One morning last week I went to Neighbor to Neighbor to help make tamales—assembly line style. Sister Loretta reported later that we had made 19 dozen in all! Once they were all steamed, she vacuum sealed them; they will be sold at upcoming fundraisers.
Although I’ve watched others make tamales, studied several recipes and had lots of good intentions, this was the first time I actually had a hands-on tamale experience.
Decided that I better capitalize on this experience so stopped at Zey’s on the way home and purchased all the necessary ingredients.
I made a half batch (included the recipe for the full batch) and ended up with about 2 ½ dozen; it took me as long to make them as it took a whole crew to assemble the 19 dozen at Neighbor to Neighbor. It is definitely a group project!
My technique was not the best (a few had leakage issues and the filling on some were not totally encased in masa) but overall I was please with the results and thought I better commit this to our blog for later reference.
We made bean tamales at Neighbor to Neighbor so that’s what I made at home but did add some of the ham hock meat and also fresh corn to some as well.
Bean Filled Tamales Makes about 5 dozen
Bean Filling
2 lbs. dry pinto beans
Several jalapeno peppers, seeds and stems removed
2 bay leaves
1 ham hock (that’s what I used, but Katie who made the beans for N to N, added 1 lb. of uncooked bacon instead; she said it cooked completely by the time the bean were soft)
Seasonings of your choice such as salt and pepper, chili powder, cumin, onion &/or garlic powder
- Follow package directions for cooking beans.
- Drain off most of the liquid (and reserve) and remove bay leaves; I also removed the ham hock; Katie left the bacon in with the beans however.
- Use a mixer or an immersion blender and blend beans until smooth. If bean mixture is too stiff, stir in some of the cooking liquid.
Masa Dough
2 cups lard (1-lb. box)
6 cups masa harina
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons powdered cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
5 cups chicken broth
- In a large bowl beat lard until creamy and fluffy.
- Add masa harina, salt, baking powder and seasonings and mix to blend.
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| Sister Loretta mixes up masa @ Neighbor to Neighbor |
- Add broth and blend. Allow mixture to sit for 20 minutes to soften, then beat until a soft dough forms. (We actually used the masa mixture right away at N to N.) This can be covered and stored in the refrigerator even overnight. It can also be frozen and thawed for use later.
Preparing the Corn Husks
Corn husks
- Place husks in a large bowl and cover them with hot water. Set a heavy item (like a heavy bowl) on top of the husks to keep them submerged. Allow husks to soak for an hour or until they have rehydrated and become pliable.
- Use only the larger and medium-sized husks to wrap the tamales; tear the smaller ones into strips for tying tamales.
- Remove the husks from the water and pat dry as tamales are assembled.
Assemble Tamales
- Lay a husk on a flat surface.
- Use the back of a metal spoon to spread the dough evenly down the center of husk (1/4-inch thick) leaving an empty space at the top and bottom of the husk and along both sides.
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| Donna sperdo masa down the center of the husk, leaving space at both ends and the sides. |
- Place filling down the center of the masa, leaving a margin of masa all the way around. Fold the narrow end of husk up over the masa and filling.
- Fold one long side over to the other; begin tucking and rolling.
- Fold the broad end over down over the tamale and secure with a tie.
Cooking the Tamales
- Set a rack inside a steamer; add water just to the top of the rack. Then, set extra corn husks on top of rack.
- Set tamales upright in the steamer.
- Bring water to a boil, lower temperature, add lid and steam for about 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Let tamales cool, still in the steamer, for at least an hour before serving; they will firm up during this time. Tamales may also be frozen or refrigerated and reheated later.
Recipe without photos . . .
Bean Filled Tamales Makes about 5 dozen
Bean Filling
2 lbs. dry pinto beans
Several jalapeno peppers, seeds and stems removed
2 bay leaves
1 ham hock (that’s what I used, but Katie who made the beans for N to N, added 1 lb. of uncooked bacon instead; she said it cooked completely by the time the bean were soft)
Seasonings of your choice such as salt and pepper, chili powder, cumin, onion &/or garlic powder
- Follow package directions for cooking beans.
- Drain off most of the liquid (and reserve) and remove bay leaves; I also removed the ham hock; Katie left the bacon in with the beans however.
- Use a mixer or an immersion blender and blend beans until smooth. If bean mixture is too stiff, stir in some of the cooking liquid.
Masa Dough
2 cups lard (1-lb. box)
6 cups masa harina
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons powdered cumin
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
5 cups chicken broth
- In a large bowl beat lard until creamy and fluffy.
- Add masa harina, salt, baking powder and seasonings and mix to blend.
- Add broth and blend. Allow mixture to sit for 20 minutes to soften, then beat until a soft dough forms. (We actually used the masa mixture right away at N to N.) This can be covered and stored in the refrigerator even overnight. It can also be frozen and thawed for use later.
Preparing the Corn Husks
Corn husks
- Place husks in a large bowl and cover them with hot water. Set a heavy item (like a heavy bowl) on top of the husks to keep them submerged. Allow husks to soak for an hour or until they have rehydrated and become pliable.
- Use only the larger and medium-sized husks to wrap the tamales; tear the smaller ones into strips for tying tamales.
- Remove the husks from the water and pat dry as tamales are assembled.
Assemble Tamales
- Lay a husk on a flat surface.
- Use the back of a metal spoon to spread the dough evenly down the center of husk (1/4-inch thick) leaving an empty space at the top and bottom of the husk and along both sides.
- Place filling down the center of the masa, leaving a margin of masa all the way around. Fold the narrow end of husk up over the masa and filling.
- Fold one long side over to the other; begin tucking and rolling.
- Fold the broad end over down the tamale and secure with a tie.
Cooking the Tamales
- Set a rack inside a steamer; add water just to the top of the rack. Then, set extra corn husks on top of rack.
- Set tamales upright in the steamer.
- Bring water to a boil, lower temperature, add lid and steam for about 1 hour 45 minutes.
- Let tamales cool, still in the steamer, for at least an hour before serving; they will firm up during this time. Tamales may also be frozen or refrigerated and reheated later.
