A traditional Hispanic dish for the holidays gets a boost through cannabis
The pork tamale has become a traditional dish. This recipe is very important in the season, as it is part of the tradition of sharing with the family at Christmas dinner. Tamales are prepared with corn dough, broth and raisins, and are usually filled with pork or chicken and wrapped in banana leaves. However, in order to be able to give the necessary magic touch, marijuana is still the special guest. You definitely won’t be able to resist the urge to unwrap one more tamale after finishing the first one.
To get started, you will need the following ingredients:
Tamales
40 corn husk wrappers
7 lbs. boneless pork shoulder or butt
1⅓ C (257g) cannabis-infused lard (recipe follows)
2½ to 3 C (600-700 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
3¼ C (395g) masa corn flour*
1 t (4g) baking powder
1 T (14g) salt
Red chile sauce
7 jalapeño peppers
2 ancho chiles, dried
5 guajillo chilies, dried
2 large tomatoes
½ white or yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 whole garlic head, peeled
Salt and pepper, to taste
Water
Cannabis-infused lard
1.1 grams of cannabis flower (~20% THC)
5 t Everclear (or substitute vodka 100 proof or higher)
1 ⅓ C (257g) pork lard or vegetable shortening
A day before you start the recipe, be sure to pre-prepare the cannabis. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place 1.1 grams of coarsely ground cannabis flower in a small jar, seal with the lid to reduce odor, and heat for 40 minutes in the oven to decarbonize, which activates the THC.
Remove from the oven and let cool until the mason jar is safe to the touch. The ground flower will look slightly toasted. Pour 5 teaspoons of Everclear into the mason jar, close the lid and shake to combine. Set aside and let the mixture sit overnight.
An hour beforehand, use a large heatproof skillet to pour the hot water over the corn husks, enough to cover them and soak them until they are pliable. To keep them submerged under water, place a pot over the husks to soften in the warm water for an hour or so.
The red sauce is easy to prepare. Start by drizzling a little cooking oil in the pan and cook the salsa ingredients together until the onions and jalapeños are lightly browned. Pour in water until the ingredients are covered. Bring to a simmer.
When the carrots are tender, four to five minutes, remove the dried ancho and guajillo chiles. Carefully remove and discard the stem and seeds. In a blender, combine the softened chiles and ingredients, and blend on high speed until smooth. Set aside.
Then, fasten your apron to prepare the meat. Cut the pork shoulder into small 1/2-inch pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook in a large pot over medium-high heat with a generous drizzle of cooking oil to brown the meat for a few minutes. Add the red sauce to the pan and simmer until the meat is very tender. Taste your sauce and meat throughout. Set aside.
Make cannabis-infused lard. git the mixture from the jar and pour the Everclear liquid and cannabis through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan, strain out the ground flower and reserve the liquid. Simmer the liquid over low heat, for a minute or less, until the alcohol cooks off. Add the lard or shortening until melted and stir over low heat until blended.
Finally, prepare the batter. Add the chicken or vegetable stock to the small saucepan with the lard and heat the stock mixture over low heat. In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal batter, baking powder, and salt. Add the warm broth and cannabis-infused lard to the dough mixture and mix well until the dough forms a smooth, creamy texture. Work in the dough with your hands or with a mixer, preferably with your hands.
In a large steamer, fill with ½ inch of water, bring to a boil, and then switch to medium-low heat. Place tamales in the steamer standing upright, open the end up, cover with additional corn husks and cover the steamer with the lid. Steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
When you check to see if your tamales are ready, remove one from the steamer and let it sit for five minutes. If the corn husk easily pulls away from the masa at that point, it is ready. If not, cook longer. Serve with extra red sauce. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat, up to 7 days. Freeze-cooked tamales for up to six months. To reheat, steam for 15 to 20 minutes.