Where are you located? (altitude may have been a factor). I LIVE ON
VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA, STEPS FROM THE OCEAN.
> How big was the pot? ( Did you have to refill the pot?) I USE A CHINESE STEAMER - METAL. I HAD TO REFILL THE POT SEVERAL TIMES WITH HOT WATER TO CONTINUE STEAMING.
> How many tamales in the pot? (overcrowded?) ONE DOZEN.
> What did you use to seperate the boiling water from the tamales? THE BOTTOM WAS LOOSELY COVERED WITH CORN HUSKS.
S
>




"Dimitri" > wrote in message >...
> "Shelora" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Hello,
> > I made tamales in corn husk on Sunday. I used a pork lard which I
> > rendered myself (highly recommended - much better than crisco!) and
> > the flavour was out of this world. I have a question about cooking
> > times. These tamales took longer than usual - over three hours on
> > high.
> > What determines the cooking time of a tamale. Although I laid roasted
> > poblano strips on the dough, they weren't really that wet. I thought
> > maybe, the filling was the reason they took so long.
> > My other question is, can you overcook a tamale?
> > Looking forward to hearing from you out there.
> > Shelora
>
>
> Dimitri
>
> From:
>
> http://www.jalapenocafe.com/tamale.html
>
> Cooking the tamales
> The easiest way to cook the tamales is in a conventional steamer. You can
> purchase tamale steamers at the Mexican Market. I cook mine in an old
> steamer and also use an oriental bamboo steamer set in a wok.
> Fill the bottom of the steamer with water up to the level indicated and
> bring it to a boil. Line the top of the steamer with corn husks, covering
> the bottom and sides well. Stack the tamales upright. For best results, they
> should be firmly packed, put not too tightly, as the dough needs room to
> expand some. Once you have the tamales in the steamer, cover them with more
> corn husks. Cover the top of the steamer with a tea towel to catch the
> condensation from the lid of the steamer. Cover the steamer with a tightly
> fitted lid.
> As the water in the steamer comes to a boil, put a coin in the bottom. You
> should hear the coin clinking in the bottom of the steamer. If you do not
> hear it, you need to add more hot water. Keep a pan of water boiling on the
> stove so you can add water as needed. Let the tamales cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours
> over a medium flame.
> To test the tamales for doneness, remove one from the center and one from
> the side of the steamer. As you open the husks, the dough should come away
> from the husks easily and be smooth, spongy and well cooked throughout.
> They can be eaten right way, stored in the refrigerator for a few days or
> frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat the tamales, wrap in foil and place in
> 350 degree oven about 30 minutes. Serve with red or green salsa.
>
> Dimitri