LEFTOVER PP BECAME FIRST TIME MAKING TAMALES

chef willie · Feb 13, 2013

Considered not posting this but in another thread the question was posed about left-overs etc and what to do with them. Like sausage making, I've been wanting to make home made tamales for years and never got to it. I had done a 7 pound butt for the SB and since only two in the house I had a lot of meat left even after another dinner of PP sauced sandwiches. So, decided it was tamale time!! I chopped up that PP and cheated, adding enough of my favorite El Pato red enchilada sauce to moisten it. I also cheated by using the steamer at work to avoid buying my own. Followed the recipe off the bag back and, ya know, it worked. I had watched a coupla vids on you-tube as a tutorial so felt confident enough. Cranked out 36 tamales and after 45 minutes of steam they were done. I kept 12 for myself, enough for two more dinners for us and shared the rest away to buddies. So, for a $7 butt I got 4 meals for us and shared 2 dozen tamales. That's a lot of mileage out of one pork butt. Missed a coupla shots of the pork & actual tamale making...sorry

simple ingredients--melted lard, chicken broth and masa flour=amazing results

TAMALE GEAR.jpg

chef willie
Feb 13, 2013

heading for the steam bath

TAMALE1.jpg

chef willie
Feb 13, 2013

out of the steamer...held together nicely...whew

TAMALE2.jpg

chef willie
Feb 13, 2013

freshly made pintos, spanish rice, tamales topped off with a little salsa verde

TAMALE3 (2).jpg

chef willie
Feb 13, 2013

dirtsailor2003 · Feb 13, 2013

Chef Willie, they look great! Some friends of ours that moved to Central Oregon from New Mexico have a tradition of making tamales on Christmas eve for dinner and then left over gifts. This year we didn't have anything going on so we joined them. There were 10 of us all put in charge of spreading Masa. We did close to 400 tamales during the day!!! Some we had for dinner that night then the rest were sent home with those who helped make them!!! We vac-packed and froze ours! was lots of fun and we'll be making our own sometime!

linguica · Feb 13, 2013

#3- three pork tamales, rice and beans $9.75 I'll have a # 3 please...

pgsmoker64 · Feb 13, 2013

I love tamales!

Last good ones I had was when an Army buddy's mom sent us some from Chicago!

Those look really good Willie!

Bill

bama bbq · Feb 13, 2013

I LOVE to use my smoked meats in other dishes as ingredients. Tacos, nachos, tamales, soaps, stews, etc, etc. Your tamales look great!

nwohiosmoke · Feb 14, 2013

Bama BBQ said:
I LOVE to use my smoked meats in other dishes as ingredients. Tacos, nachos, tamales, soaps, stews, etc, etc. Your tamales look great!

Soaps are my favorite ;)

smokinhusker · Feb 14, 2013

Nice job! Those looks fantastic! I used leftover PP last night for hot open face sandwiches with pork gravy.

05sprcrw · Feb 14, 2013

That looks fantastic.

slonaker · Feb 14, 2013

AWESOME! I made tamales for the first time, around the holidays, too! I used ground turkey and Hatch green chiles. They turned out pretty well. But, NOTHING can beat a good pork tamale and using left-over pulled pork is brilliant! I'll have to remember try that next time. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but so rewarding. Thanks for posting!

old sarge · Feb 14, 2013

Chef,

Don't post something like that again It ain't right!

I'm going to be thinking about that 'platter' all night, probably get no sleep!!

(does look mighty good, thanks)

rdknb · Feb 15, 2013

They look very good, well done

gdahl05 · Feb 15, 2013

I totally agree, pulled pork makes great left overs. we use it in making enchiladas. We have gotten great comments we have served them for friends.

Dutch · Feb 15, 2013

Chef Willie, those tamales look great. Christmas of 2011 the department I work with decided to do a potluck luncheon and I brought in some homemade tamales. While I was making up the masa, I added a tablespoone of chili powder to add another level of flavor, it didn't do much to change the color of the masa, but that wasn't my objective-just wanted to add my twist to the traditional.

