1. Combine pork, beef, onion, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, and bay leaf in a Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover by 2 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until meat is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place chilies to a baking sheet and toast in oven 5 minutes. Boil a large saucepan of water. Remove from heat, add chilies, cover, and soak until tender, about 45 minutes.

3. Transfer chilies and 1 cup soaking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Stir 1 tablespoon chile pulp into strained sauce and set aside.

4. Transfer cooked meat and garlic cloves to a bowl and shred; reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Clean Dutch oven. Melt 1 tablespoon lard in now-empty Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in reserved chili sauce, reserved cooking liquid, shredded meat, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon oregano and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Submerge cornhusks in hot water and soak until pliable, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, to make dough, combine corn flour, 2 1/3 cups water, remaining 1 1/3 cups lard, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Knead with hands until mixture is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes. Let dough rest 30 minutes.

6. Drain, rinse, and pat husks dry. Working one at a time, lay a husk flat on counter with long side parallel to you. Spread 2 tablespoons dough into a 4x6 inch rectangle on husk (short edge of rectangle should sit 1/2 inch from the husk's widest end, while long edge should be flush against the husk's long side). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of meat mixture along center of dough, then roll into a tube. Tuck narrow end of husk over tamale and transfer seam-side-down to a baking sheet. Continue with remaining husks, dough, and filling. You can freeze wrapped tamales for up to 3 months.

7. Set a steamer basket in a large pot and fill with enough water to reach bottom of basket. Stand tamales upright in basket, folded-side-down. Bring water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let tamales sit, covered, 20 more minutes before partially unwrapping husks and serving.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, November - December 2017