Tamale Tradition

In many local hispanic households, you can’t celebrate the holidays without tamales. Generations of families get together sometime before or around Christmas for a tamalada, an entire day spent making dozens of the corn-husk-wrapped staple. But not everyone is lucky enough to have family or friends who make and share the savory tradition. Why not try a hand at making your own? The Flores family, owners and founders of local favorite El Charro Café, shared their recipe with us:

Tamales de Chile Colorado

Every family has a story unique to its tamales. As families divide and scatter, these recipes have traveled with them. Don’t let the length of this recipe discourage you. We have included details that should help, not confuse.

Meat filling

3 pounds beef brisket
3 pounds pork shoulder
3 quarts water
¼ cup garlic purée
1 tablespoon salt

Sauce

1 pound dried red chiles
2 quarts water
6 cups reserved broth
¾ cup vegetable shortening
¾ cup flour

Masa dough

2 packages dried corn husks
1¾ pounds vegetable shortening
2 cups reserved beef broth
5 pounds corn masa
3 teaspoons salt
¼ cup red chile puree (see sauce instructions)
green olives (with pits)

Day one: Preparing meat filling & sauce
Place meat and water in a 10-quart stock pot, and bring to a boil. Add garlic purée and salt. Reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender, skimming frequently. Remove meat, strain and reserve broth, refrigerating when cool. Shred meat removing all fat, bone, and gristle. Cover and refrigerate. When broth is chilled, remove and discard fat.

Remove stems from chiles and place pods in a pot of water. Bring to a boil, simmering until pods soften. Strain and reserve broth. In a blender process chiles, a batch at a time, with a little broth until smooth. In a 10-quart stock pot, melt vegetable shortening. Use flour to whisk into roux. Add chile puree and simmer 20 minutes. Stir shredded, cooked meat into sauce and simmer to blend seasonings. Taste and correct seasonings. Refrigerate.

Note: Can be prepared a day or two ahead up to this point.

Day two: Prepping corn husks & masa dough
Soften corn husks in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove silk and clean husks. Drain and cover with a damp towel. Next, make masa dough. Place half the vegetable shortening in an electric mixer. Beat at least 10 minutes, until very soft and fluffy. Meanwhile bring 2 cups reserved broth to simmer. When the vegetable shortening is fully beaten, add half the masa and simmering broth, a spoonful at a time, beating constantly. Add half the salt and, if desired, fold in ¼ cup chile purée for color. Remove to large bowl. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Note: To test that the masa dough is fluffy enough, drop a pinch of dough into a glass of cold water. If it floats, it’s perfect.

Assembling the tamales:
Open a large corn husk with the pointed end at the bottom. Spread 2 tablespoons of masa dough onto the husk to within 1 inch of its edges. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of meat filling and an olive in the center of the masa dough. Tightly roll corn husk lengthwise around filling. Fold the pointed end up. Repeat with remaining masa dough and filling. Place tamales, open end up, in refrigerator or freezer 1 to 2 hours before steaming.

To steam, place tamales on a rack in a steamer. Add water to just below the rack. Arrange tamales, open end up, on rack. Bring water to boil, cover and reduce heat, steam about 45 minutes. Add boiling water as necessary, but be sure the tamales do not sit in the water.