DELTA-STYLE HOT TAMALES

Makes 36 to 48

Depending on the size of the cornhusks

Ingredients:

- 2 (8-ounce) bags cornhusks (about 4 dozen)

For the meat and broth:

- 1/3 cup vegetable oil

- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into cubes

- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 4 onions

- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

- 1 tablespoon chili powder

- 2 teaspoons onion powder 

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin

- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

- 1 teaspoon dried oregano

- 3 cups proper southern bloody mary mix, such as tabasco or oxford falls bootlegger

- Reserved stock from cooking the pork

For the dough:

- 1 cup lard, plus 1 tablespoon for the simmering liquid

- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) softened unsalted butter

- 4 cups fine-ground white or yellow cornmeal

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 2 teaspoons kosher salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

- Hot sauce (optional)

• Diced onions and sauté 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the chili powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the bloody mary mix and the browned pork, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. 

• FOR THE DOUGH In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup lard and the butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne. Gradually beat the dry ingredients and 2 cups of the reserved cooled pork stock into the whipped fat, alternating dry ingredients and stock, to create a dough similiar in texture to mashed potatoes. 

• TO ASSEMBLE AND COOK THE TAMALES Soak the cornhusks in hot water to cover for at least 30 minutes. Drain the cornhusks and sort them, selecting whole, clean husks (tear irregular husks into strips for tying the tamales), and arrange them on a work surface. Spoon 2 tablespoons tamale dough vertically down center of the top two-thirds of each open husk. Top with a heaping tablespoon of the pork mixture, more or less depending on the size of the husks. Add a dash of hot sauce if you like. Fold the bottom third of the short end of the husk up over the filling, the fold one long side toward the center of the package, then roll the tamale like a cigar, lightly squeezing it to evenly distribute the filling. Tie with strips of soaked husk to secure. Repeat with remaining husks, dough, and filling. 

• In a large stockpot, arrange the tamales vertically, closed side down. Carefully add the remaining 1 tablespoon lard, remaining 1 cup bloody mary mix, and any remaining stock and sauce, then add water until the tamales are three-quarters submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. To test for doneness, sample a tamale—the filling should be smooth, with no traces of graininess. Any remaining tamales may be cooled and frozen in zip-top bags for up to 3 months

Enjoy your cooking with your loved one

Sumber Buku: Garden & gun llc, The southerner's cookbook, 2015