Family traditions – the thing that always makes me wish I was home for the holidays. It is also the thing that I can always be sure will be there. It is the tie to my family, my future family, and my culture. Get your pens/pencils, Command+C, Control+C fingers out for our family recipe for tamales.
The one thing I look forward to most during the holidays is the sheer amount of food that my mother spends oodles of time making from scratch. Bunuelos, pozole, tamales, cookies and cakes, make being on a diet when at home extremely hard.
This year my mom invited my sister and I along for the crazy ride known as making tamales. If you live near the border, you know what they are. Delicious cornmeal with pork and chile wrapped in a cornhusk – a little slice of heaven. The moment that I announced I was in the kitchen with my family we received a barrage of texts, Facebook messages, and emails asking to save them a dozen… or in some cases, 3.
Let me tell you a little about what goes into making these babies. When you don’t have a small army of quick and nimble abuelitas (grandmas) and the right tools, tamales take forever. They have it down to a fine art. $5 for a dozen? In the future I’ll be buying them – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to understand how to make them.
Ours were different. Sure, they were made with love and all that BS – but most of all, my sister and I got to be a bit absurd with the amount of meat and yumminess we put in them. All those $5 dozens don’t compare. We were putting 3 tamales into 1 (and in the end calculated our time and effort at something like $15 a dozen).
9 hours after my mom finished cooking, shredding, and chile-ing the meat, we picked up the assembly line portion. 165 tamales and 5 hours later we put in the last batch to be steamed and ravenously tore open a couple… for, umm… you know – quality control.
But without further ado, I bring you my family recipe for tamales. It has been tried and tested over the past 20 years into perfection.
Oh, and if you’re squeamish about lard you may want to stop eating them.
Enjoy!
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Tamales
Do day before: Boil with lots of water, some salt (guesstimate about a tablespoon), and 3 cloves of chopped garlic – a large pork roast with bone Cook until it is falling apart. This can be done in a large slow cooker or a large pot with cover. When done, take meat out and de-bone it. Shred meat and a little of the fat. Store in covered dish and save the broth. Only discard the bone and the big chunks of fat.
Day of making the tamales:
First make chile:
- 8 chiles Anchos
- 8 chiles Guajilos
Cut off stem and take out seeds/veins. Boil the chiles until they are soft. Blend in blender with some pork/chicken broth, cumin, salt and garlic (to taste). If chile comes out too hot you can mix in a can of tomato sauce to tame the flavor. 16 chiles make a lot so you may have to do half at a time. Consistency should be pretty thick not too watery.
Second mix the meat with the chile and simmer until it is ready for tamales. You may have left over chile. Make sure that the shredded meat is saturated with the chile otherwise they will come out dry. Mix now and then so it won’t stick to pot. Keep covered. When done, set aside.
Third prepare the corn husks. Wash and spread out in sink in plenty of water.
Fourth prepare the masa. 5 pounds (*masa is the “dough” and you can find it at your local Mexican food grocer.*)
Mix masa with:
- 2 tablespoons of baking powder
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1 3/4 tablespoons of salt (more if needed) Taste
After mixing thoroughly, knead in 2-3 cups of lard or Crisco shortening. Add broth from the pork roast and knead until the consistency is right for spreading on the corn husks.
Last get a large group of family or friends to help spread masa on husks and then put the meat/chile in the middle, wrap and fold.
Use a pot made for tamale cooking or rig a regular large pan so that water can be poured at bottom to steam the tamales. Arrange tamales so that steam can go between them. Large pot of tamales takes about 1 hour to cook. Check the tamales after 40 minutes or so to see if they are done. It depends on how many tamales you are cooking at a time. When done – serve them hot.
Say, “Que ricos!”
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Published by Erica
Your resident adventure geek, and travel photographer extraordinaire, Erica likes to keep life interesting. A few of her favorite things to do include Burning Man, Diving, Downhill Mountain Biking, and laying by the beach with a good beer.View all posts by Erica
FAQs
Eating tamales during Christmas time is a deep-rooted tradition for many Mexican families, and that tradition has become a part of the culture in other areas of the world as well. In Illinois, eating tamales during the Christmas season is part of the local culture as well, including the Chicagoland area.
