so are you going to share the recipe that you used?

Yeah ruthieg....as soon as I figure out what I'm actually doing. So far I browned 2 lbs ground chuck with 1 lb. hot pork sausage, also sauteed 3 small cloves garlic, crushed. I removed the garlic, drained the meat and saved the broth, what little there was. I put it in the freezer so it would be simple to get rid of the fat. I added about 3 T. chili powder and 1 teas. of cumin and about 1 teas. of cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Also I crumbled the meat with my hands so there would not be chunks in it. Then DH arrives on the scene and suggests I put it in the food processor because it looked too "coarse" to him. So to humor the man I pulsed it a few times, tasted it, added a little more chili powder and cumin.
Now it's time to do the masa. I used Barnmom's recipe pretty much as it was written. Added enough warm water to what little broth I had from the meat. Both the meat mixture and the masa mixture are in the fridge until morning when my 2 friends and I actually put them together. I already know I'll add more chili powder, cayenne pepper and maybe a little more cumin. I wimped out of using corn shucks, actually I knew I would use store-bought tamale papers. I went ahead this afternoon and put one tamale together...it was kinda sad looking....definatly need to work on my technique for rolling. But you know what...it wasn't too bad for the first time and I will be back again with a lot more confidence and I may do the "pork butt"next time.

Thank you so much for your encouragement, ruthieg!

jude

Great I am anxious to see it...Do you think this is the recipe you were looking for? I did some checking with friends from different areas and tried to get some idea of help for you but nothing materialized. Please do share the recipe...I searched Barnmom but couldn't find the recipe and I am curious about it.

Ruthieg, I'm afraid I led you astray. I should have posted on the CF, (my bad)which is where I got Barnmom's recipe but it was a recipe for the masa dough, not the meat mixture. I was hoping triciac would post a recipe she mentioned but alas it didn't happen. I pretty much did just what I posted above but I'll probably keep searching from time to time. I made 35 hot tamales today but I'm going to have to work on my rolling technique. I'm as slow as molasses in January. I have them cooking now and we went ahead and cooked one of each at lunch and they're not bad, but I'll get better if I don't die of old age first.
Thanks again.
jude

No problem...I went over there and had a look see...I want you to let us know how you liked the masa recipe. I love the corn masa part of the tamal as much as the filling and I love the taste without spices the smooth corny flavor so I am so curious about adding the tamal spices to the masa as well as the filling...Is that the way you remember your Mother making the masa?

I'm going to make more bean tamales tomorrow. I just put the husks into soak. Last time I made them because I had left over masa and this time I am making them because I have leftover filling.

I did my last chemo session that has been scheduled in advance so I am hoping that I begin to have more energy and feel good enough to do all these things that I love...For awhile it will be in moderation I am sure but I'll get there ....maybe...

Ruthie, I admire you so much for keeping on keeping on in spite of your health situation. The masa mixture...with 6 cups of masa and 1 T. each of the spices.... to be honest there was more color from the spices than taste. Mom used cornmeal and as I recall there was more of the corn taste than with the masa, but I have found lately that my memory of how things tasted may not be all that accurate. I used up all the first mixture and mixed more using your 2 C. masa recipe. I still have a little of the meat mixture left so, out of curiosity, I'm going to use cornmeal for it and see for myself if it's "all in my head". I am gnashing at the bit to try your pork mixture, but I guess I'll use these up first. I'll spread them around the family so they'll go faster. I'm planning an extended family chili supper next month so hopefully I'll have gotten better by that time.

DH and I met with some friends last night and one of the ladies makes tamales but she does not cook her meat mixture before she freezes them and her descriiption of how she assembles the dough and the meat was hilarious to me although I tried to keep a staight face. So many variations of the whole procedure.

Take care of yourself and I hope you keep getting stronger.

((HUGS)),
jude

jude, I saw your post over on the CF and here, but I've never had tamales like the ones you were looking for.

As for rolling, the website below might help you. It has step by step pics. I like to use a small offset spatula for spreading the masa. It seems to be just right for my hands. My husband says there is a special masa spreader, but he does not know what it is called and I've never seen one. That might help you as well.

ruthie, I hope you know that you have many prayers heading your direction. Even if we (GW people) don't always say so.

Here is a link that might be useful: Helpful tamale site

Here is a video demo of the spreader..It looks like a good tool to have. I use a spoon and am pretty good at it but if I saw one of these, I'd have to get one to try..

Here is a link that might be useful: masa spreader

"spreading of the masa is hard work and mastering takes many years" That's what the video says. I'm almost 78 and I don't want to wait that long.LOL There's as many recipes and techniques as Carter has little liver pills. I use tamale papers and the instructions don't transfer, fully. Haven't tried to find cornshucks.
trsinc, the tamales are regional, without question. The recipe on the video for the masa had 2 cups of oil in it...another variation I had not seen.
ruthieg, the masa spreader looks pretty cool but do you spread your masa all the way to both sides? Without going back to look at the pictures you posted, I don't think so. What a world of difference it makes when you know what you're doing! Guess I'll just keep on keeping on.

Thank you all so much!
jude

I was watching some other videos on tamale making and you are so right...It's so regional...I saw another spreader that looked cool too.. I really don't think spreading the masa is a big issue as long as you get it in there at the thickness that you like it...I've read the description that it should be like a stiff cookie dough but in some of the videos I've seen it is pretty sticky...I think mine is in between loose and stiff....I have made them off and on for years and I'm almost 70 so I am pretty practiced. The masa sort of redistributes in cooking anyway. I have made them with oil and they taste fine but I always use broth as the liquid. My next project is chicken ...I've never made chicken and would like to try some. If you ever want to try husks, let me know and I will send you a package..they are pretty light so it wouldn't cost much and they are not expensive...my treat...

I guess what I love about tamales is that once they are made, they are so easy to use for any meal or snack and combined with a few other things they make a full meal or just alone with gravy...One of my favorite tamales is bean tamales...but I am a lover of beans...I just love eating them for breakfast....

Whoever Barnmom is, they dont seem to come back here...

I think jude was in contact with her at the cooking forum and she made some suggestions to him...I was curious so I went over to see what she said.

You are so right, ruthie and I noticed "him" in your reply to Ken. Was that the kind of thing I do or did you not know I'm a "her"?
I appreciate your offer of husks but let me check around here. There are a number of small Mexican markets here and there and I would imagine they might have them.
I now have about 3 and 1/2 dozen of what I made. I used the little bit of meat I had left yesterday and after tweaking it here and there with more chili powder, cumin and cayenne it tasted pretty much like what I was aiming for.. Now if I can just get the hang of assembly.......

Thanks again, guys.

Judith, Judie, jude

Ha ha sorry about that jude...I did assume you were female don't know why I said "him" ...These days I blame everything on chemo brain so I'll use that excuse now...I have to be careful what I say because my thoughts just evaporate mid sentence...

Believe me that is not a problem. I do that sort of thing all the time an you do not need an excuse. Funny, but as I have gotten older my voice has deepened and it was always fairly deep but on the phone I'm often called sir. You know how when you're in the check out lane at the grocery the cashier doesn't always look up. I'm tall 5'9", wear jeans a lot and have been called sir there as well. I try not to sweat the small stuff and in the grand scheme of things....what does it matter!

Have a nice weekend and hope you continue to feel better.

jude