Tamale making...

[inkjunkie]

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• inkjunkie
• Feb 22, 2015

Lay out a corn husk. This is much easier using the larger ones.

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• inkjunkie
• Feb 22, 2015

Spread a thin layer of Masa out. We use just enough to coat the husk. If you want a thicker doughy Tamale just use more. Only spread the Masa about 2/3rds of the way down the husk, starting from the wide end. This is done because the bottom of the husk gets folded over later on.
If you only have smaller husks fear not. Just "glue" them together. Lay out one small husk and coat it with Masa as described above. Place the second husk on top with about a half inch or so overlap. Now just coat the second small husk.

 

[foamheart]

So is your ass dragging today after making all those tamales last night? Just don't let the bride know, or you'll hear about it all day.  <Chuckles>

I have seen little old ladies in West texas race the younger up-starts using a mudknife just blow the kids away. LOL Me I like those thick masa tamales, I probably but to much flavor in my masa.

When I read about your masa tamales, I though about the Blue's Brother's "Wish Sandwich". Usually I run out of masa not meat. Course I don;t 100's or 1000's at a time.

 

[inkjunkie]

So is your ass dragging today after making all those tamales last night? Just don't let the bride know, or you'll hear about it all day. 

I have seen little old ladies in West texas race the younger up-starts using a mudknife just blow the kids away. LOL Me I like those thick masa tamales, I probably but to much flavor in my masa.

When I read about your masa tamales, I though about the Blue's Brother's "Wish Sandwich". Usually I run out of masa not meat. Course I don;t 100's or 1000's at a time.

We are both kinda worn out. Seems like the past 5 days or so we have been going non-stop.
Ernestina likes Tamales with just Masa. Never understood them, have to go thru all that work unwrapping the damn thing and not getting any meat is like dumping a box of cereal out only to find no toy....

 

[themule69]

A casual observation from the half a dozen times I have helped make Tamales.
NEVER EVER NEVER NEVER EVER EVER EVER (did I mention NEVER) open a blender and stick your face over it while it is grinding chiles just removed from boiling water...the pain that follows will not soon be forgotten.

The tamales look great but only a team player would stick their head over a blender full of freshly ground peppers so they could tell us not to

.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[gary s]

Nice Tamales    Sending out samples ???

Gary

 

[inkjunkie]

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• inkjunkie
• Feb 22, 2015

Next up is the meat. How much...how big is your husk and how thick do you want the Tamale? Place the meat on an outside edge, makes rolling them easier.
Ernestina taught a former co-worker how to make Tamales. Randy had went Elk hunting And bought us some Elk meat to use. When just used by itself the Tamales were very dry and somewhat stringy. Had to be at least a 50-50 mix with beef.

Keep in mind that these things are cooked by steaming So you don't want the meat to be very juicy otherwise the Tamales will be soggy when cooked...the Masa will never firm up all the way.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

NICE ,

 

[GaryHibbert]

Oh yeah. That's gotta HURT!!!

Gary

 

[shoneyboy]

We are both kinda worn out. Seems like the past 5 days or so we have been going non-stop.
Ernestina likes Tamales with just Masa. Never understood them, have to go thru all that work unwrapping the damn thing and not getting any meat is like dumping a box of cereal out only to find no toy....

 

[foamheart]

We are both kinda worn out. Seems like the past 5 days or so we have been going non-stop.
Ernestina likes Tamales with just Masa. Never understood them, have to go thru all that work unwrapping the damn thing and not getting any meat is like dumping a box of cereal out only to find no toy....

A masa Tamale is what we eat in the south, its called grits.

 

[inkjunkie]

At this point just roll it up and fold the tail up.
As to cooking them, they need to be steamed. Takes a while. Normally we will steam them in several shorter sessions

 

[foamheart]

You may have to call Case, I think he owns all the tamale pots in Washington........ <chuckles>

 

[chewmeister]

I have a bag of masa I've been meaning to use for tamales. Do I just mix it with water for the dough? I put it in a ziplock bag and stupidly threw the package (where the recipe was) away.

Many recipes call for some sort of fat, usually lard or shortening, and some baking powder. I like to use chicken stock in place of water also.

 

[inkjunkie]

In case anyone is curious.....was wanted some Tamales so asked the Boss to take some out of the freezer. After the customary several hours of steam...they were delicious. A bit hotter, spice wise than normal but the smoked beef & pork was out of this world. Head and shoulders above the old way of making them...

 

[foamheart]

In case anyone is curious.....was wanted some Tamales so asked the Boss to take some out of the freezer. After the customary several hours of steam...they were delicious. A bit hotter, spice wise than normal but the smoked beef & pork was out of this world. Head and shoulders above the old way of making them...

Thats what is so great about them. They are excellent when ya make 'em and I think they get even better after a good chill in the freezer!. Do as ya please but I find that when steaming them after freezing its a short steam just to warm 'em up, I don't need that long cook again. But there again I bet your boss knows wwwwwway more about 'em than me.

I think I remember you using some red chili sauce when making them. I do some with chili verte, but I also do some BBQ. Seriously BBQ. Its pulled pork with BBQ sauce in masa. It'll make ya wanta slap ya momma good!

Now ya got me wondering where those tamales are in the freezer...LOL

 

[inkjunkie]

 
Thats what is so great about them. They are excellent when ya make 'em and I think they get even better after a good chill in the freezer!. Do as ya please but I find that when steaming them after freezing its a short steam just to warm 'em up, I don't need that long cook again. But there again I bet your boss knows wwwwwway more about 'em than me.

I think I remember you using some red chili sauce when making them. I do some with chili verte, but I also do some BBQ. Seriously BBQ. Its pulled pork with BBQ sauce in masa. It'll make ya wanta slap ya momma good!

Now ya got me wondering where those tamales are in the freezer...LOL

After we get done wrapping them we do not steam them all, just the ones that are going to be eaten then. The rest go into the freezer with the Masa still uncooked so when they are removed from the freezer and steamed that is the first steaming for the frozen ones. They are much better after they are frozen.

So have you dug thru the freezer yet???? LoL

 

[foamheart]

Nope, got too much going on right now... but soon, soon.

BTW, those frozen cooked ones couldn't get much better. If they got any better I just couldn't stand it.

 

[foamheart]

Its all your fault! I don't have 100 tamales like some folks, and now I have a few less than I had earlier......Dang those are awesome.

1/2 w/ Green sauce, 1/2 w/ BBQ sauce.

 

[inkjunkie]

 
Its all your fault! I don't have 100 tamales like some folks, and now I have a few less than I had earlier......Dang those are awesome.

1/2 w/ Green sauce, 1/2 w/ BBQ sauce.

Your welcome