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Mexican

Socuco

Socuco is a substantial, old-fashioned tamale from Emiliano Zapata, Tabasco, built on two kinds of masa — smooth tortilla dough and the coarse corn debris left after straining — giving it an open, slightly grainy crumb that absorbs the achiote-stained lard beautifully. Chicharrón folded into the dough softens during the long steam, leaving fatty, tender pork pockets throughout. Wrapped in banana leaves and steamed upright for ninety minutes, the finished tamale is sliced and then griddled on a comal until the cut faces colour and crisp. The result sits somewhere between a dense cornbread and a proper tamale, smoky from the leaf, fiery from habanero or pico de paloma chile, and unmistakably Tabascan.

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Serves6–8 as a substantial dish
Sourced1 of 8 in BC
Cook
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I

The Market List

The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.

2 cups (500 ml)
masa for tortillas
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1¼ cups (313 ml)
corn debris (coarse solids from strained masa)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1½ cups (375 ml)
light chicken broth, warm
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2
habanero, pico de paloma, or other hot fresh chiles (or to taste)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 tsp
pure ground achiote seed OR 1 tbsp prepared achiote paste
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½ cup (125 ml)
dark rendered lard, melted
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Salt to taste
Your own market
4 oz (115 g)
chicharrón, roughly crumbled
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2 large
banana leaf pieces, approx. 50 x 40 cm (20 x 16 inches), softened over an open flame
Not yet stocked in British Columbia

Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.

II

The Method

1
In a blender, combine the chiles and achiote with the warm chicken broth. Blend until smooth.
From the canon — Achiote is the dried seed of Bixa orellana, a small tropical tree of Central and South American origin, pressed or ground into the vivid brick-red paste and … Achiote →
2
In a large bowl, combine the tortilla masa and corn debris. Work the melted dark lard through the combined masas with your hands until evenly incorporated.
From the canon — The corn tortilla is the foundational food of Mexican cuisine — a thin, round disc of nixtamalized masa cooked on an ungreased comal (flat griddle) until it … Tortilla — hand press, comal, and the puff →
3
Pour the blended broth mixture into the masa and mix thoroughly. Season with salt — go cautiously if using prepared achiote paste, which carries its own salt. The dough should be cohesive and slightly tacky.
4
Fold in the crumbled chicharrón, distributing it evenly without overworking.
5
Lay the two banana leaf pieces on a work surface, overlapping to form a double layer. Spread the dough in an even mass across the centre. Fold the leaves over to enclose the tamale completely. Tie firmly with strips of banana leaf or kitchen twine.
6
Set a shallow rack inside a large, deep pot. Add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the tamale when placed on the rack. Lower the tamale onto the rack, cover the pot tightly, and steam over a steady medium heat for 1½ hours. Check the water level at 45 minutes; replenish with boiling water as needed.
7
Remove from the pot and allow to rest 5 minutes. Unwrap and cut into slices approximately 2 cm (¾ inch) thick.
8
Griddle the slices on a hot, dry comal or cast-iron pan at medium-high heat until the cut faces are coloured and lightly crisped, about 2–3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.
III

What to Pour

Pouring for British Columbia · ·

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Sourced through Provenance

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SuperValu Gibsons
Gibsons, B.C. V0N 1V7 · pure ground achiote seed OR 1 tbsp prepared achiote paste
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