Instructions: To prepare the filling: Boil the pork shoulder in a large stock pot with the onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt. When it is well cooked (about 1 hr of cooking time), remove the meat from the broth. Reserve the broth for later use.

Remove meat for the bones. Discard the bones. With meat grinder, grind the cooked pork. (If you dont have a meat grinder, mince the meat as finely as possible with a knife, or grind in a food processor.)

To prepare the meat filling seasoning: Boil the chilies together until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the stems, and chilies to the container of a blender. Add in the 1/2 c pork broth and garlic, and puree well

(add more broth if necessary to facilitate blending.) Strain puree through a wire strainer to extract any seeds. In a spice grinder (mortar & pestle) (or coffee grinder), grind pepper, garlic, and cumin with some salt. Make sure the mixture is finely ground. Set aside. In a skillet, heat 1/2 lb lard. When melted, add the ground spice mixture, and saute for 20 seconds. Add in chili puree, and saute for 2 minutes. Add in ground pork, combining well. Adjust the seasonings. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Set aside.

To prepare the Masa: Pour the contents of the package of masa into a very large bowl ( like a metal turkey roaster pan.) Add in the baking powder and salt. Knead the lard in with your hands. Add in the broth one cup at a time. You may need a bit more or less broth. The masa is ready when the dough no longer sticks to your hands, and is smooth and delicate to the touch. To assemble the tamales: Dry off some of the corn shucks, and place a few within reach. To make a proper tamale, the corn shuck bottom edge should be round 6-7 inches wide.

Discard those that are too narrow, and tear bits of the ones that are too wide.

Take a corn shuck and spared the bottom 2/3 of the leaf with 3-4 Tbsp. of masa.

Leave a 1 1/2" wide area along one edge free of masa. Spread the masa thinly. Place line of about 2 Tbsp of the filling, following the direction of the corn shuck veins, on the spread masa, towards the center of the prepared shuck.

Fold the edge of the prepared shuck over the filling, then roll up towards the edge of the shuck with no masa. Fold down the top flap. Continue until all the tamales have been formed. Place tamales in a large steamer basket. boil water in the
bottom of the steamer. As a top layer cover the tamales with extra shucks, then with a sheet of plastic wrap. Secure the lid of the steamer, using foil around the edges of the lid to prevent the escape of steam. Place the steamer over the boiling water. Steam the tamales for about 50 minutes, until the masa is firm.

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