# Tamales, sauce or not?



## giggler (Jan 14, 2017)

Do y'all eat Tamales often?

When/if you do. Do y'all serve a sauce with them? Either poured over or as a side for dipping?

If, so, what type of sauce do You use?


Sort of a Poll please, Eric Austin Tx.


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## CraigC (Jan 14, 2017)

Tamales can be savory or desert like. We have sauce with with both. Depending on the fill, savory tamales will be served with a green (chicken and pork) or red sauce (pork or beef). Sweet tamales will also have a sauce depending on filling.


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## Kayelle (Jan 14, 2017)

Yep, I always serve tamales with a Ranchero Sauce over the top, and sprinkled with grated cheese. I think tamales are just too dry without a sauce. Here's a recipe close to what I make. 
Ranchero Sauce recipe | Epicurious.com


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## bethzaring (Jan 14, 2017)

I buy locally made pork, red chile tamales frequently and do not sauce them.   They are quite moist when heated up in the microwave in their corn husks.


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## Caslon (Jan 14, 2017)

I sauce my grocery store bought tamales.  A bit too sweet.  I don't need to sauce road stand bought tamales.


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## LizStreithorst (Jan 14, 2017)

Never.  A tamale that needs sauce is not a good tamale.


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## mcrx (Jan 14, 2017)

giggler said:


> Do y'all eat Tamales often?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I feel like I used to eat them plain. Haven't had them in maaany years now, but want to make them! Sounds soo good right now! Hey, I just remembered I picked up microwavable enchilada with verde sauce. That might be a sauce idea for you! (Ok, must go eat now. )


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## msmofet (Jan 14, 2017)

I buy Trader Joe's beef and I use taco sauce. 
When we stop at South of the Border on rt 95 (coming from or going to Florida) we stop for tamales. I use the sauce they provide (both are hot as heck and I pay for it but I love them and don't get there very often).


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## buckytom (Jan 15, 2017)

I've never had a really good tamale, so to me they were almost as much about the sauce as they were the tamale.


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## Kayelle (Jan 15, 2017)

buckytom said:


> I've never had a really good tamale, so to me they were almost as much about the sauce as they were the tamale.



Not to worry Bucky. I've had what I consider some really good tamale's made by local Mexican families but for me, I've never eaten one moist enough to not need a sauce.
Could be just me, but I think a nice Ranchero Sauce is the finishing touch.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 15, 2017)

The best tamales I've had I made myself. They were delicious, although time-consuming. I used a stuffing of Mexican braised chicken mixed with salsa and served it with extra salsa. It's been a while; I should make them again, once I get through some more of the stuff in the freezer.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Jan 15, 2017)

Having lived in the Southwest of the USA for the last 9, going on 10 years, I have had only 2 "good" tamales.
The first was in Tucson at one of the oldest Mexican Restaurants in town.
The second was while in New Mexico, MMM, the best!
No sauce required...
Now...
Here in Northern/Central Arizona, well...
Dry, crumbly, sauce is needed, and Kayelle, that Ranchero sounds fabulous


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 16, 2017)

Usually make my own tamales, and always use a mildly spice tomato based sauce as I've never made a desert tamale (though I've eaten them made by an elderly woman that I visited with a companion.  She made wonderful tamales and inssted on making them so we would come back every moth to help her wth some chores, such as cleaning her bird cage.  Often, she made desert tamales.

If you are making your own tamales, make sure your Masa Harina is fresh.  I inadvertantly used stale Masa harina in my last batch.  The thexture was great.  The filling was spot on.  The sauce was very good.  The finished product was inedible because of the stale flavor.  I need to purchase a new bag of Masa Harina.

Bob Flowers


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## GotGarlic (Jan 16, 2017)

Chief, I've been keeping my bag of masa harina in the freezer for (I'm embarrassed to say how long  ) and it's still good. I really need to make more tamales soon.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 17, 2017)

GG, sounds like a plan.  Thanks for the idea.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## roadfix (Jan 17, 2017)

I usually use some kind of hot sauce with Mexican tamales.    Salvadoran tamales are also very common here and usually eat them as is.


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## Caslon (Jan 18, 2017)

I flew up to a relative awhile ago. I hadn't had delicious tamales in awhile.  Beforehand, she bought 30 tamales, hand made locally, packed in a 5 gallon bucket, neatly. We microwaved those chicken and beef tamales for breakfast, lunch and dinner for days.  I don't ever recall craving salsa on it.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 18, 2017)

Though I adore most Mexican food, I've never really gotten into tamales.  Just don't get into the texture, even though some of our local Mexican ladies make and sell them at some of my schools, and they're very popular.  I do like the sauce though.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Jan 18, 2017)

I normally just sprinkle them with a salsa picante such as Tapatío or Cholula.


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## Cheryl J (Jan 19, 2017)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> I normally just sprinkle them with a salsa picante such as Tapatío or Cholula.


 
Pretty much what SirLoin does....I just drizzle with a little Tapatio.   There are fabulous tamales from some local ladies here...not much else is needed.


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## roadfix (Apr 10, 2017)

I just had some Mexican tamale for lunch at work.  I sometimes use sauce but this one did not need any.   The red mole was hot and moist.


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