Mississippi Delta Lamb Tamales

Total Time: 4 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 36 dried corn husks
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 2 1/2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, quartered
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 cups instant masa harina

Recipe

• 1 fill a bowl with hot water and soak the husks to soften.
• 2 meanwhile, in a large saucepan, mix 2 tbsp chili powder, the tomato paste and the cayenne powder into 6 cups cold water. to this mixture, add the lamb.
• 3 bring to a boil, cover and then reduce the heat to low. simmer until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours. transfer to a plate, reserving the broth. shred the meat and transfer to a bowl.
• 4 in a medium saucepan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. stir in 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp salt, cumin and garlic powder and saute stirring frequently for about 30 seconds. add in 1 cup of the reserved broth and then stir in the meat.
• 5 in a large bowl, mix the masa, the remaining 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. stir in 3 1/2 cups of the broth. using a wooden spoon, beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups oil.
• 6 drain the husks and pat dry. working with one husk at a time, spread about 1/4 cup of the masa mixture down the center. top with 2 tbsp meat.
• 7 fold the long sides of the husk together and roll into a skinny log, making sure the masa mixture completely surrounds the meat filling. fold up the bottom, creating a package that is open on top.
• 8 loosely tie three tamales together with a piece of kitchen string, making 12 bundles.
• 9 place a heatproof 2-cup glass measuring cup upside down in the center of an 8-qt stockpot. stand the tamale bundles, open ends up, around the cup. fill the pot with the remaining broth and water to reach halfway up the sides of the tamales.
• 10 bring to a boil, cover then reduce the heat to medium-low. simmer until the masa is firm and pulls away from the husk easily, about 1 hour.
• 11 serve hot with some of the cooking liquid.