Crock Pot Tamales

Can you believe this is the only picture I got!?  I love tamales.  Like seriously love them.  I have had a recipe for them for years now and have never gotten around to making them because I don't have a steamer.  So I googled if  you can make them in the crock pot, and Ahhh (angels singing), you can!!  I would suggest getting crock pot bags or the bags that you cook turkeys in and put the tamales in that because mine got a little dark on the bottom layer and to the sides, but nothing that changes the taste, the husk suffered the brunt of it. (I also have a broken lid on both of my crock pots, so my crock pots are ghetto anyway).  These were oh o incredible.  I made enough to stick some in the freezer for future use!!!  And as a tip, make sure you pick out the larger corn husk pieces to use for your tamales. I found mine at Walmart.  I looked at a few other stores first and couldn't find them.  But they were in the international section of Walmart.  I know the directions seem like a lot, but they aren't too bad.  You don't have to prepare the meat the night before if you would rather do it the day of.  But it is nice to get it out of the way.  

Ingredients for Filling: 

1 lb. pork butt roast or chicken (or breasts)

2 ½ cups water

¼ onions         

1 garlic clove

1 bay leaf

Salt

8 peppercorns

2/3 cup enchilada sauce or salsa

16 corn husks (soak 1 hour in hot water)

Tamale Dough

Directions:

 1. A day in advance, trim fat from meat.  Cut meat in chunks and place in a large saucepan.  Add water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt to taste and peppercorns.  Bring to a boil.  Skim foam from surface, reduce heat.  

2. Cover and simmer till fork tender approximately 1 to 2 hours.  Drain meat, reserving broth for tamale dough.  With 2 forks, shred meat and mix with sauce or salsa.  Refrigerate meat mixture and reserved broth overnight.

Dough Ingredients:

2 cups of Maseca for tamales

2 cups lukewarm broth or water

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening

Directions:

Combine Maseca, baking powder and salt in a bowl, work broth or water with your fingers to make soft moist dough.  In a small bowel, beat lard or shortening until fluffy, add masa and beat until dough has a spongy texture.  Prepare tamales with desired filling.  Makes enough dough for about 16 small tamales.

Assembly:

1. Soak corn husks 1 hour in hot water.  Soak a few additional husks to cover tamales.  Rinse and pat dry with towels.  

2. Hold each corn husk with point toward you.  Place rounded tablespoonful of dough at large end of husk.  Spread with fingers.  Place one tablespoon filling on dough.  Top with another tablespoon of dough; spread to cover filling.  

3. Fold sides of husk over tamales.  Fold pointed end of corn husk under with seam on outside.  

(*For steaming: Stand tamales on folded ends on a rack over water in a large pot.  Cover with additional husks.  Bring water to a boil, reduce heat.  Cover and steam one hour or until dough pulls away easily from husks*)

4. Place seam side down in crock pot.  Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours (took me 6) pr until dough pulls away easily from husks.

Pairs beautifully with Spanish Rice