Pulled Pork Tamales Recipes

PULLED PORK TAMALE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine pulled pork, enchilada sauce, green chile peppers, black beans, corn, onion, and olives in a large bowl. Spread mixture into a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
• Combine corn bread mix, milk, egg, and butter in a separate bowl. Pour over pork mixture. Spread Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot, about 35 minutes.

DECONSTRUCTED TAMALES: TRISHA'S CHEESE GRIT CAKE WITH TAMALE-STYLE PULLED PORK

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat to a shimmer. Add Trisha's Pulled Pork, the chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin and black pepper; stir to combine. Add enough reserved cooking liquid to coat the meat but not saturate it. Cook until the meat starts to brown and the spices become fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and hold.
• Place a Grit Cake on each serving plate and top with some pork, Corn Salsa, sour cream, chopped green onions and cilantro.
• Season the ribs well on all sides with salt and pepper.
• In a large Dutch oven over high heat, heat the oil to a shimmer. Add the ribs and sear until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the ribs and transfer to a plate. Add the garlic, carrots and onion and cook until golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 2 more cups of water and stir to combine.
• Return the ribs to the Dutch oven, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until fork-tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the ribs from the liquid and transfer to a baking sheet to cool. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve. When cool enough to handle, use 2 forks to shred the pork.
• Line an 8-by-10-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving any excess hanging off the sides, and spray with cooking spray.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vegetable broth, grits and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the grits are thickened and soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in the cheese. Pour the grits into the prepared pan and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Using a round cutter or a knife, cut the grits into 2 1/2-inch cakes.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil to a shimmer and add the cakes. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the skillet and drain on paper towels.
• In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the corn and cook until beginning to caramelize, about 4 minutes. Add the salsa and enough broth, starting with a 1/4 cup, to make it thick yet pourable. Serve warm.

PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Make the filling: Put the pork in a deep saucepan and cover with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 2 teaspoons salt, the onion, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and peppercorns; cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the pork is tender, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Transfer the pork to a plate and shred. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid; keep warm.
• Meanwhile, soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Combine the pork, cumin, 1/3 cup chili powder, the garlic, flour, sugar, vegetable oil and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid in a large skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dough: Mix the masa harina, lard, 2 teaspoons salt, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 2 2/3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid in a bowl until combined.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the pork filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and steam until the dough is firm, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

PULLED PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the onion, ketchup, honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chile powder, garlic and 2 tablespoons each of salt and pepper and pulse until smooth. Transfer the paste to a large re-sealable plastic bag. Add the pork roast, turning to coat it with the paste; seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F Set the pork in an enameled casserole and cover with the paste. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a simmer. Cover the casserole and roast the meat in the oven for 3 1/2 hours, or until meltingly tender; turn the roast occasionally and add more water if it is looking dry. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let cool. Remove the strings and pull the meat into thick shreds. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the Espresso Barbecue Sauce.
• FOR THE MASA HARINA: Put the masa harina in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of hot water in a thin stream and beat at low speed until a dough forms. Continue beating the dough at medium low speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes. Add the shortening, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the baking powder and 2 teaspoons of salt. Scrape the dough into a large bowl and fold in 2 1/2 cups of the shredded pork.
• Arrange the corn husks on a large work surface. Scoop about 1/4 cup of the tamale filling into the center of each husk. Fold the ends of the husks over the filling, then roll the husks up to enclose the filling completely. Alternatively, wrap 1/4 cup of tamale filling in a rectangle of foil, forming an oval shape, and twist the ends securely. Place the tamales, seam side down, in a large steamer basket, in several layers if necessary.
• Steam the tamales until the filling is firm, about 20 minutes. Serve the tamales piping hot, with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side. Serves 6 to 8.
• NOTE: Masa harina, a flour made from corn that has been treated with lime is used to make tortillas and tamales. It is available at most supermarkets.
• MAKE AHEAD: The tamales can be prepared through Step 4 and frozen for up to 1 month in a sturdy plastic bag.
• BEER: These tamales are best suited to a full flavored beer. Try the Brooklyn Brown Ale from Brooklyn Brewery or the Red Ale from Abita Brewery in Louisiana.
• FOR THE ESPRESSO BARBECUE SAUCE: Combine One large onion, garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup,espresso coffee, molasses, mustard, chile powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, salt and pepper, in a medium saucepan and simmer them over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by about half, approximately 45 minutes. Let cool completely, strain, then puree in a blender until smooth.
• Serve the sauce right away or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• MAKE AHEAD: The Espresso Barbecue Sauce can be refrigerated in a jar for up to 3 months.
• Food & Wine Magazine's Cookbook.

SHREDDED PORK TAMALES

Steps:

• Prepare Shredded Savory Pork and Chile Colorado as directed. Soak the corn husks in hot water about 30 minutes to soften.
• Meanwhile, for dough, in a large bowl, stir together masa harina and the water. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes (mixture will appear dry). In a mixing bowl, beat shortening and 1/2 teaspoon salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Gradually beat in flour mixture until combined (mixture should resemble a thick, creamy paste).
• For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine Shredded Savory Pork and Chile Colorado; heat through.
• Drain corn husks well; pat dry with paper towels. For each tamale, spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough into a 5 x 4-inch rectangle on each corn husk so one of the long sides of the dough is at the long edge of the husk. (If husks are small, overlap two small husks.) Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filing lengthwise down the center of the dough. Fold the long edge of husk over the filling so dough edges meet. Roll husk around outside of filled masa mixture. Tie ends securely with strips of cornhusk or 100-percent-cotton kitchen string.
• To prepare steamer, if desired, place a cone-shape ball of foil in the center of a steamer basket. Stand tamales upright in basket (don't pack tamales too tightly, but fill the space). Place about 1-1/2 inches of water in bottom of steamer or Dutch oven. Place baskets over water. Bring water to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and steam for 40 to 45 minutes or until tamales pull away from corn husks, adding water to pan as necessary. Makes 16 tamales.
• Make-Ahead Directions: Wrap and freeze the cooked tamales in the corn husks. To serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Place the tamales in a steamer basket over gently boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

PULLED PORK TAMALE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large casserole dish with butter.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in pulled pork and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Discard about 1/2 of the liquid from the corn and diced tomatoes with chiles; add remaining corn, diced tomatoes with chiles, and liquid to the pork mixture. Stir in diced green chiles and taco seasoning; cook until desired consistency and heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk cornbread mix, milk, and eggs together in a bowl. Pour a little more than 1/2 of the batter into the prepared casserole dish.
• Bake cornbread in the preheated oven for 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour pork mixture on top. Sprinkle with Mexican cheese, then pour the remaining cornbread batter over top.
• Bake until cornbread topping is golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes.