Recipe: CHILE VERDE PORK TAMALES MADE WITH HERDEZ TOMATILLO VERDE COOKING SAUCE

The holidays are synonymous with tamales in most Latin households, and a favorite dish of Mexico. We love green chile pork tamales.

The truth is that everyone has their treasured family recipe. Most of the time, we will make our chile sauce from scratch. But in a pinch for a weekend dinner party, using the zesty blend of HERDEZ® Tomatillo Verde Mexican Cooking Sauce reduces the amount of time in the kitchen, allowing you to enjoy the food with your family and friends. The HERDEZ® Tomatillo Verde Mexican Cooking Sauce is tart and spicy — a perfect marriage with the tender shredded pork shoulder. Plus, we use the HERDEZ® sauce to add flavor to the corn masa. You can find our recipe below.

To find more traditional Mexican recipes, please click on this link to Herdez Brand.

Check out our video below showing you how to make tamales:

CHILE VERDE PORK TAMALES

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 1 ½ hours

Serves: 3 dozen tamales

Ingredients:

For the Masa

40 to 50 corn husks, soaked in hot water for at least two hours (you need extra as they split and break sometimes)

5 pounds prepared masa for tamales (be sure not to get the masa for tortillas)

1 cup Herdez Tomatillo Verde Cooking Sauce

½ cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoon Kosher salt (Be sure to taste the salt in the wet masa; you want it a bit on the salty side as the steam and the meat will absorb much of it)

For Filling

5 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, fat trimmed

1 jar of Herdez Tomatillo Verde Cooking Sauce (this adds a nice flavor to the masa)

2 (12 oz) cans pickled, sliced jalapeños

1 large yellow onion, diced

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Procedure

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine prepared masa, green chile sauce, chicken stock, bouillon, baking powder and salt.

2. Knead with hands until thoroughly mixed. Masa should be smooth and not stick to hands. You may need to gradually add masa harina to make it not stick. Reserve.

3. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred with a fork.

4. Drain corn husks and pat dry with paper towels. Hold corn husk with pointy side towards you. Scoop 1/4 cup of masa mixture on corn husk and spread with a spoon or spatula, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides.

5. Add a slice of the jalapeno and one heaping tablespoon of the pork filling to center of the masa spread.

6. Fold one side of the corn husk over mixture then fold the other side, overlapping. Fold the pointed side up and turn over to keep it from unfolding. Repeat with remaining husks and masa.

7. Arrange tamales upright in a large stock pot with a steaming rack. Fill with hot water right below the rack and heat over medium-high heat. Cover top of tamales with a layer of remaining husks or a clean, damp kitchen towel; cover with lid, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium, adding water as needed. (Tip: place a penny at the bottom of the stock pot and when the water evaporates it starts making a clanking noise; time for more water!)

8. Steam for 1 ½ hour or until when tested the corn husks easily peel away from the masa.

9. Tip: You may want to warm some of the Herdez Tomatillo Verde cooking sauce in a small sauce pan to pour over your tamales.