Traditional Mexican tamales

Ingredients:

• 1.2 kg of roasted pork shoulder on the bone
• 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 3 dried bay leaves
• Half a medium onion
• 4 large cloves of garlic
• 30-32 corn husks (from one 220g package)
• 2 ancho peppers
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 340 g of lard
• 4 cups quick-cooking masa harina cornmeal, for tamales
• 3/4 tsp baking powder

Preparation:

1. Meat:
   
   Cut the pork into 8-cm cubes, setting the bone aside. Pour oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat (a Dutch oven is best). Add the pork to the pan. Lightly fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf, onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Add 2-4 cups of water, or enough to cover the pork, then add the bone to the pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 2 hours.
2. Corn husk:
   
   Separate the leaves and remove any small hairs and dust. Soak in hot water while the pork is cooking (or soak overnight).
3. Using tongs, carefully remove the pork from the broth onto a plate or cutting board. Pour the remaining broth through a colander into a large bowl, making sure to catch all the onions and other ingredients. Set aside the strained broth (about 4 cups). Shred the pork with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Make sure there are no large pieces in the tamales. Transfer to a medium saucepan.
4. Chile:
   
   Cut the stems off the ancho peppers, open them, and remove all the seeds and veins. Place them in a 3-quart saucepan, cover with water, and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water boils, remove from the heat, set aside, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes.
5. Place the softened ancho chili peppers, ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend. Press in the remaining garlic clove and slowly add 2/3 cup of the remaining pork broth. Continue blending until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup of the pepper mixture for the batter, then pour the remaining chili sauce over the shredded pork and toss to coat evenly. Keep warm over low heat.
6. Dough:
   
   In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the lard. Pour the melted fat into a large bowl. Add the masa harina to the bowl with the fat, then add the baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, the remaining 1/4 cup red chili sauce, and 1/2 cup of the remaining pork broth. Mix well. Add more pork broth as needed until the dough is moist and fluffy.
7. Assembling tamales:
   
   Drain the husks and pat them dry with a clean towel. Spread the dough over the smooth side of the corn husk (2-3 tablespoons of dough per husk). Add the meat to the center of the dough, 1-2 tablespoons per serving. Fold the husk in half vertically, completely enclosing the filling. Fold the pointy end up to hold the tamale in place.
8. Steaming:
   
   Place the tamales, open-side up, along the inside of a steamer basket that fits inside a large (10-quart) pot. If there's any empty space in the basket, place a glass jar or small ovenproof ceramic bowl upside down in the center and arrange the tamales around it. Layer the husks along the sides of the basket and on top of the tamales, and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Fill the large pot with 3–5 cm of water.
   
   Note:
   You can place a coin in the bottom of the pan so you can hear it rolling when you need more water.
9. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, place the steamer basket inside the pot, and cover tightly with a lid. Steam the tamales for 1–2 hours, or until the dough begins to pull away from the husks. Let cool for 5–10 minutes. Then remove the tamales with tongs and place them on a baking sheet to cool.