Tamales...I finally did it!

[galanie]

Grats! I make them too, and I know they are a big mess and a real production to do. I am impressed!!!! They look wonderful!

 

[donrae]

So how long are you talking to make a batch? My honey's asked me to make some, I'm a pretty experienced kitchen person but never made tamales or even seen them made. What am I getting myself into here?

 

[galanie]

Well, you make the filling which can be just taco meat, then mix up the masa. In the meantime, soak corn shucks or husks in a container of water for a while to make them pliable. The tricky part is "buttering" the husks. Once you get that down to an art, it goes pretty fast. Roll them up and pile in a steamer. Steam at least 45 min though I steam mine twice that long. It is a messy process and I get tired of making them fast lol. I guess a few hours for a batch.

 

[ArmFarm]

They look good! I have never attempted them and pretty sure I have never eaten an authenic one, just from a chain restaurant.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I make the meat (pork roast with spices) the day before in the crockpot so I have it pre-shredded and ready to go the next day, the masa comes together quickly especially if you have a stand mixer, soak your corn husks and your ready to go. I use my vegetable steamer (the kind that unfold like a flower) in the base of a pot to hold the tamales out of the water for steaming there are special pots available but not worth the investment if they are not something you are making all the time IMHO.
I usually make 3 or so dozen at a time, and take them out of the freezer whenever we are making a meal or a snack out of them!
If you cook from scratch on a regular basis you will find them pretty straight forward, especially after you have done it once or twice.

There are many good tutorials on the internet to get you started as well! Mmmm, I might need to get a batch made soon after this thread

 

[galanie]

I got the tamale steaming pot for two reasons: One, it was cheap. Two, it's great for steaming everything. And three (yeah I said two): It's huge! I can use that thing for other stuff!

 

[arabianequine]

This should really help anyone wanting to try and make tamales. http://www.sonofthesouth.net/tamales/Tamale_Recipe.htm

The first time I made them I just used the biggest pot I had and a veggie steamer basket too for them to sit on so they stay out of the water. Make sure you dont let it run out of water when cooking but not so full it gets them wet.

I also make my meat the night before.

I will try and find the link for Terri's tamales and that is the recipe I used the first time. I liked them better then my main chicken ones this time. I think I might of used beef last time.

I will def. be making more cheese and pepper tamales and tamales with just taco meat. They seemed to have good flavor to me. I may do some pork too next time.

I did my a 16 qt tamale pot with a steamer basket thingy in it this time at Walmart for $20.

I have heard of people making pineapple or date tamales too....off to look up recipes for that.

 

[arabianequine]

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sugar-and-spice-fruit-tamales-10000001851518/

Oh my the apple and chocolate tamales I have to try soon!

http://www.yummly.com/recipes/sweet-fruit-tamales

http://www.heb.com/recipecat/Pineapple-and-Raisin-Sweet-Tamales/1500160/500009

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/all-american-festivals/strawberry-tamales-recipe/index.html

 

[flgardengirl]

I have been making tamales for years. They are a lot of work!!! Our family always eats a bunch for about a week after I make them so I always make a ton and do it every fall and that way I have a whole bunch of extras to stick in the freezer. I make mine with pork or beef. The hispanic woman ( my best friend's mom) that I learned to make them from growing up, always cooked two huge turkeys at Thanksgiving and made her tamales from turkey. They are good that way too. When I lived in Louisiana, I knew someone who made them from crawfish and shrimp.
They make good quick dinners or lunches when you don't feel like cooking anything.