# Making tamales: What equipment is necessary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380 "2001-11-14T20:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/21 "2001-11-15T21:03:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bluethree \* > \*\*What about holding the wrapped tamale closed? Do I need to go out and find tamale-wrapping string? Or will they stay closed reasonably well by themselves? Do I use waxed paper on top of the corn husk? \*\* I lie the steamer pan on its side, and stack the tamales in so that the leaves don’t open up. As they’re stacked on top of each other, the leaves stay closed. Once the pot is full, stand it back up, and they hold themselves closed. Don’t pack 'em in TOO tightly, though – they need room to expand. We, too, use the recipe on the Maseca for Tamales bag. I don’t have authentic, Mexican taste, but for me, they come out tasting riquisimos, and my wife says they’re good, too (and has central-Mexican taste). We’ve tried both manteca and Crisco, and the Crisco works well, and I feel better about eating it. Don’t worry about the 12-hour thing of the Old Mexican Woman. Maybe making 300 tamales that’s so, but it takes us about 10 minutes to make the masa mix, then we sit on our buts letting it settle. About 30 to 45 minutes to stuff and wrap the tamales (about 30), and just over 1.5 hours waiting for them to cook. Of course, during cooking it’s not like we stand around watching. There are other things to do. Last time, we made apple pie amidst the tamales. Also, I guess you need to factor in the time to cook the filling, which my wife does while I’m working, but I don’t think it’s THAT time consuming. Besides the pork filling, we also mix in some with nothing but cheese and homemade, green salsa. Yum! FWIW… the sweet tamales that I’ve had in Guanajuato were nothing more than sweet masa tamales – no filling. They also tended to be dyed, I think, unless something in the sweetener made them green or pink. Good luck! Let us know how they came out. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/22 "2001-11-15T21:32:58Z")
Where’s the _atole_ ? _¿Cómo que tamales sin atole?_ ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/23 "2001-11-15T22:04:39Z")
Well, I made the meat today and already made a mistake. I overcooked (burned) part of the chilis, and figured it would taste fine, anyway, which it doesn’t. I mixed them in with the meat already, and it all tastes kind of…burned-y. It’s also too spicy for my husband’s tastes, but maybe the rich, protective layer of masa will take the edge off it for him. Next time I’ll be gentler with the chilis. Also, I used pork stew meat and boiled it for three hours, 'cause I kept waiting for the meat to fall apart and it never did. Is it supposed to? I cut it up small, sauteed it, and mixed it with the chili mixture. Now it’s in the fridge. I probably oversalted it, too, since I was trying to get rid of the ash taste from burning the chilis. I found a page with some tamale filling recipes, and next time I’ll probably try something different. I love the taste of the sauce restaurants usually put on enchiladas, if anyone knows what that is and can tell me how to recreate it in a tamale. Speaking of sweet tamales, do they make ones that taste like that sweet corn cake stuff? That stuff is delicious! I had salsa music playing on the CD player and everything. I don’t drink beer, should I drink sangria or horchata, maybe? Which is better, tamarindo or jamaica? Oh yeah, what about if I grilled the pork (on the barbecue grill) instead of boiling it? Anyone done that? I’m going to finish this batch because I figure I need the practice manipulating the masa, anyway. If they’re edible, I’ll freeze them; and if they’re not edible, I’ll find some other use. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/24 "2001-11-16T00:06:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bluethree \* > **Well, I made the meat today and already made a mistake** Give me a day or two, and I’ll post my wife’s recipe for her _guiso_, which I think means (more or less) “stew.” This is the stuff we put in the tamales (and other varieties for burritos and so on – boy, I eat _good_ now!). I know that she _doesn’t_ cook the meat until it separates, but when it’s fully cooked – boiled – she does something I think is called “desabrar” it. Really, it’s pulling the meat apart with your fingers until it’s a bunch of stringy meat. Then she mixes in the rest of a spices and salsa and stuff, and cooks it again. I’ll got back on the exact procedure. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/25 "2001-11-16T00:38:06Z")
