Lesson #1: Just because a recipe is on the internet does not mean you can trust it. There’s nothing more disappointing then following a recipe from a source you THINK is trustworthy (I’m looking at you, PBS) only to discover there is clearly something missing. And I’m talking about 2-3 CUPS of liquid, not minor by any means. Needless to say, my first batch of tamales was barely edible. The dough, being more the consistency of cookie dough instead of peanut butter, was thick and pasty and none too appetizing. We ate them anyway. But we did not enjoy them.
Yvette to the rescue. I should have just started with her recipe to begin with. I tell you, the girl knows her stuff. You should totally buy her cookbook.
Making the recipe the right way involved hunting down freshly prepared masa (Nashville folk: La Hacienda grocery on Nolensville Road has big ol’ bags of it!) but it made all the difference. Fresh masa, good quality lard, a bit of chicken broth, baking powder, and seasoning… and a spoonful or two of homemade salsa verde for extra flavor (that was my addition – recipe coming soon!)
We filled our tamales with a mixture of blackened poblano peppers and cheese. But we ran out of filling part-way through the process, and, not wanting to waste the rest of the masa, did a bit of scrounging and came up with some refried black beans. And, in all honesty, we almost liked the bean-and-cheese tamales better than the poblanos.
Taylor generously donated his brew pot for the day. Usually he’s totally stingy and nothing that hasn’t been thoroughly doused in iodine can touch his precious brew pot (god forbid, contamination!) But the thing came with a steamer basket and was really the perfect vessel for steaming our tamales. I just hope his next batch of beer doesn’t have any poblano undertones, or I may never get such a privilege again.
Tamales take a long time to make. I won’t lie. They’re not necessarily HARD to make, just time consuming, filling and folding dozens of corn husks. You’ll want to set aside a good 3 hours of time to make them, or longer depending what kind of delicious stuff you fill them with (something like shredded pork will take a good deal longer than our blackened poblanos).
BUT – once you’ve made one gigantic batch, freeze what you can’t eat within a day or two, and you’ll be set for weeks. Frozen tamales can easily be re-warmed in your steamer in under 30 minutes. Think of it like an investment, a big chunk of time now in exchange for lots and lots (and lots) of quick dinners later.
Did I say LOTS? Considering one person can only reasonably eat about 3 tamales before they start feeling uncomfortable (they are surprisingly filling), one batch of tamales will feed the two of us for at least a half a dozen meals.
You can also make a double batch if you’re feeling spry. Feed the whole neighborhood while you’re at it!
I’m not going to post how-to photos or anything here, because the last thing I claim to be is an expert in tamale making. While my tamales turned out quite well (if I do say so myself), I’m sure my technique is all wrong. If you’re looking for a good visual jump start, check out Yvette’s tamale video. You’ll be whipping up tamales in no time!
I have to give props to Camilla, who was the only brave soul who took this challenge with me. She made Nacatamales, the Honduran version that is wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Pretty cool, huh?
Adapted from Muy Bueno Cookbook.
All images and text ©Lindsay Landis / Love & Olive OilLet us know what you think!
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