What is the secret to good tamales? ›
Don't neglect the lard
The secret to getting a soft, plush filling that pulls away from the sides of the corn husk as it cooks is always using a fat. Traditionally, these tamales are made with pork lard or vegetable shortening, but some modern recipes have also substituted canola or vegetable oil.
How to get moist tamales? ›
If using a steamer, lay a few soaked corn husks or a wet towel over the top of the tamales before closing the lid. Steamer: Bring water to a boil and once boiling, reduce to a simmer and steam for 1 to 2 hours (or even longer, depending on how many you're making).
How are tamales traditionally served? ›
Traditional tamales are typically served in the corn husk, which is peeled back to reveal the tamale inside. On the other hand, modern tamales may be served in a variety of ways, such as unwrapped, cut into bite-size pieces, or even turned into a tamale pie.
What's the traditional way to eat tamales? ›
Simply peel back one end of the wrapper (typically a corn husk or plantain leaf) and start munching. Once you're done, toss the wrapper in the trash and continue going about your day. Tamales were originally meant to be eaten as a handheld food, the way you might nibble a sandwich or bagel wrapped in deli paper.
Do you eat the husk on a tamale? ›
The first rule of thumb when eating tamales is don't consume the wrapper - corn husks aren't meant to be eaten and can result in an upset stomach and may pose a choking risk for younger children.
What are authentic tamales made of? ›
Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made using a nixtamalized corn dough called “masa.” The masa is spread onto a corn husk or banana leaf and then filled with a variety of sweet or savory ingredients, including meats, cheeses, peppers, fruits, or other ingredients.
How many hours does it take to make tamales? ›
All in all, these tamales take about 3 hours and 30 minutes to make: Reserve about 30 minutes for prep, two hours for cooking the pork, and one hour for steaming.
What is the best fat to use for tamales? ›
Lard makes tastier and fluffier tamales than other fats do. You can replace the lard with solid fats, like duck fat or shortening, to obtain a similar texture; butter and liquid oils work but will make a denser masa.
What's the best thing to eat with tamales? ›
You can serve tamales with a variety of sides such as fried plantains, potatoes with rajas, Mexican rice and black beans. “When planning a tamalada, or tamal party, you can accompany your tamales with bowls of red and green salsa, crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, fresh lime and pickled red onion,” Sibley says.
Although this is the day when Mexicans eat the most tamales, the truth is that tamales in Mexico are eaten all throughout the year; tamales vendors come to your door every day offering these culinary delights with a very particular sound. Did you know it?
What sauce do you eat with tamales? ›
Adobo Tamale Sauce
Adobo sauce has its roots firmly in Mexican cuisine, where it has been in kitchens for generations. This versatile sauce holds up well in many textures, including thick spreads and thinned sauces for topping tamales. Start with about a dozen dried Ancho chiles and half as many dried Guajillos.
What is the culture behind tamales? ›
Tamales derive their name from the word tamalii, an Aztec word meaning “wrapped food” and have satisfied appetites as far back as 5,000 BC. Although they can be made year-round, for many families they have become linked with the holiday season and are an annual tradition.
What do tamales symbolize? ›
Tamales continue to be prepared and consumed as a part of daily life, but they are also commonly associated with times of celebration and with themes of tradition, unity, family, kinship, and community.
What is the superstition about tamales? ›
More Mexican Food Superstitions:
When it comes to making Tamales, it is highly recommended not to cook them while you are angry. If this happens, they won't fluff upright. This is real!
Why are tamales so important to Hispanic culture? ›
This dough is spread on a corn husk or leaf, filled with tasty things like meat or veggies, and then folded up. The tamal is cooked by steaming until it's firm and ready to eat. Tamales are something basic in Mexican culture since they are a testament to how important family and friends are for every Mexican.
