If you are like me and thought you could never make a decent tamale, allow me to correct that statement and say, "yes we can". I loved to eat tamales as a kid and I worked hard to develope a recipe that is delicious and repeatable, this is how I prepare them.
If you took a poll to find the best tamale recipe, you would probably find that there are just as many recipes as there are cooks that prepare them. They can contain any meat you can think of and, I'm pretty sure that someone has even produced a veggie-tamale.
I limit my filler meat choices to beef,chicken and pork. In this description, I am making beef tamales. In a large bowl, I pour some very hot water and submerge 12 corn husks to soften, about 2 hours.
I peel and dice a medium onion and add to the pot. To this I add about 1 1/4 pounds of ground chuck, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp of powdered beef boullion. (If you prefer hot tamales, add seeded peppers to the pot and remove after simmering.) I pour in enough water to cover the meat plus 1 cup, put the cover on the pot and simmer for about 2 hours. The longer I simmer the meat, the more tender it becomes.
Two hours later, into another large bowl combine: 2 cups Masa Harina, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 1 1/2 cups of the hot beef broth from the hamburger pot. Mix these ingredients into a thick paste (if too dry, add more broth). Into the pan with the hamburger add; 1 package of taco seasoning (all of the necessary spices have been combined for us so, why not). There should be enough broth left in the pot to make a thin sauce from the taco seasoning.
It is said, "a picture says a thousand words", I think these say it all.
Roll them up and stack them in the steamer. I usually get between 10 to 12 tamales with this batch, about 2 per family member. Place a cover on the steamer and set the timer for one hour. I usually check the fluid level after thirty minutes to make sure the steamer doesn't run dry. After an hour, I let them rest uncovered for about 20 minutes, then they are ready to serve.
I chose a garden salad as a side dish for this dinner with vinegrette dressing. As a topping for the tamales we use either green mexican salsa, sour cream or good ole fashioned ketchup, excuse me.......I've got to get to it ;-)
Romans {8:38}
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come, {8:39} Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord !