Bacon Tamales

Bacon Tamales

My wife and I really do not know how to make tamales. These are, by far, not traditional in any way. In fact, we were just trying to do them with whatever we had around the house and see what would happen. This is what we came up with, which, quite frankly, taste great!

Bacon Tamales Recipe

Base:

2 lbs unprepared (wet) masa

8 oz bacon grease/shortening

4 oz (1 cube) butter

2 heaping tbsp Better than Boullion (roasted chicken flavor)

2 tsp salt

1-2 tsp ancho powder

1 tbsp roasted chile paste (we used seranos, click here for recipe)

~1 cup water

3-4 slices of thick bacon, chopped

Other ingredients:

Roasted chiles (Anaheim or pablano (pasilla)

Oaxacan string cheese

Corn husks

Assembly: 

1) Soak corn husks for 1-2 hrs in water. 

2) Mix all base stuff together. Add only enough water to reach thick porridge consistency. Resist the urge to add more masa if it is runny. Refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to solidify the fats. 

3) Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of mixture on corn husk toward wide portion. 

4) Place a strip of chile and some cheese on the mash. 

5) Fold it in and, if desired, fold another husk over the top. 

6) Place in steamer standing up tightly together, but not over-stuffed. 

7) Steam on medium heat for about 2 hours. Check every half hour that water level is still good. 

8) Let cool slightly before serving.

9) Warm back up to serve later. 

Yield:

Approximately 25-30 tamales.

Remember to keep them refrigerated. Can be frozen for a good long time in freezer bags.