Tamales ~ Foamheart

[foamheart]

So guess what I did this morning before 10:00? Yeppers I have been wanting some good tamales. I have done them before, and I even impressed myself how easy and delicious they are.

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pp-tamales-foamheart.283673/

So anyway, I now understand more about the ingredients and the making and gotten where they are pretty tastee. I did 3 doz. this morning and like said they are not hard to make just time consuming. I will not retell the stories of West Texas and where I watched a house full of little old ladies, wives and daughters all come together usually between the Día de Muertos and New Years, and make 1000's of tamales in one day.

I finially get the courage to try 'em and now can't think of an excuse not to....LOL



Stacked up and ready for a good steam bath.





Three tamales, and yes that's mustard. Yes that's not normal in the West. But it was were I started eating tamales, in college. College pub on Friday afternoon had quarter drafts and they had two crock pots, one had links of boiled smoked sausage and the other steamed tamales, sausage was .50 cents a link w/ two packs a crackers or the Tamales were 3 for a quarter. And BTW I like mustard with my boiled sausage too! LOL

Getting better at these tamales every time, 10 or 12 more batches and I might get 'em down right.

Lunch today? Well of course, its tamales and long necks!

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Sounds awesome and looks great FH! I'm sitting on some extra pulled pork right now and we do love us some tamales! Followed your thread within a thread within a thread and think that it's high time we try them out.

 

[foamheart]

Sounds awesome and looks great FH! I'm sitting on some extra pulled pork right now and we do love us some tamales! Followed your thread within a thread within a thread and think that it's high time we try them out.

Ya know, I am thinking about buying a tamale pot. Only problem is I am afraid BKSkelly would show up and make it into a Weber extension.

You'll be amazed how easy it is, like I said just time consuming. Two tips, put a big bowl of water next to you, and dip your hand in it each time to grab some more maza. Second don't walk away while steaming. That water will boil off and burn the pot and small up your tamales!

Other than that, its just figuring out how to make 'em taste the way you want 'em too!

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Ah the good ol Imusa mod! I think I may have to scan amazon and see what I can find. For as much as we like em and can't find any good ones, this seems like a no brainer. and there is no shortage of filling options in Tupperware in our fridge at any point!

 

[Hawging It]

We have pork tamales and Chile most every week. An elderly man in our town started a food truck deal bout a year ago. Only open on Friday and Saturday. Tamales, Mexican rice and Chile Is all he serves. I have eaten tamales all over the USA. These are my favorite. We are lucky to have him here!!!!

 

[JC in GB]

Just an FYI, if you cook your tamales in a pressure cooker, you can cook them in about 20 minutes....

 

[foamheart]

We have pork tamales and Chile most every week. An elderly man in our town started a food truck deal bout a year ago. Only open on Friday and Saturday. Tamales, Mexican rice and Chile Is all he serves. I have eaten tamales all over the USA. These are my favorite. We are lucky to have him here!!!!

I was a CASI chili competitor about 25 years ago. Its really great when you have someone local like that were you can enjoy his food and he no doubt really enjoys doing it. IMHO good chili is the hardest food to find anywhere. I guess I am too critical, but I can be, I have a few trophies. No nothing big but my recipe was my Pops and until the day he died he carried it in his wallet for safe keeping everywhere. I let my sister have that recipe after he passed, she cried. Tamales I fell in love with living in West Texas. I had had them before, but till W.Texas I never knew they tasted so good. LOL..... Support that fella you'll cry when he quits selling.

 

[foamheart]

Just an FYI, if you cook your tamales in a pressure cooker, you can cook them in about 20 minutes....

Thats good to know. I am still seriously thinking about a tamale pot. Only problem is I would have to made so damn many to fill it up. I don't mind making a few but I like to stand and cook, and 3 doz. is about all my neck lets me get away with at atime.

 

[JC in GB]

Maybe the reduced time would help with the neck? I love a good tamal. Almost impossible to find one in a restaurant.

 

[foamheart]

Ah the good ol Imusa mod! I think I may have to scan amazon and see what I can find. For as much as we like em and can't find any good ones, this seems like a no brainer. and there is no shortage of filling options in Tupperware in our fridge at any point!

Wait wait wait wait....... You live in Austin TX and can't find a tamale? Man when I lived in Odessa they would walk through the office areas with Ice chests selling tamales and breakfast burritos. If you ever bought one it was like opening the flood gates....LOL

A suggestion, I was around before pepico bought Rosa's, I assume its still good. Drive thru Rosa's and get their chicken and their beef fajitas....OMG w/ extra Pica! Now back tamales, there has got to be somewhere in Austin that has great tamales. I mean I live in Louisiana, the only tamales seen around here come out of an old el paso can. LOL

 

[mosparky]

Well ...Damn..... Now I gotta try it. The only tamales I ever had came from said "can". Passible if you're really hungry, but nothing to brag about for dinner.
yours look and sound really good. Just one more thing the she-beast won't help me eat.
Do they freeze well. Where do you get the corn husks ?
I gotta go research making these. I'm sure there is some technique to it.

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Oof Sparky..canned Tamales..

As for where to find corn husks? Walmart in the mexican section. Tons of places carry them.

I'm going to do a pork butt over night tonight with some Tony..uh I can't spell it, that popular creole butter. Think I'll bag some up specifically for some P.Pork tamales.

Now I just gotta remember all the ratios..and Say Foamy if your filling is pretty close to the real deal from street food tamales, mind sharing what you used for it? That was always what I felt was off when I did tamales..my filling was so so.

