TAMALES RECIPE | How To Make Tamales | Simply Mamá Cooks

cheese

🥗Healthier: low-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: queso blanco

Low-fat cheese reduces calories while maintaining flavor.

jalapeños

🥗Healthier: bell peppers

💰Cheaper: canned green chiles

Canned green chiles are often less expensive and milder.

Soak 40 to 45 corn husks in hot water for about 2 hours or until pliable.

Cut a 4 pound boneless chuck roast into chunks and place it in a crock pot.

Add 1 beef bouillon cube, 2 cups of water, 1 small halved onion, 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, and 1 dried bay leaf to the crock pot.

Cover and cook on high for 6 to 7 hours or braise on the stovetop for about 3 hours until tender.

Remove the onion and beef from the crock pot, reserving the broth.

Pass the remaining broth through a cloth over a strainer to remove bits.

In a pot, rinse 2 pasia chilies, 2 ancho chilies, and 8 guajillo chilis, then remove stems and seeds.

Submerge the chilies in water and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let steep for at least 30 minutes.

Add the soaked chilies to a blender with 1 and 3/4 cups of reserved beef broth, the reserved onion, and 2 fresh cloves of garlic, then blend until smooth.

Pass the chili puree through a fine mesh strainer if necessary.

Chop the cooked beef into small pieces or shred it by hand.

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat and add the chili puree, bringing it to a simmer for about 1 minute.

Add the chopped beef to the simmering puree and mix well, letting it simmer for a couple of minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine 4 cups of instant corn flour, 2 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Add around 1 cup and 1/4 of beef tallow to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Add 1/3 cup of reserved chili puree to the masa (optional) and mix.

Gradually add 2 cups of reserved beef broth to the masa, mixing until it reaches a loose play-doh consistency.

Prepare the soaked corn husks, noting the rough and smooth sides.

Spread masa on the smooth side of the corn husk, then add beef filling in the center.

Continue assembling tamales until all ingredients are used, aiming for about 30 to 35 tamales.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens