Pulled Pork de chili rojo pupusas (tamale) pie

2BAMBAM4

I wanted to make tamale pie and didn't want a huge tray, so I went for the individual pies using the disposable pie tins. 

Using leftover pulled pork I first made a chili sauce using a variety of chilies, some smoked garlic,  onions and salt

Once I had the sauce ready I got to roasting the corn and peppers

After mixing the chopped pulled pork, corn,  onion,  seasonings and sauce I got to making the pies.

I sat back to wait... and taking the many hints I've read in other recipes have a beverage, relax and watch...

Please don't judge my culinary skills based solely on the depicted beverage it was the only style at the market that was of the same theme as the cook... and I didn't want to make a second stop... 

And the first bite


These really reminded me more of pupusas  than tamales, as the masa is much crisper and the cheese cooked into the base.  All the flavors popped, otherwise. 

SGH

Battleborn

Beverage aside, that meal looks amazing and creative. Great job! I may have to give that a go this week. 

dbCooper

You can call it a Pupusa, Tamale or whatever.  If I was at the table I'd ask for two tins.  Looks great.

2BAMBAM4

@Battleborn

Thanks and just know if you do take the challenge....  It's going to be a long day... this was a two day cook all said and done.   I used up my pulled pork from one cook and decided I also wanted chicken chili verde. So I did both and the extra in the freezer for a stormy  night.  Here's the recipe I made with added notes for the chicken.   Enjoy!

Meat:
Pulled pork, rough chop or leave shredded
(Also good for brisket)
[Chicken dry rub: whole coriander seeds,  oregano,  thyme,  granulated garlic,  granulated onion,  kosher salt, using mortar and pestle grind together rub onto chicken. Cook indirect until 165°internal temp]*

Filling to add to meat:
Fire roasted corn,  remove kernels from cob
1/2 White onion,  fine dice
1 can Olives, rough chop
Sauce to moisten meat (recipe below)*
Cheese (enough to layer each pie tin)
Fire roasted hatch chillies (optional)
Add into meat

Masa:
Follow package instructions.   Use a little extra baking powder for less dense masa. I also use the aluminum free baking powder. I used the 4 cup recipe.   Made 11  five inch pies.  (Need to steam to keep masa moist)

Pie Tins:
I used the 5 inch disposable pie tins.
Manteca (pork lard for greasing tins)

Building and Baking the pie:
Mix in the meat,  sauce and extras to form a wet mixture.   Make it as wet or dry as you like.

Lightly coat tins with lard.   Then line the bottom and sides of the tin with the masa leaving space for your meat and cheese filling.  Layer in meat filling then chunks of cheese on top,  extra sauce if you want.  Cover the tin with another layer of masa.

Get the egg to 400° dome temp indirect cooking set-up.   Arrange tins over plate setter cook 15 min rotate tins, cook an additional 15 min for a total of 30min.

Sauce:
10 (77 grams) California chilies dried
5 (80 grams) ancho-pasillas dried
10 (63 gram) new Mexico chilies dried
2 TBSP chicken stock concentrate
2 TBSP vegetable stock concentrate
6 cups water
[Bring water to boil then Simmer peppers in water until softened, 10-15 minutes, transfer peppers to a blender with 500ML liquid to puree, (reserve remaining liquid)  add stock concentrate to blender]
10 (100 gram) smoked garlic cloves w/evoo
2 medium white onions chopped
2 tsp (10 gram) salt
4 TBSP (60 gram) Pork Manteca, divided
[Sautee onions and garlic with 2 TBSP manteca, transfer to blender with salt and puree with peppers]


Using remaining manteca, in heavy high sided dutch oven, bring to a shimmer (moderate high heat) slowly add in puree.  Cook for 15 to 25 minutes to reduce and deepen color and thicken.  This makes a huge batch of sauce, enough for left lovers or as a sauce to pour over finished tamales or in this case tamale pie


*[chicken verde hatch chili tamale pie:  I cheated and used canned green enchilada sauce rather than the red sauce  Also,  added mild roasted hatch chili to meat otherwise done as above]


**cook's note use cubes of cheese and place on top of meat mixture otherwise it melted into the bottom of the pie and became crisp)  

Corv

Thanks for the photos and detailed recipes and notes. It looks like a great meal and now something we can do ourselves, if we're ambitious enough. You did good!

RyanStl

I've never seen a dish like this. Looks so good.

caliking

Greatgooglymoogly! So much awesome right there. 

Thanks for the detailed recipe. Bookmarked!

2BAMBAM4

In the back ground you can see the chicken and pulled pork pies..  topped with their respective verde and rojo sauces.  The fish tacos... that's another story...

JethroVA

Wow, that's amazing. Thanks for posting.

CPARKTX2

Wow, awesome cook! Booked marked this one!