Some people have ham. Others serve turkey. We tuck into tamales on Christmas! Which means, some time prior, we have a tamalada, or a tamale making party. Today was that day!

I started the meat filling on Thursday and got it done Friday evening. Think an 8 pound pork shoulder roast, defrosted and boiled with bay leaves, garlic, salt, and a sprinkling of chile flakes, until it falls apart. Fish it out of its broth into another pot. Strain the broth into a stock pot and cool (I put mine outside, where it sat at -10°F this morning). Make chile by soaking dried pods (NM is the best!) in hot water. While the chiles soften, sauté some onions and garlic in your favorite oil (I used the last of my chicken fat), until translucent but not browned. Transfer the chiles from the water bath into a blender with the onions and garlic and whir with enough of the pork broth to make a soft paste. Put the meat back into its boiling pan (I use a huge Dutch oven, which I washed while making the chile paste) and shred with two forks. Add the chile, oregano, comino, and salt to taste. Simmer lightly until the flavors have melded.

The next stage is where a work crew comes in handy. You soak corn husks in hot water until softened and drain. Mix about 8 cups of masa harina (corn flour) with six cups of yellow corn meal, a generous tablespoon of baking powder and another of salt, cut in 2 pounds of lard, and then pour in the heated pork broth until it makes a thick paste. Spread the masa on 2/3 of the corn husk.