Small Batch Green Chile Tamales

Week five of the season and we beat a ranked opponent Friday, 17-14 on a last-minute field goal. The kind of game where you don't breathe from the third quarter on and then you breathe all at once when the kick goes through. My guys earned that one. I aged a year in the fourth quarter. This is standard. Football coaching takes years off your life and it's worth it every single time.

Diego turned ten months ago and has been asking every week since about when I'll start coaching him seriously, by which he means officially, which is a conversation I'm not rushing. He runs routes in the backyard because he loves it, not because I've asked him to. When it becomes official — when there are drills and expectations — the dynamic changes. I'm not ready for that yet and neither is he, though he doesn't know the second part. He'll know when he knows.

I made tamales for the first time this season on Saturday — not a full production, just a small batch, about two dozen, which is what happens when you have time and a freezer full of green chile and the urge to do something with your hands that takes focus. Lisa helped spread masa, which she has gotten competent at over the years, competent enough to do it without supervision. The twins tried to help and mostly produced sculptural forms that bore no resemblance to tamales but which they insisted were tamales and which I graciously put in the pot. We ate dinner and then ate tamales while watching a football game on TV, and I sat on the couch between my wife and my eldest daughter and felt the weight shift slightly, the way it does sometimes, from too heavy to possible.

October is here. The season is entering the stretch. We play our toughest remaining schedule now. Good. I want something difficult to aim at.

This is the recipe we made that Saturday — the small batch version, about two dozen, which is the right number when you’re not feeding a crowd but you want the process. You want the soaking of the husks, the spreading of the masa, the folding and tying and standing them up in the pot. Lisa’s got the masa spread down. The twins made their little art projects. And at the end of it you’ve got a pot full of something that took real focus to build, and you eat it on the couch while the weight shifts from too heavy to possible.

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes | Servings: 24 tamales

Ingredients

Filling:
1 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 cups roasted green chiles, diced (about 8–10 whole chiles)
1 small yellow onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Masa:
2 cups masa harina
1 cup reserved pork broth, warm
1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Assembly:
24 dried corn husks

Instructions

Soak the husks. Place corn husks in a large bowl of hot water and weigh them down with a plate. Soak for at least 1 hour until pliable. Separate and rinse any debris.
Cook the pork. Place pork chunks, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 1 hour until the pork shreds easily with a fork. Remove the pork and shred it. Strain and reserve the broth.
Make the filling. Combine shredded pork with the diced green chiles in a bowl. Add 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved broth to keep it moist. Taste and adjust salt. Set aside.
Make the masa. Beat the lard or shortening with a stand mixer or by hand until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Slowly pour in the warm reserved broth, mixing until a soft dough forms. It should spread easily but hold its shape. If too dry, add broth one tablespoon at a time.
Spread the masa. Take a soaked corn husk and pat it dry. Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa in a thin, even layer over the wide end of the husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides and the narrow end uncovered.
Fill and fold. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pork and green chile filling down the center of the masa. Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over. Fold the narrow (empty) end up toward the seam and set seam-side down. Repeat with remaining husks.
Steam the tamales. Place a steamer basket or rack in a large pot with 2–3 inches of water. Stand tamales upright with the open end facing up, packing them snugly so they support each other. Cover with a damp towel and a tight-fitting lid. Steam over medium heat for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, checking water level occasionally. Tamales are done when the masa pulls away cleanly from the husk.
Rest and serve. Remove from heat and let tamales rest in the pot for 10 minutes before unwrapping. Serve with salsa verde or your preferred hot sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

Small Batch Green Chile Tamales — Something to Do with Your Hands