 

[foamheart]

Well ...Damn..... Now I gotta try it. The only tamales I ever had came from said "can". Passible if you're really hungry, but nothing to brag about for dinner.
yours look and sound really good. Just one more thing the she-beast won't help me eat.
Do they freeze well. Where do you get the corn husks ?
I gotta go research making these. I'm sure there is some technique to it.

Don't complain too loud, thats means all the more just for you. Corn husks and masa are pretty much in all large grocery stores these days. Just try the Mexican/Old El Paso section....LOL Around St.Louis there should be plenty. You anywhere near Alton?

Its really pretty basic, masa, lard and pork broth is possible in one bowl, boil the corn husks, and mix up something to put in them, pulled pork or boiled pork works fine. Cheapest pork you can buy, in the crock pot with some onions and garlic, add some chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper. then just roll 'em up and steam 'em. I recommend you start small, then next time you'll have a better feel for the spices and flavors you'd like.

I like more masa than most, those little skinny tamales are no fun. LOL\

Good luck with it.

 

[foamheart]

Oof Sparky..canned Tamales..

As for where to find corn husks? Walmart in the mexican section. Tons of places carry them.

I'm going to do a pork butt over night tonight with some Tony..uh I can't spell it, that popular creole butter. Think I'll bag some up specifically for some P.Pork tamales.

Now I just gotta remember all the ratios..and Say Foamy if your filling is pretty close to the real deal from street food tamales, mind sharing what you used for it? That was always what I felt was off when I did tamales..my filling was so so.

Check the link to the link up above. I don't use measurements anymore. Throw your pork in the crock pot cut a head of garlic in half and throw in, half an onion, some chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper. A little water. Much like building chili. Let it cook over night and remove the bones, and seperate the solids from the juice. use liquefied lard and juice to make the masa goey, like wet sand at the beach.

Keep one hand wet to handle the masa on the corn husk, and I make my tamales in a 1/2 tray on the counter. Its going to be messy. LOL it just gotta be, so don't worry about it.

 

[mosparky]

I'm on the opposite side of St Louis from Alton. Seems like every bridge going across to Illinois is under repairs right now.
I honestly never looked for corn husks before. Seems I noticed them somewhere recently. I'll have a look/see tomorrow when I am at work.

 

[foamheart]

I'm on the opposite side of St Louis from Alton. Seems like every bridge going across to Illinois is under repairs right now.
I honestly never looked for corn husks before. Seems I noticed them somewhere recently. I'll have a look/see tomorrow when I am at work.

Like Tom said, I don't think I ever saw a walmart without an ethnic section for foods. You just never were looking before. I have used enchilada sauce in my pork in the tamales before, was tastee! But if you use a crock pot you'll have that good pork broth and its better.

 

[desertlites]

3 for a quarter huh? we must be older than dirt. Living on the AZ. Mex. border I also love my tamales, Christmas I made 7 dozen with some being apple,raisin brn. sugar. A trick for next time is discard that spoon for spreading your masa and use one of those cheap wide plastic putty knives, one swipe across the husk is all it takes. and your right about having that container of water next to you.

 

[foamheart]

3 for a quarter huh? we must be older than dirt. Living on the AZ. Mex. border I also love my tamales, Christmas I made 7 dozen with some being apple,raisin brn. sugar. A trick for next time is discard that spoon for spreading your masa and use one of those cheap wide plastic putty knives, one swipe across the husk is all it takes. and your right about having that container of water next to you.

LOL... I don't know if I'll ever be ready for sweet tamales. I have used wide putty knives, heck I even have one of those little plastic tools for spreading the masa. But ya know what, I am happier using my hands. As long as the masa is properly hydrated and has just enough lard, my hand is wet, I can cruise. But as I said somewhere above I think, I like big tamales. Loads of masa, the masa is better than the meat IMHO. If the lard is the proper ratio, you don't need as much water for those hands 'cause the masa doesn't stick as much. BUT I am still learning. I have watched those families during a tamalethon and I wish I would have video'd 'em. Its an assembly line!

 

[Misplaced Nebraskan]

Wait wait wait wait....... You live in Austin TX and can't find a tamale? Man when I lived in Odessa they would walk through the office areas with Ice chests selling tamales and breakfast burritos. If you ever bought one it was like opening the flood gates....LOL

A suggestion, I was around before pepico bought Rosa's, I assume its still good. Drive thru Rosa's and get their chicken and their beef fajitas....OMG w/ extra Pica! Now back tamales, there has got to be somewhere in Austin that has great tamales. I mean I live in Louisiana, the only tamales seen around here come out of an old el paso can. LOL

I'm sure there are some good places, but there are a lot of not so good ones too. At my last job, there used to be a Tamale Lady. bi weekly deliveries of homemade ones. those were legit! then she quit and switched jobs so I've been on the hunt for a hookup since lol.

I'm sure we'll come across a spot we enjoy, but for now I think I need to learn a new craft

 

[mosparky]

Now look what you done !!! I started out to investigate making tamales..which somehow led to flour tortillas which led to home rendered lard, which led to corn tortillas, then all the dishes made with them, then come the side tracks to the ingredients, toppings ect.....
On the bright side it really opens the options on ways to serve smoked meats.

I did search online and in store for things like Masa Harina, corn husks ect.
Just my luck, seems like everywhere has stopped carrying the cheaper Masa Harina and husks are even harder to find.
Luckily I remembered a small store that did a big hispanic business. They had the Masa. 4.4 lb bag for under $4. It sure beat the heck out of $4 for a 1 1/2 lb bag of the stuff my store tries to sell. It came home with me.
Struck out on the corn husks. Not a big deal. I can save them from when we buy corn on the cob or just ask the guys in produce to save me some when they shuck for the case. They can be used green.