Red Chile Tamale Meat Recipe

Tamales are a perfect holiday treat, warm and spicy, a steamed bundle of masa and a tasty filling, all wrapped in a corn husk. Tamales are a memorable part of the holiday feast, and the making of them a celebrated tradition in the Mexican American home.

  

Tamale Meat Ingredients:

4 lbs boneless pork butt **

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

2 cups of water

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker on low (6-8 hrs)

 ( I usually cook meat the day before)

2. Shred pork, and place in a bowl. Cover and 

refrigerate.

** alternate meats can be used; Beef, chicken, elk

Ingredients for:

Red Chile Sauce

• 2 pkg  dried New Mexico chile pods

• 3 Garlic Cloves

• 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

• 1/4 Cup Flour

• 1 beef bouillon cube

Salt to taste.

Directions:

• Rinse and remove the stems and seeds of chile pods.
• Place chile pods in a large pot, add enough water to fully cover the pods. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes, when done remove pods from the pot.
• Let cool slightly. Reserve water in the pot. 

• In the pot add bouillon cube in chile pod water on medium heat until dissolved. Let Cool.

• When cool, add small amounts of pods, flour and 1 cup water to a blender or food processor, and blend until liquid paste mixture( make sure to stop and stir pods in the blender).

• Keep doing this until all pods are done. (Save any liquid in chile pod water for chile gravy)

• With a mesh strainer, pour liquid chile mixture thru it, into a large bowl. Remove any seeds, chile skins when straining the mixture.

• In a skillet on medium heat, add chile mixture and whisk gently. Stir and check for consistency, chile sauce should be smooth on the back of a spoon. If too thick add a little chile pod water to get the right consistency.
• Add salt and cumin. 

In a slow cooker on low heat 2 hours before making 

tamales, add meat and slowly add red chile sauce. 

Add enough chile sauce mixture  to meat without 

making it soupy,  Let cool 30 minutes before making 

tamales.

Tamale dough Recipe