Green Chile Pork Tamales

My husband and I go out every Saturday to a new local international market and pick a meal to make from ingredients we find there. This week we went to Philipe’s Market and decided on tamales! I’d only ever tried them once as a child and wasn’t a fan, but my husband loves them! I’m glad I gave them another chance, because they’re so delicious! I stuffed them with a green chile pork mixture that always delivers the goods.

Filling:
2 lb Pork Shoulder Roast
1 ½ cup Onion; chopped
1 ½ cup Bell Pepper; cored & chopped
2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
½ teaspoon Turmeric (optional)
2 cups Salsa Verde
1 cup Beef or Pork Broth
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Chipotle Pepper
—
Shell:
4 cups Masa Harina
3 cups Broth from the pork filling
1 ½ cups Lard or Bacon Grease
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Chipotle Powder
—
8 oz. Corn Husks

Place the corn husks in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 1 hour.
Place the filling ingredients in an InstaPot or pressure cooker and cook, at pressure, for 1 hour. Once the pork is tender enough to be shredded with forks, shred and keep warm.
In a food processor, add the masa, baking powder, salt and chipotle powder. Blitz briefly until just combined. Add the lard or bacon grease, pulsing until crumbly. Pour in the broth, slowly, until a loose, sticky dough forms.
Lay the soaked corn husks on a cutting board and place a large scoop of the masa mixture in the center of each husk. Using a piece of plastic wrap, spread the masa mixture over the wide half of the husk. Add 2 Tablespoons of the filling in a line down the center of the masa and use the husks to push the two ends together. Overlap the husk corners, then fold the bottom up, securing with a thin strip of husk tied in a knot.
Pour 1” of water into a large pot and place a quarter at the bottom. Add a steamer basket over top and place a layer of husks to cover the bottom. Stand the tamales up, stacking them against each other until filled. Cover with a few corn husks and place the lid over top. Bring to a boil (the quarter will start to clank against the bottom of the pot, letting you know it’s boiling and when to add more water) and steam for 45 minutes.
Remove one of the tamales and check for doneness. The husk will pull away cleanly and the shell with be firm. If the masa sticks to the husk, place it back in the steamer and cook an additional 10 minutes. Check again and repeat until cooked through.
Enjoy!