• Shred the cooked meat and mix in the Salsa Verde.
• While making the dough, soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. Next, in a large bowl, using a whisk or tablespoon, mix the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until it is fully combined and kind of fluffy. Set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk together the masa harina, baking powder and salt to combine. Stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as needed to form a soft dough. Pro Tip. The dough should have a spreadable consistency, sort of like peanut butter or Nutella. Keep the masa harina mixture from drying out while filling and assembling the corn husks by covering the bowl with a damp towel.
• Filling and assembling the tamales. Begin by removing the corn husk from the water and lay it glossy side up on a counter with the wide end near the top. Next add 1/4 cup of the dough to the husk, in the center top half of the husk. Pro Tip. Use a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap over the dough to help spread it into a thin layer approximately 1/4 inch thick.
• Next top this with one tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the dough mixture. Don’t overfill though.
• Wrap the corn husk around the tamale mixture by folding the sides of the husk toward the center and folding the bottom of the husk up. This will keep the filling mixture from coming out the bottom while cooking.

Cooking Options.

Cooking Tamales in the Oven.

• Arrange a steam rack or steam basket inside a Dutch oven or a deep casserole dish with a lid. Add the tamales with the open end facing up. Add water to just below the rack or basket. Set the oven temperature at its lowest setting. Bake for 60 minutes. Pro Tip. Make sure to check the water level after 30 minutes and add to it if needed with warm water. Being careful not to pour any in the tamales. After 60 minutes, check for doneness. Continue baking if needed.

Cook on the Stove Top or a Steamer.

• Add a few cups of water to the bottom of a large pot with a steamer basket. The water can come just below the steamer basket. Lay a few corn husks on the bottom of the rack to keep them from falling through the grates or touching the boiling water. You need them to be in the steam not in the water.
• Place the tamales upright with the open end on the top. To keep the filling moist, you can lay a few corn husks over the top of the steamer rack before closing the lid.
• Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a medium heat so it will simmer and allow to steam for 1 hour. Check for doneness after 1 hour and continue cooking and checking every 15 minutes if not done. Pro Tip. You should check the water every 20-30 minutes and add as needed. You don’t want to run out of water or steam. As you add the water, take care not to spill the water inside the tamales.

Cooking Tamales in an Instant Pot.

• Add the tamales to the instant pot with the open end facing up. Cover and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Allow the pressure to release for 10 minutes, then release the lid and check for doneness.

How to Tell if Tamales are Done?

• The easiest way is to just remove one and pull the husk away from the filling. If it pulls away cleanly from the tamale, they are done. If the dough sticks to the husk, they are not done yet. Try cooking 5 to 10 minutes longer and test again.