Have you watched season 3 final episode of 13 Reasons Why? Tony’s boyfriend is sitting at the table making tamales for Thanksgiving. I thought “Good Golly I want to make Tamales for Thanksgiving too!” But I’ve never made them before. And I want them to be Keto Friendly and make them in my Instant Pot. Am I asking too much? Apparently not.
Makes 8-12 tamales Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients:
8-12 dried corn husks, plus 2 more for tying
2.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder steaks
2 1/2 cups water, divided
1 large onion, chopped into large chunks
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups fine almond flour
1/2 cup ground flax meal
1 cup bacon fat
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
In a large heat-safe container, add corn husks and pour hot water over the top until they are completely covered. Weigh them down with a bowl or plate to keep them submerged. Soak for 30 minutes.
In your Instant Pot, add 2 cups of the water and all spices (use only 1 teaspoon of salt). Stir to combine, then add pork. Lock the lid in place, set the valve to sealing, and set your pot to pressure cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally (about 15 more minutes).
Boil remaining water. While water reaches a boil, add bacon fat to a mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over the top to soften and melt the fat, stirring so it melts completely. Add almond flour, flax, and remaining salt to the mix and stir well until a paste forms. Set aside.
Remove meat from the Instant Pot and shred, discarding any large portions of fat, onion, and garlic. In a skillet on medium heat, dry fry the meat to eliminate excess moisture. Set aside. Remove corn husks and dry them just enough so that they are not dripping wet. Tear two of the corn husks into long, thin strips for tying tamales together.
Lay out a corn husk with the widest end facing you (see photo in the post above). Starting a few inches down from the narrow end, spread a thin layer of masa downward and create a rectangle shape. Be gentle and work slowly so you get a smooth, even layer. Leave about an inch of room from the edge closest to you. Add a small amount of shredded pork down the center of your rectangle. Top with a small amount of shredded cheese. Avoid overstuffing! Fold the left and right sides of the corn husk up like a taco and ensure that the meat and cheese are fully surrounded. Wrap the edges of the cornhusk around the tamale. Then, fold up the “tail” where you left extra space. Tie the folded tamale with one of the corn husk strips so it stays bundled together. Repeat steps 6-11 until all keto tamales are assembled.
Drain liquid from the Instant Pot and wipe clean. Add a trivet and enough water to reach just below the bottom of the trivet. Add a steam rack on top of the trivet, then place tamales open end-up in the pot. Lock the lid in place, set the valve to sealing, and set the pot to cook with the “steam” button. Steam keto tamales for 40 minutes. Remove and serve warm, or allow to cool fully and store in your
refrigerator or freezer. Yum Yum!
calories 469 fat (grams) 39 sat. fat (grams) 11 carbs (grams) 6 net carbs 2.5 protein (grams) 25 Fiber (in grams) 3.5
