Tamale Tango!

OK, I know I promised a post on making tamales and here's the thing - they're not so easy to make instructions for! We've been making them for a few years now and have always turned to the same wonderful website:

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/tamales/

With step by step instructions, photos, and more, this site has everything you need to know about making homemade tamales. Not for the weak of heart or short on time, tamales will take you AT LEAST the good part of a DAY to prep, construct, and steam.You'll have to get through the following in order to do the tamale tango:

1. Go to the store!
2. Cook the meat (chicken and pork).
2. Soak the corn husks.
3. Make the masa dough.
4. Build the tamales - husk + dough + meat & roll!
5. Cook (probably in several batches).
6. Eat as many as you can and then freeze/store.

I don't want to scare you - I just want you to be prepared! The first time we made these in college it was on a whim. We didn't even have a steamer - we just got a disposable aluminum pan from the store and put holes in it (classy, I know). BUT... they turned out great! 

We have always used the recipe from Son of the South, with minor changes here and there. When we made them most recently (photos included here), we tried to make them a little more low sodium by cutting the salt in half. They were perfect! 

 Served with some green salsa and spanish rice, you're all set. And since you're going to end up with dozens of tamales, you can enjoy them for the months ahead - or be kind and share them with friends. They freeze exceptionally well, and we even vacuum seal in 2 and 4-packs. The husband likes them for breakfast with 2 eggs on top, but I like to take them to work for a quick and easy meal via the microwave.

If you don't have a whole day to spend on tamales, break it up over the course of the weekend. Note of caution: if you decided to cook the meat one day and let it sit overnight, go ahead and shred it while it's warm. Trust me, it's no fun to shred cold pork chunks...

I hope that I haven't scared you off - tamales are easy and fun to make (just time consuming), especially with friends or a significant other. 

I think the true test of a marriage 
might be the ability to make tamales together.

Drool! Guess I know what I'm having for lunch today!