Savoring Tamale Time
Tamales are more than a traditional holiday dish for me. They’re a symbol of family time, making memories as the generations of my family worked together to make the steamed masa packets filled with s...
While this recipe makes enough tamales for a crowd, you can also freeze uncooked tamales for later. For frozen tamales, follow the cooking instructions below, but increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes and add about an inch of water to the pot. Add more water if the pot runs dry during the cooking.
The Parra family makes their tamales with lard, but we’ve adapted the recipe to use butter. If using lard, choose a pure, non-hydrogenated variety available at butcher shops.
Find packaged dried corn husks (ojas) at well-stocked and Mexican grocers.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 24 Serving(s)
- 1 package dried corn husks (soak in warm water until you are ready to assemble tamales)
Filling
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast or tri-tip, preferably grass-fed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3–4 cups water
- 24 green olives
Chili Sauce
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ ounces California chili pepper powder (Anaheim chili)
- 1½ cups beef broth, reserved from simmered beef
- About 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Masa
- 5 pounds prepared corn masa (or make your own with organic, non-GMO masa found at local specialty and natural food grocers)
- Up to 2 cups beef broth, store-bought or homemade
- ¼ cup chili sauce (see instructions for making sauce)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (if prepared masa doesn’t contain salt)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Up to 1 pound melted butter
Preparation
For filling: Cut meat into 3 equal pieces and heavily season all sides with salt and pepper.
Place heavy-bottom pot (cast iron works well) or pressure cooker over medium-high heat until it’s very hot. Pan-sear beef, fat-side down. Brown all sides of beef.
Put beef in pot, top with onion slices and add water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer on low for 2–3 hours. (If using a pressure cooker, set to medium heat with vent closed for 50–60 minutes.) Check meat halfway through cook time, and flip each piece using metal tongs.
Once beef is cooked, allow it to rest 5 minutes. Remove from pot and reserve cooking broth. Allow meat to cool and shred with a fork or fingers (step 1). Discard fat.
For chili sauce: Strain meat broth and return to cooking pot, discarding onions. Stir in chili powder and set aside.
In a medium pot over medium heat, make a light roux by cooking oil and flour until flour is dissolved and mixture is bubbly and slightly browning. Once mixture has a toasty smell and is tan, roux is done, about 4 minutes. Gently whisk beef broth into roux to form a smooth dark red sauce, about 3 minutes. Add water until sauce has a consistency of gravy. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Set aside ¼ cup of sauce for masa.
For masa: Place prepared masa in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mixing on low speed, add salt, garlic powder and reserved chili sauce. Add baking powder and scrape bowl to make sure everything is evenly distributed. If texture is dry and not easily spreadable, add up to 2 cups of beef broth, starting with ½ cup at a time. (You want texture to resemble mashed potatoes.) Add up to 1 pound of melted butter to mixture so it’s velvety. To test, rub a small amount between your fingers. (There will be some corn grit.)
To assemble: Gently separate soaked corn husks, pulling out larger ones for filling. Gently blot with a paper towel.
Pour chili sauce over shredded meat. Gently mix meat and sauce until each piece is coated.
Using a spatula, spread an even layer of masa onto smooth side of cornhusk until masa is about ¼-inch thick, about 6 tablespoons (step 2). Gently spoon beef down center, about 2 tablespoons, careful that it doesn’t spread to edges (step 3). Place 1 green olive in middle of beef mixture (step 4).
Fold cornhusk closed, making sure masa encases filling (step 5). Fold up base of tamale to form a rectangular pocket that’s open at top (steps 6 and 7).
To finish: Mound foil in center of a large, heavy-bottom pot so tamales have something to lean against. Add about 2 inches of water. Place tamales standing up around foil mound (step 8). Cover pot with a lid and steam tamales over medium heat for 30–40 minutes.
Tamales are done when masa looks dry and is firm to touch. Take pot off heat and let stand 5 minutes before removing tamales.
Enjoy (step 9)!
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