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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
To prepare the filling, place the pork and the onion in a medium-size baking dish and cover with the water.
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3
Bake for approximately 1 1/4 hours, or until the meat is cooked through and pulls apart easily.
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4
Remove the pork from the stock.
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Set the meat aside to cool for a few minutes and refrigerate the stock.
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Reduce the oven temperature to 300F.
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When the pork has cooled enough to handle, shred it fine, either with two forks or in a food processor (the plastic dough blade on some models makes especially nice shreds) and transfer it to a medium bowl.
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8
Strain the stock, skimming any fat from the surface.
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If the stock doesnt measure 1 1/2 cups, add water to make 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
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Reserve the pork and the stock.
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Place the damp chiles in one layer on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for about 5 minutes.
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12
Watch the pods carefully so as not to burn them.
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The chiles can have a little remaining moisture.
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14
Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a blender.
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Add the garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and reserved stock and Puree the mixture.
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You will still be able to see tiny pieces of chile pulp, but they should be bound in a smooth, thick liquid.
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17
Strain the chile sauce.
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Warm the lard in a heavy saucepan over high heat.
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When the lard has melted, add the chile sauce, being careful as it sputters and splatters.
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Stir continuously, until the most insistent sputtering subsides, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the sauce for about 15 minutes.
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21
Reserve 1/2 cup of chile sauce for the dough and pour the rest over the meat.
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Stir the olives and raisins into the meat.
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23
Reserve the mixture.
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24
In a deep bowl or baking pan, soak the corn husks in hot water to cover.
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25
After 30 minutes the husks should be softened and pliable.
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Separate the husks and, if needed, rinse them under running water to wash away any grit or brown silks.
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Keep them covered with water until you are ready to use each one.
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To prepare the dough, beat the lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy.
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29
Pour in the reserved sauce, sprinkle in the salt and baking powder, and beat until combined.
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30
Mix in half of the masa harina and half of the water.
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If your mixer is powerful, continue using it to blend the dough.
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If not, switch to a sturdy spoon or your hands to avoid burning out the mixers motor.
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Add the remaining masa and water and keep mixing until smooth.
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When well blended, the masa should have the consistency of thick cake batter.
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35
Add more water if needed for the preferred consistency.
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Keep the dough loosely covered while working.
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To assemble the tamales, use approximately equal amounts of masa and filling.
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38
To make 2 1/2 dozen 3-ounce tamales, use 2 tablespoons of masa and 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling for each tamale.
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Hold a corn husk flat on one hand, smooth side up.
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40
(You may, depending on the size of the corn husks, need to overlap two husks to form one tamale.
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Spread the dough over the husks together, just as if they were one.)
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With a rubber spatula, spread a thin layer of masa across the husk, but not to the edges.
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Top with filling spread more thickly through the doughs center, stopping short of the doughs edges.
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Make sure that the doughs edges meet to enclose all of the filling.
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Secure the tamale by folding the wrapper over or tying it.
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Repeat the procedure until all the filling and masa are used.
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47
Place the tamales in a steamer, packing loosely in crisscross directions, or stand them on end.
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Allow enough space between them for the steam to rise effectively.
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Cover the pot and cook over simmering water for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the masa is firm and no longer sticks to the corn husk.
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50
Unwrap one tamale to check its consistency.
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If it is still doughy, rewrap it, return it to the pot, and continue steaming for a few more minutes.
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Tamales should be eaten warm.
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53
The husks are usually left on when tamales are served without a sauce, to be removed by each guest before eating.
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Regional Variations: These tamales come from Nuevo Leon, but they arent the only style you find in northeast Mexico by any means.
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Another tasty version combines anchos and guajillos in a pork filling laced with cloves, allspice, and cinnamon.
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56
Other cooks mix the same ingredients into miniature cigar-shaped tamalitos.
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57
Tampico, Tamaulipas, produces gigantic ancho and pork tamales with fresh corn-studded masa, wrapped in banana leaves, that can measure nearly 3 feet in length.
