# First time making Tamales



## JGDean (Aug 31, 2011)

I think I have everthing needed to make tamales. Does anyone have a TNT recipe or any tips. I plan on using pork. Also, I had to go to a Latin market to find the corn husks and they only had a humongous bag of them. What else can I do with them??


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Aug 31, 2011)

I bagged and froze them for the next time.  I had soaked the whole bag.


----------



## JGDean (Aug 31, 2011)

I don't suppose they will go bad if I seal them well in a FoodSaver bag dry. Do you think?


----------



## Kayelle (Aug 31, 2011)

When I saw this "First time making Tamales", my memory transported me back to my *all time* worse cooking nightmare, so I have some basic advice.

Do not attempt to prepare the filling and make the Tamales on the same day.
Get someone to help you share the "fun".  

Good luck.  I now leave Tamale making to the expert Mexican families around here, and gladly pay them for their labor intensive expertise, and delicious Tamales.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Aug 31, 2011)

JGDean said:


> I don't suppose they will go bad if I seal them well in a FoodSaver bag dry. Do you think?



I don't think they will.  They do take up a lot of room though.  I'm wondering if vacuuming them will break them.  I only made them on my own once, too much work.  Now 4 of us get together a couple of times a year and have a tamale party, we each take some home and it goes much faster.


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 31, 2011)

The back of your masa harina container (usually a paper carton) will usually have a recipe for the dough.  After that, it's a matter of adding the correct amount of filling for the size corn husk you're using.  

And remember, tamales are mainly about making correct dough, and steaming them until properly done.  There are many that state that the tamale is mainly about the quality of the outside corn-dough  The filling has to be strong enough in flavor not to be overwhelmed by the intense corn crust.  The sauce needs to compliment the other parts.

I make them.  But mine don't come out as pretty as those of one of our friends, who made them from the ingredients at my table, standing right beside me.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## JGDean (Sep 1, 2011)

Cool blog!


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 1, 2011)

JGDean said:


> Cool blog!



Thanks.  You made my day.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## babetoo (Sep 2, 2011)

i made them with a latino friend. very intense labor wise . and definitely a two day process. we got the coating to thick on most of them. i won't do again, to much work. plus i live in so.ca. so have lots of really good ones readily available.


----------



## niquejim (Sep 2, 2011)

Tamales, IMHO, are usually dry. Not this one

Bobby Flay: Shrimp Tamales - YouTube

Best I've ever tasted


----------



## CWS4322 (Sep 6, 2011)

Hmmm...I only made tamales once...I was expecting them to be a lot of work, but they aren't any more work than grape leaves or piergies--which I find to be more work than tamales. Mine weren't terribly pretty, but they were tasty and I plan to make them again this fall. I used a drywall spatela to spread the dough...


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 6, 2011)

Did you know that you could use parchment paper instead of corn husks to make tamales.  I know, it's not traditional.  But it is much easier IMHO.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------



## Kayelle (Sep 6, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> Hmmm...I only made tamales once...I was expecting them to be a lot of work, but they aren't any more work than grape leaves or piergies--which I find to be more work than tamales. Mine weren't terribly pretty, but they were tasty and I plan to make them again this fall. I used a drywall spatela to spread the dough...



Did you make the filling, and the tamale's on the same day CWS?  If you did, you don't cry as easily as me. 
I made the last tamale of my life at 2 AM.


----------



## Debraj (Sep 6, 2011)

*Need to do some more!*

I have done this three times by my self and really loved it every step of the way.They really are a lot of work and I have since bought a Kitchen Aid and am hoping that it will save some time making the masa,though that is only a small and not an unpleasant part of the process.I forgot the original question,but I do encourage all of you to try it at least once. The worst ones I made were way better than what they serve in your average Mexican restaurant.Some extra help would make it more fun though.


----------



## Timothy (Sep 7, 2011)

niquejim said:


> Tamales, IMHO, are usually dry. Not this one
> 
> < Bobby Flay: Shrimp Tamales - YouTube >
> 
> Best I've ever tasted


 
What a great recipe! Thanks niquejim! This one will get made at my home!


----------



## podonnel45 (Oct 8, 2011)

Goodweed of the North said:


> Thanks. You made my day.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


 
What's the home page picture of?


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 8, 2011)

podonnel45, When blown up to full size, it's a beautiful crown roast that was cooked on the Webber Kettle, over a divided bed of coals, surrounded by a bed of flowering kale, and stuffed with a mandarin orange and ginger compote.  look closely and you will also see grilled bell peppers that were used both as a veggie, and garnish.  That was my first crown roast and I was really happy with the results.  So was my family.

Seeeeeeya;  Goodweed of the North


----------



## CWS4322 (Oct 9, 2011)

Kayelle said:


> Did you make the filling, and the tamale's on the same day CWS? If you did, you don't cry as easily as me.
> I made the last tamale of my life at 2 AM.


 Yes, I did, but I also make 30 dozen perogies at a time, and lefse, krumkake, rosettes, and dolmatas (not 30 dozen--only perogies get made in that quantity, but 7 dozen krumkake is tiring, especially on Xmas Eve). All of these are "one at a time" things. I do get tired of standing...and I do swat the DH with the wooden spoon if he tries to steal one before I declare he can have one...


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 12, 2011)

podonnel45 said:


> What's the home page picture of?



My mistake.  I thought you were asking what the picture was on my avatar.  My Home Page features a bacon roasted chicken breast with rice and bacon-chicken gravy.  Added to that is cornbread and steamed green beans.

Now that I've answered that question, back to the Op's question; the quantity of food you make inspires me to suggest that you have a tamale party, where you get together with friends and/or family and have a great time working together to make them.  Everything is better with family and good friends.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------