This should be pretty close to restaurant enchilada sauce, although I’ve made sauce before without tomato in it. You could use other types of large dried chiles, but the anchos give it a deeper flavor. Basic Red Enchilada Sauce Ingredients: 8 Ancho chiles 3 1/2 cups warm wter 1/2 cup onion – chopped 2 cloves garlic – chopped 1/4 cup vegetable oil 8 oz. tomato sauce 1 Tbsp. oregano 1 Tbsp. cumin 1 Tsp. chili powder Instructions: Cover chiles with warm water. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes; drain. Strain liquid; reserve. Remove stems, seeds and membranes from chilies. Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in a 2-quart saucepan until onion is tender. Stir in chilies, 2 cups of the reserved liquid and the remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes; cool. Pour into a food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade or into a blender container; cover and process until smooth. Makes about 2 1/2 cups sauce. Use with favorite enchilada recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/26 "2001-11-16T02:52:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CBEscapee \* > \*\*Where’s the _atole_ ? _¿Cómo que tamales sin atole?_ \*\* Atole?? Que rico! Qual sabor te gusta? me gusta chocolate! > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Pantellerite \*\*\* > Chihuahua? Yo quiero El Grande Estado de Chihuahua! Viva Ojinaga!_\* Viva Juarez! 🙂 > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by bluethree_\*\* > Speaking of sweet tamales, do they make ones that taste like that sweet corn cake stuff? That stuff is delicious! > \*\* I didn’t see where you are from, but a chain in California called Chevy’s had this stuff on the side. is this what you meant? I have a recipe for that if you’d like. The Sweet tamales, however, taste nothing like cornbread at all. and the way we make tamales: hold moist husk on palm,small point side up. (you are soaking them, yes?) get spatula run a streak down husk (kinda like if you were spackling) add meat (if making them as such) fold left side over fold right side over fold top down. then place folded sides DOWN in pot. wow! you guys are making me homesick with this thread! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/27 "2001-11-16T04:21:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bluethree \* > Well, I made the meat today and already made a mistake. I overcooked (burned) part of the chilis, and figured it would taste fine, anyway, which it doesn’t. I mixed them in with the meat already, and it all tastes kind of…burned-y. > > It’s also too spicy for my husband’s tastes, but maybe the rich, protective layer of masa will take the edge off it for him. > > Next time I’ll be gentler with the chilis. Also, I used pork stew meat and boiled it for three hours, 'cause I kept waiting for the meat to fall apart and it never did. Is it supposed to? I cut it up small, sauteed it, and mixed it with the chili mixture. Now it’s in the fridge. I probably oversalted it, too, since I was trying to get rid of the ash taste from burning the chilis. > > I found a page with some tamale filling recipes, and next time I’ll probably try something different. I love the taste of the sauce restaurants usually put on enchiladas, if anyone knows what that is and can tell me how to recreate it in a tamale. > > Speaking of sweet tamales, do they make ones that taste like that sweet corn cake stuff? That stuff is delicious! > > I had salsa music playing on the CD player and everything. I don’t drink beer, should I drink sangria or horchata, maybe? Which is better, tamarindo or jamaica? > > Oh yeah, what about if I grilled the pork (on the barbecue grill) instead of boiling it? Anyone done that? > > I’m going to finish this batch because I figure I need the practice manipulating the masa, anyway. If they’re edible, I’ll freeze them; and if they’re not edible, I’ll find some other use. \*\* What may have happened is that the acidity of your sauce may have slowed the cooking process of the meat. A similar thing occurs if you try to cook beans in a tomato sauce, in some cases the beans will never cook completely. I recommend that you take the meat, cut up or not, and cook it off according to my taco meat recipe as shown below (although you will probably want to leave out the garlic): * * * **Beef Taco Meat** _Carne de Res_ Preparation time: 1 1/2 Hours Serves: 6 People **Ingredients** : 2-3 Lb Beef chuck roast 3-5 Cloves Garlic 3-4 Tbs Oil or fat 1 Qt Water or stock 1-2 Tbs Salt **Preparation** : Preheat a medium size cook pot over low heat. Add oil to the pan. Place the piece of meat in the pan or dress it into large pieces that will fit. Increase the heat to medium. Brown the meat thoroughly on all sides. Peel and crush the garlic into the hot fat. **Do not** brown the garlic. After three minutes or less pour in the water or stock. Add the salt and continue to cook uncovered until the meat falls apart and is tender. There should be very little stock left when finished. * * * Once the meat is tender, then