Recipes using masa anyone???

[Carolyn]

I bought some masa flour the other day thinking I would use it in a breading recipe and eventually make some tamales. I would also like to make my own tortillas (corn and flour). (I have a broken ankle: too much cooking channel)

My first attempt was to use it in my version of tamale pie but in looking up recipes, they all called for cornmeal. I mixed some lard (small amt) and water with it and patted on bottom and sides of pan then pre cooked it 5 minutes before adding the filling of seasoned ground beef, corn, tomatoes, peppers and black beans. I was so looking forward to that dish but it was actually awful. The filling was fine but the crust was totally dry even on the bottom. Hope the chickens like it because they are getting a generous portion.

Can anyone help me out here? Pretty please!

 

[bigmike&nan]

Thanks an awful lot Carolyn, really. Now you got me jonesing to make tamales from scratch, which I haven't done in many years.
I am sorta joking around so forgive me.

When I make tamales I use the recipe for the masa on the side of the bag, you have the right flour. Probably what you didn't have was the right quantity of shortening (I prefer using LARD as that is what really gives it the authentic flavor you are looking for).
So to make a tamale pie use the same ratio of masa and shortening in the tamale recipe, you COULD try to reduce the amount of shortening/lard slightly by substituting a small amount of stock to keep things moist. But you really need the fat of the shortening to hold the masa together (think of it like making biscuits).


When I make tamales it ends up being like a half day job. Get my pork cooking, get my sauce prepared slow and easy (roast it in a non-reactive pan in the oven along with the pork) and then when all that is done it's time to assemble the tamales. I fill the sink with water and the corn husks and soak them, then start assembling them. I do up a batch of about 8, lay them in a zippered gallon food storage bag and pop it in the freezer. Then I repeat the process again and again until I have all of the filling used up. I lilke using some canned enchilada sauce jazzed up with chopped onion, a little taco seasoning, some raisins and pine nuts. I add that to the pulled pork and man they are quite good. Then anytime I want tamales I take out however many I want to cook off, steam them for 35 minutes and serve with homemade spanish rice and beans and a salad. Oh man, now I'm hungry thinking about it...



Give me a week or so and I'll not only do up a batch but write it up with photos. Been meaning to cook those and write up that recipe, with the Holidays coming there's nothing more festive than really good tamales. Oh Yeah !!
Yet in the meantime I found one video on YouTube that really was concise and looked good too. Check out Robin making tamales, she uses corn oil in her masa but she's got her stuff going on that is for sure...

Mike

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks, Mike. If you can freeze them first then steam what you need I can cook them in the steamer I have and not have to look around for a new one if I can't figure out what happened to mine. I have never made tamales but I remember a friend bringing me some his family made when I lived in Texas. They were so good but I am sure mine won't touch his aunt's she was Mexican and had been cooking many years.

I am sure it was the lack of lard because I nearly choked on the amount called for in the tamale recipes!! My cardiologist is not going to hear about this one (at least I hope he doesn't!!)

Do you ever make tortillos? Do you have any other ideas for using masa?

 

[Nava]

when I went on vacation I tryed this really good drink called Tejuino made with fermented masa * don't know how to make it * but they told me that much.
it was really good

 

[Oregon Blues]

I only use Masa for tamales. Tamale Pie gets made with cornmeal.

We do a tamale day and make 10-12 dozen at a time. They freeze beautifully.

I was given the advice to made the Masa with broth from the meat, which contains chili and spices. It makes a huge difference in the deliciousness of the tamales.

Tamale making is a 2 day event around here. The pork simmers all day and then gets cooled. It's shredded the next day and the tamales get made and steamed. 2 people working. My son spreads masa on corn husks and hands them to me and I stuff them, roll them, and place them into the steamer.

Don't forget to soak the corn husks in hot water before you start. I leave them in water for a couple of hours.

I planned to make tamales with fresh corn husks this year, but we had a crop failure. Maybe next year.

 

[Carolyn]

Thanks so much for the replies. Tamales it is.

Nava, don't know that I can legally make corn liquor around here but thanks anyway.