On Apr 23, 7:21*pm, zxcvbob > wrote:
> I bought a 10 pound bag o' chicken (hindquarters) today for making
> tamales. I'll probably use half of them, and bone and freeze the other
> half. *I assume they are "enhanced with 12% solution" even though it
> doesn't say that on the bag, just because I bought them You Know Where.

Assume they are not because they would say so "on the bag." They'd
have to.
>
> I have 8 large dried chipotles and 6 large New Mexico chiles stewing in
> a little bit of water; when they are soft I'll puree them and strain out
> the seeds and skins to make the chile base. *I debated adding an ancho
> or two. *Still not sure if I made the right choice, but I left them out
> so they wouldn't fight with the chipotles.

I would have used less chipotles, but that's just personal
preference. With chilies it's all personal preference.
>
> Should I boil the chicken, as is customary, or would it be better to
> bake it in a shallow roasting pan? (remember the "enhanced solution")

Perhaps a braise.
>
> A lot of the tamal recipes I see on the Internet have raisins in them,
> and not just the sweet tamales. *I have raisins; should I add a few?

I wouldn't
>
> I'm going to use dried masa and goose fat again for the dough, assuming
> the goose fat still smells OK. *It's been in the freezer for about 2
> years...

I'd toss the goose fat. Two years is a long time. Why not chicken
fat? Those leg quarters are sure to have big globs of fat you can
easily render. I always render the fat from them into my peanut oil
when frying chicken.

With leg quarters, I like to use the drumsticks for frying or Q-ing,
whatever I'm doing with the thigh portions. The back/pelvis piece is
nice for broth/stock after removing the nasty-ass kidneys.
>
> Bob

--Bryan