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1
Place pork butt in large Dutch oven or medium-size stock pot.
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2
Add garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt.
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3
Add enough cold water to cover by at least 3 inches.
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4
Bring just to a boil on high heat, quickly reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer, partly covered, skimming any froth from the top during the first 15 to 20 minutes of cooking.
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5
A piece this size should be well-cooked but not dried out in 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
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6
Remove from stock and let cool to room temperature.
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7
When cool, pull meat into fine shreds.
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8
Strain and degrease the stock.
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9
It will be easier to remove fat when thoroughly chilled.
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10
Can be kept, tightly covered, 2 days in the refrigerator, if de-greased at once, up to 1 week if you leave the top layer of fat on it until ready to use.
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11
The stock also freezes well.
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12
In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded pork with the red chile sauce.
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13
Place 10 pounds of masa in a large plastic mixing bowl.
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14
Mix 1/4 cup water with baking powder in a cup held over the bowl with the dry masa until it fizzes, then pour mixture evenly over masa.
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15
Add 1/4 cup salt and work masa with hands to mix evenly.
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16
Melt 4 cups vegetable shortening in a large saucepan and allow to cool.
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17
Pour evenly over masa and knead masa with hands again.
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18
When it starts to feel thick and compact (like fudge) it's ready.
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19
Pat down in bowl and set aside.
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20
In a large saucepan, boil chiles and tomatoes together for about 10 minutes or until softened.
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21
Drain the chiles and tomatoes and reserve the water (stock.)
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22
Set stock aside.
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23
Rinse seeds out of boiled chiles at sink.
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24
Grind garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and whole cumin with mortar and pestle.
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25
Put chiles, tomatoes, 3 additional tablespoons salt and ground ingredients together in blender and blend well.
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26
Add 2 cups of the reserved water (stock.)
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27
In a heavy, medium-size saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat until rippling.
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28
Add flour, stirring constantly until golden.
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29
Add strained chile puree to the pan and reduce the heat to low.
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30
It will splatter, so be careful.
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31
Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the raw taste is gone and the flavor of the chiles has mellowed, about 10 minutes.
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32
In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded pork with the chile sauce.
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33
To assemble the tamales, soak dried corn husks in warm water for about 1 hour until soft.
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34
Spread masa mixture evenly onto husk using a wooden spoon.
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35
Fill with about 2 tablespoons pork mixture and top with 1 green olive, 1 slice of potato and 1 carrot stick.
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36
Fold and tie ends with pieces of corn husk.
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37
Steam for 1 and 1/2 hours.
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38
To steam: To make a steamer, place a metal rack (such as a cooling rack) in the bottom of a large stock pot or canner.
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39
Water level should be below the rack.
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40
Lay extra corn husks over rack.
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41
Stand the tamales on the folded edge in the steamer (the open edge with be facing upward).
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42
First fill the bottom of the steamer, then start stacking tamales on top of one another.
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43
Place any extra husks on top of tamales, cover with pot lid and steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
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44
Replenish boiling water if necessary during steaming, time.
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45
The tamales are done when the husk peels away easily from the filling.