bring it into the _mole_ sauce and simmer to perfection. As to the burned flavor. Whenever you suspect that you may have burned the concoction that you are cooking be sure to do one thing. **Do not** stir the mixture. Immediate pour off the liquid and whatever material has not stuck to the bottom of the pan and reserve it in another bowl or pot. If really large chunks of meat have stuck to the bottom, remove them but do not use the burned portion of them. It is the carbonaceous material that carries over the bitter and acrid flavor into the remainder. There may be some of that unpleasant flavor in the main batch when you are done, but it will be far less than if you stir or dislodge the crust at the bottom in any fashion. You might want to use tho old trick of cooking a raw potato or two in the chili sauce to absorb some of the excess salt. As to the enchilada sauce, please try Las Palmas brand _chili colorado_ red enchilada sauce. It is quite decent (although I like their green sauce better). Another that has caught my fancy is the Ortega brand red enchilada sauce. It has a different balance of flavors that I prefer. Of course, home made will be better. Remember though, that the _mole_ sauce is the most _authentico para tamales_. If you are having trouble folding the _hoyas_, try soaking them in hot water to soften them more. You can always peel off a thin strand from the husk to tie the tamale with if that doesn’t work. I’ve given the tortilla press some thought and it might work if you avoid compressing the _masa_ too much. A light touch with the handle could possibly do that. I’ve just had to many tamales that were like lead sinkers to be in favor of it. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/28 "2001-11-16T04:29:53Z")
How could you mention _that_place in the same breath as mexican food? “Fresh Mex”, indeed! Ok, so their chips and salsa ain’t too bad. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/29 "2001-11-16T10:20:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*How could you mention _that_place in the same breath as mexican food? “Fresh Mex”, indeed! > Ok, so their chips and salsa ain’t too bad. > Peace, > mangeorge \*\* never said it was mexican food, now did I? 😉 I am pretty easy going when it comes to food. I am willing to try just about anything. however… my one picky spot is Cheese Enchiladas. Mr Baboon calls me an enchilada snob. I always judge mexican restaurants by their enchiladas. ANY place that serves that GODAWFUL meat sauce on top of enchiladas is instantly a terrible place. In my book, meat sauce (that DREADFUL chile con carne slop) is a big NO NO. It’s just NOT done. and ALL ‘mexican’ restaurants here in Fort Worth do it. Other than a few places, this part of Texas has the worst mexican places. who would have thought? [herman munster] I hate it I hate it I hate it [/herman munster] ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/30 "2001-11-16T10:24:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > > If you are having trouble folding the _hoyas_, try soaking them in hot water to soften them more. > \*\* kinda hard to fold a pot, no? 😉 (yes, I know its a typo…_hojas_) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/31 "2001-11-16T14:28:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by CBEscapee \* > > \*\*Where’s the _atole_ ? _¿Cómo que tamales sin atole?_ \*\* > > Atole?? Que rico! Qual sabor te gusta? me gusta chocolate! Para mi, ¡atole de coco! ¡Con tamales de rajas de chile con queso! > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by bluethree_\*\* > Speaking of sweet tamales, do they make ones that taste like that sweet corn cake stuff? That stuff is delicious! > \*\* _Tamales dulces de elote_ are very common here in Jalisco and many other parts of Mexico. The fresh corn is cut from the cob,ground and prepared with butter,sugar,salt and baking powder. This is used instead of _masa de nixtamal_. There are many regional variations of this. A friend of ours makes _tamales barbones_ or bearded tamales, _muy tipicos_ in Sinaloa. Made with a filling of shrimp with the heads left on, and the "whiskers’ left poking out, hence the “beard”! And you’ll also commonly find tamales wrapped and steamed in banana leaves or _hoja santa_ in a lot of regions. This Spanish language site is terrific and the recipes should be easy to translate. [Tamales](http://www.terra.com.mx/CocinaChef/articulo/076817/) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangeorge \* > I also remember something very much like a tamale, but without the husk and fried in grease. Fried leftover tamales from the night before make a wonderful breakfast. They get nice and crunchy on the outside!! ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/32 "2001-11-16T15:52:14Z")
