This is another slightly modified Rick Bayless recipe. I admit you can substitute vegetable shortening for the lard but I refuse to put it in the actual recipe.

For me, tamales are special holiday food that should not be tampered with. Why mess with perfection? Using lard gives tamale dough a flavor and texture that I find authentic.

Visit your local butcher to purchase your lard rather than buying it at the grocery store.Try it.

Simple Tamale Dough
Makes about 2 dozen tamales

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups (10 oz) pork lard slightly softened
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups dried masa harina for tamales mixed with 2 1/4 cups hot water
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Procedure

1. Mix the dried masa harina with the hot water and set aside
2. Put the lard, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer* on med/high
3. Continue beating while you add the masa harina mix a little at a time
4. Reduce speed of mixer to med/low and add 1 cup of chicken broth. Beat for 1 minute.
5. Continue adding broth little by little until the batter has the consistency of thick cake batter. It should hold its shape on a spoon.


The tamale dough is ready

6. Add salt to taste.

Use immediately or refrigerate for a couple of days. I find the end product is better if you make the dough the same day that you roll the tamales.

*I burned out my last hand held electric mixer on my first batch of tamale dough. Then I switched to using my standing mixer and I have to say the dough is not the same. I’m going back to the hand mixer.