I made about two dozen tamales and they were the hit of the luncheon.

My sister-in-law found out that I know how to make tamales and she's wanting me to teach her how to do it. Teaching her will take like three days because she makes notes on every step. I showed her how to fix her favorite dish (chicken piccata)-a dish that takes me maybe 20 minutes to put together and it ended up taking close to two hours because of her note taking. Maybe I'll just have Ma Dutch record me making tamales and give the recording to the sis-in-law. Then she can watch the cd and take all the notes that she wants while eating some of the 'males that I made.

Cheers~

diesel · Feb 15, 2013

They look great... now I am going to have to make some. ummm.

good job.

Aaron.

linguica · Feb 15, 2013

When smoking a pork butt, if you rub the meat with a mixture containing cumin, oregano, garlic. salt, and orange zest, you will be making carnitas. The basis of Mexican pork dishes.

chef willie · Feb 15, 2013

Dutch said:
Chef Willie, those tamales look great. Christmas of 2011 the department I work with decided to do a potluck luncheon and I brought in some homemade tamales. While I was making up the masa, I added a tablespoone of chili powder to add another level of flavor, it didn't do much to change the color of the masa, but that wasn't my objective-just wanted to add my twist to the traditional.

I made about two dozen tamales and they were the hit of the luncheon.

My sister-in-law found out that I know how to make tamales and she's wanting me to teach her how to do it. Teaching her will take like three days because she makes notes on every step. I showed her how to fix her favorite dish (chicken piccata)-a dish that takes me maybe 20 minutes to put together and it ended up taking close to two hours because of her note taking. Maybe I'll just have Ma Dutch record me making tamales and give the recording to the sis-in-law. Then she can watch the cd and take all the notes that she wants while eating some of the 'males that I made.

Cheers~

Good idea on the chili powder....will def do some such thing next time around. The bag recipe did make mention of adding spices etc but being a total novice I passed on the idea. The video is a good idea....can be viewed as she works along. I'm already getting 'requests' for more tamales from the cronies which brings to mind my favorite quote....'no good deed shall go unpunished'

snorkelinggirl · Feb 16, 2013

Hey Chef Willie,

I love your sense of adventure in the kitchen! Trying out new recipes and methods is what keeps it all fresh and fun, yes?

Your pulled pork tamales look beautiful! Hope you have a great weekend in the salt mines ;-)

Clarissa

foamheart · Feb 21, 2014

Dutch said:
Maybe I'll just have Ma Dutch record me making tamales and give the recording to the sis-in-law. Then she can watch the cd and take all the notes that she wants while eating some of the 'males that I made.

Cheers~

/cough cough <Clears throat>

So I am fixing to attempt my very first tamales with pulled pork. I have loved tamales all my life and when in West Texas /New Mexico I could tell you were the best were made in most near any town. Did I learn? Heck I spent Months in Mexico on business at a time. Did I learn? Noooooooo.......... I'd rather drink and chase women! So did this video ever come about and where might I see it? youtube?

These are going to happen this week. Please any suggestions, pointers, I'm sorta quaking here in me boots.

I see people sticking cheeses and peppers in their tamales. I am thinking all I ever saw were mostly beef in a chili sauce. So I assume low and slow pork might be exceptable with a little chili powder in the finishing sauce?

I have seen the Masa sometimes in tubes, what I got and felt lucky to get, ids Masa Harbrina, here's what I am thinking. add a little salt, chili powder, Lard, Little hot H20, beat it to light and airy. test it in a glass of H20 (the old floater test). Slap that sucker in a shuck, add some meat, roll, fold, rinse and repeat.

I am gonna wade right in and learn the hard way, so if you can save me any bit of frustration I would really appreciate it.

LEFTOVER PP BECAME FIRST TIME MAKING TAMALES

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