Authentic Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish. Tamales are cooked with masa harina flour, also known as cornmeal dough. This is the same flour that is used for cooking another Mexican fare such as corn tortillas. The tamales are generally cooked inside corn husks, which are then removed before eating the dish. In some Mexican regions, the tamales are cooked in other types of leaves instead of the corn husks.
Tamales can be made with various fillings. Common tamale fillings include pork and beef. However, other variations include chicken, beans, and cheese. The traditional tamale is usually made using meat-based products, such as beef broth and lard. However, you can easily alter the recipe to make it vegetarian-friendly by substituting in veggie-based ingredients such as vegetable stock and vegetable shortening.
Making tamales is rather labor intensive and requires a large investment of time; if you are going to be making tamales, plan on setting aside two days to complete the process. Certain ingredients need to be soaked overnight or cooked for many hours. Leftover tamales can easily be frozen and stored, therefore, if you are already going to the trouble to make this Mexican dish, consider making a larger batch and freezing the leftovers.
Tamale Dough Ingredients:
3 cups masa harina flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup vegetable shortening of lard
2 cups beef broth
Note: You can either buy store bought broth or save the broth from when you cook your meat.
Wrapper Ingredients:
36 Corn Husks, soaked overnight in water
Filling Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork loin (or other meat or filling of your choice)
1 large onion, chopped
1 whole head garlic
4 jalapenos
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper and chili powder to taste
Kitchenware Needed:
Large cooking pot or crock pot
Steamer
Large mixing bowl
Instructions:
Fill a large pot with water. Add your meat and the rest of the filling ingredients. Allow the meat to cook on low for at least five hours. You can also use a crock pot to cook the meat. Continue cooking the meat until it is tender and shreds easily. Once the meat has finished cooking it, pull it out of the water and set is aside to cool. Gently shred it apart using a fork.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the tamale dough ingredients together. Take one of the corn husks, and spread the dough mixture evenly around the corn husk, about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch thick. Add a couple of spoonfuls of filling. Spread the filling evenly, then wrap the dough around the filling, securing the filling inside. Continue to repeat this process. Place the tamales in a steamer to cook for about 40 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Optional Extra: Traditional Mexican Salsa
Ingredients Needed:
4 jalapeno peppers
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
2 cans whole tomatoes, drained
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Kitchenware Needed:
Blender
Skillet
Instructions:
Place the jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro in a blender and set to pulse. Finely chop one medium sized onion and a clove of garlic. Cook the onion and garlic in a skillet. When the onions just begin to cook, add in the tomato mix from the blender. Stir everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste and other-other spices you desire. Set the heat to low and let cook for approximately 15 minutes. If your salsa is too spicy, add a dash of lemon juice to make it slightly milder.
Tamales can stand alone as a dish by themselves, or they can be served alongside other traditional Mexican fare. Other possible side items to pair up with this dish include Pozole soup, or if you want to keep it simple, a basic Spanish rice refried or black beans. You may also considering serving your tamales with some type of dip or sauce; salsa, guacamole, red chili sauce and cilantro tomato sauces are all good choices.
Once you feel confident in your tamale making skills, start branching out and experimenting with other tamale based dishes, such as Mexican tamale pies or tamale casseroles.
Image: Everydaysouthwest
Tamales can be made with various fillings. Common tamale fillings include pork and beef. However, other variations include chicken, beans, and cheese. The traditional tamale is usually made using meat-based products, such as beef broth and lard. However, you can easily alter the recipe to make it vegetarian-friendly by substituting in veggie-based ingredients such as vegetable stock and vegetable shortening.
Making tamales is rather labor intensive and requires a large investment of time; if you are going to be making tamales, plan on setting aside two days to complete the process. Certain ingredients need to be soaked overnight or cooked for many hours. Leftover tamales can easily be frozen and stored, therefore, if you are already going to the trouble to make this Mexican dish, consider making a larger batch and freezing the leftovers.
Tamale Dough Ingredients:
3 cups masa harina flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup vegetable shortening of lard
2 cups beef broth
Note: You can either buy store bought broth or save the broth from when you cook your meat.
Wrapper Ingredients:
36 Corn Husks, soaked overnight in water
Filling Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds pork loin (or other meat or filling of your choice)
1 large onion, chopped
1 whole head garlic
4 jalapenos
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper and chili powder to taste
Kitchenware Needed:
Large cooking pot or crock pot
Steamer
Large mixing bowl
Instructions:
Fill a large pot with water. Add your meat and the rest of the filling ingredients. Allow the meat to cook on low for at least five hours. You can also use a crock pot to cook the meat. Continue cooking the meat until it is tender and shreds easily. Once the meat has finished cooking it, pull it out of the water and set is aside to cool. Gently shred it apart using a fork.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the tamale dough ingredients together. Take one of the corn husks, and spread the dough mixture evenly around the corn husk, about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch thick. Add a couple of spoonfuls of filling. Spread the filling evenly, then wrap the dough around the filling, securing the filling inside. Continue to repeat this process. Place the tamales in a steamer to cook for about 40 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Optional Extra: Traditional Mexican Salsa
Ingredients Needed:
4 jalapeno peppers
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
2 cans whole tomatoes, drained
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Kitchenware Needed:
Blender
Skillet
Instructions:
Place the jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro in a blender and set to pulse. Finely chop one medium sized onion and a clove of garlic. Cook the onion and garlic in a skillet. When the onions just begin to cook, add in the tomato mix from the blender. Stir everything together. Add salt and pepper to taste and other-other spices you desire. Set the heat to low and let cook for approximately 15 minutes. If your salsa is too spicy, add a dash of lemon juice to make it slightly milder.
Tamales can stand alone as a dish by themselves, or they can be served alongside other traditional Mexican fare. Other possible side items to pair up with this dish include Pozole soup, or if you want to keep it simple, a basic Spanish rice refried or black beans. You may also considering serving your tamales with some type of dip or sauce; salsa, guacamole, red chili sauce and cilantro tomato sauces are all good choices.
Once you feel confident in your tamale making skills, start branching out and experimenting with other tamale based dishes, such as Mexican tamale pies or tamale casseroles.
Image: Everydaysouthwest
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