they may make it for you.
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30
To soften up the masa before you work with it, add approximately 2 cups of the reserved pork broth.
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31
Once softened, divide masa into deep bowls amongst the people helping.
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32
Press masa flat, down into the bowl, creating a flat surface.
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33
Take 1 cornhusk and lay it flat, add a large dollop of the masa onto the husk.
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34
Spread the masa out onto the leaf with the back of a spoon to create a thin paste like coverage, being sure to leave no holes.
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35
Place 2 tablespoons of the chili sauce/pork mixture onto the masa.
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36
(It?s best to keep a bowl of the sauce next to you at all times.)
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37
Fold the tamale bringing two sides together so that they slightly overlap, then fold the bottom up over the folded sides.
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38
Press down slightly on top of tamale while holding everything in place and the masa will act as a glue to seal the filling.
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39
Place tamales standing upright into a large double steamer.
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40
Steam for 2 hours.
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41
Remove tamales from steamer and let stand about 5 minutes.
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42
Pull off husk and eat.
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43
If desired, tamales may be frozen in plastic storage bags.
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44
To steam frozen tamales, just add 1 hour to the cooking time.