Again, thanks for all the advice and recipes. I’ll try **Zenster** ’s recipe next time I do this. But, what then do you use as mole sauce? The stuff in the jars in the store? Or is mole just the pepper-and-water stuff? By sweet corn cake stuff, I was refering to the little dollop of substance some restaurants serve with an entree. Chi-Chi’s is one of those restaurants. I haven’t eaten at Chevy’s but I’m sure it’s the same stuff. I was just wondering if that’s what the sweet tamales taste like, and it sounds like there’s a big difference from one region to another. I’m still interested in your guiso recipe, **Balthisar**. On the tamale-folding, don’t you fold all four sides? Do you just squish the last side together? That’s what it said on that one website. Man, this is complicated. Tomorrow’s the big day–when I try to spread the masa and form the durn things. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/33 "2001-11-16T18:29:12Z")
no, we (meaning my family) never fold four sides. that one side is left “open”. well, I have never had any tamales that are like that dollop of stuff, but it seems that there are some out there like that. slight hijack: _chi-chi’s_?!!! what were they thinking? did they not run that name by ANYONE who knows spanish? (same goes to ChiChi Rodriguez) and before I hear about it from my bad joke… yes, I know its olla, not hoya. same sounds. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/34 "2001-11-16T22:30:06Z")
This thread has worked out well, but food threads do even better in Cafe Society. Also the folks there look for them. So I’ll shoot it over there. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/35 "2001-11-16T23:19:55Z")
I use a time and labor saving method of making tamales, and it really goes a lot faster. When you fold and wrap your tamale, only fold up one of the long ends and leave the top end open. Don’t bother to try to tie up the package, just line them up on the counter with the seam side down. When you’re ready to steam, wad up a big ball of foil into a vague cone shape and put it in the middle of the steamer. Lean the tamales, open side pointing upward, against the ball of foil, working outwards in successive circles. Proceed with steaming. It’s a good idea, when stuffing the tamales, to have the filling more toward what will become the open end so you don’t have a lot of empty husk sticking up and taking up space. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2001, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/36 "2001-11-16T23:35:51Z")
I dunno, **pugluvr**. A lot of the flavor in the masa comes from the infusion of the taste of the husks and filling. The masa is a big part of the tamale, IMO. Too many commercial makers skimp on the masa. I’ll admit, though, that I’ve never tried your version. You gonna eat _all_ those? 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![arachnidlove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@arachnidlove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arachnidlove)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/37 "2001-11-17T21:34:15Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Balthisar_ > Why are tamales a “Christmas” tradition? As far as I can remember, my mommy has been making tamales every Christmas. Memories of her sitting at the table with a HUGE bowl of masa, a HUGE bowl of pork and a pile of husks toiling away to make up a wonderful meal. I’m suprised no one has said this joke already. Its kind of racially offensive but I found it funny. Why do Mexicans make tamales during Christmas time? So they have something to unwrap on Christmas morning. My mommy was the one who always said that. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/38 "2001-11-18T20:16:27Z")
I made the tamales yesterday, and they came out just fine. I had no trouble spreading the masa on the corn husks. I soaked the husks for a few hours, and I whipped the lard (crisco) very well before adding the masa stuff. I need to perfect my spreading and folding technique, but all in all I’m quite pleased. It was a small batch, 14 tamales and it fit perfectly into the pot. Next time I’ll try a better meat recipe, use fewer peppers, and not burn them. I think I’ll also add more salt into the masa mixture, 'cause the corn part tastes kind of bland to me. They were definitely better than any store-bought tamales I’ve had. I’m also going to be on the lookout for a sweet green corn tamale recipe. Thanks again for all the help and advice. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/39 "2001-11-18T20:38:09Z")
congratulations bluethree! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380/40 "2001-11-21T02:15:18Z")
Yeah, congrats **bluethree**. You survived all the advice. 😃 And thanks for the update. Enjoy. Peace, mangeorge [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-tamales-what-equipment-is-necessary/93380.md?page=1)