I made this recipe and it was my first time making tamales - EVER. I did it by myself and they came out totally awesome!! I want to thank everyone for adding their tips as they helped so much. I doubled the recipe and it made 25 good-sized tamales and they went quickly. The best suggestions were about 1)adding oregano and cumin to the broth that the meat cooked in 2)adding cumin to the masa dough 3) adding the red sauce to the masa dough 4) adding more salt to the meat, sauce, and dough 5) whipping the lard 5 minutes until light and fluffy before adding broth and masa mixture 6) using only room temp or cold ingredients so the lard does not melt. I also added a small can of chipotle peppers to the red sauce when I blended it. The sauce tasted strong but after steaming, the tamales mellowed and boy were they good! That strong chipotle taste cooks out. My suggestion for anyone wanting to make these is to research all tips first, and double or triple the recipe. Thank you!! I will be making these for years to come!!

Reviewed On: Dec. 22, 2008