10 Essential Tips To Perfect Your Homemade Tamales

The issue is some of these are minor details that can be easily missed by beginners. That’s precisely why we consulted two tamale specialists who have been crafting these delectable bites since childhood. We talked to two skilled chefs and food industry experts who generously disclosed their insights.

Whether you have a beloved recipe for tamales that you’re aiming to perfect or you’re a complete novice in the kitchen, it’s a smart approach to anticipate and resolve issues beforehand. Here are several of the most frequent mistakes individuals make while preparing tamales and strategies to rectify or circumvent them. Thus, during your next endeavor, they’ll turn out better than they ever have.

The dough that forms the outer layer of tamales is referred to as masa. This should not be confused with masa harina, which is a variety of corn flour typically utilized in tamales (and also in corn tortillas and various other dishes). While preparing masa, a frequent error is using too little fat. It may seem inconsequential, but this can lead to numerous issues.

Lard is commonly used in Mexican cuisine and is the primary fat selected for tamales. However, if lard is unavailable, you can substitute vegetable shortening. This will yield results very similar to lard but is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans, making it an excellent option when cooking for individuals who avoid meat. Ellen Marie Bennett, a professional chef and founder of the culinary gear brand Hedley & Bennett, who learned to make tamales with her grandmother, recommends substituting butter for lard in sweet tamales.

Regardless of the fat you opt for, ensuring an adequate quantity is vital. As Lucia Gomez, sous chef of Mezcal at Montage Los Cabos, states, insufficient fat in the masa may cause tamales to cling to the husks during unwrapping. “A properly prepared masa will cook, and the fats will form a protective layer between the husk and the masa, preventing any sticking,” she remarks. Furthermore, Bennett advises that with insufficient fat, the texture will fail to achieve that tender, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

It’s not merely about the quantity of fat used when preparing tamales, but also the technique employed. Whipping the fat for the masa is a crucial step that many tend to forget. When confronted with a lengthy recipe, you might view it as an extra, unnecessary task that consumes additional time, but it serves an important purpose.

“You should whip the fat until it reaches a consistency similar to that of cake frosting before incorporating it with your masa,” advises Ellen Marie Bennett. Why is this important? Aerating the fat allows air to be folded in, creating a lighter masa. This ultimately results in tamales that are more airy and spongy. Although simple, this step can greatly enhance the outcome.

To achieve the proper consistency for the fat, beat it in a stand mixer at medium speed for about four minutes or perhaps a tad longer using a handheld electric mixer. Attempting this manually isn’t advisable, as it would require excessive effort. At this juncture, you can mix in the dry ingredients, like masa harina flour and baking powder.

As per Ellen Marie Bennett, both insufficient and excessive mixing of masa are frequent mistakes. It’s relatively simple to overmix when you’re kneading the masa manually, but considerably easier to do so with a stand mixer. Both overmixing and undermixing can result in issues, making it essential to find the right balance.

Kneading masa takes roughly five minutes in a hand mixer, eight to ten minutes with an electric hand mixer, or fifteen to twenty minutes if done manually. The resulting dough should resemble a thick, airy, spreadable cake batter—thicker than pancake batter yet less dense than bread or pastry dough.

Undermixing poses a greater issue than overmixing. If undermixed, the masa won’t incorporate enough air, resulting in a dense texture. Conversely, overmixing can expel the air that was integrated, leading to the same problem. Additionally, overmixing is unnecessary and could waste time.

Failing to adequately hydrate the masa by using insufficient water or broth is a frequent blunder made by individuals preparing homemade tamales. This ultimately results in dry, crumbly tamales. Unfortunately, you won’t discover this until after they have been steamed, which can be quite disappointing.

“A dry tamale is never enjoyable to eat, so inadequate hydration of the masa is a significant mistake,” comments chef Lucia Gomez. “This is a common issue since well-hydrated masa is more challenging to handle,” she adds. Therefore, adhere to the recipe and refrain from assuming you know better regarding the amount of liquid to add.

Typically, recipes require incrementally adding a certain amount of water or broth to the masa while blending. At some stage, you might believe you have integrated enough liquid and that the dough is ready to knead, but it’s crucial to utilize all the liquid specified in the recipe. A properly hydrated dough results in moist, fluffy tamales, which is the desired outcome. When adequately hydrated, masa can be sticky, but this does not imply that it is too wet.

A lot of individuals regard the masa as trivial when compared to the filling, but that’s not true. It also contributes significant flavor to tamales and is an essential aspect of their attractiveness. Therefore, you should steer clear of the error of insufficiently seasoning the masa or otherwise neglecting its taste.

Lucia Gomez from Mezcal discusses the necessity of incorporating salt into the masa, emphasizing that it isn’t solely the filling that imparts flavor to the final tamales. “Well-seasoned masa will make your tamales shine,” says Ellen Marie Bennett of Hedley & Bennett. “Taste as you proceed and don’t hesitate with your spices,” she adds.

Numerous recipes also suggest broth for the masa instead of water. This is another method to enhance its flavor. A quality homemade stock will yield the absolute best tasting results; however, a high-quality store-bought alternative will suffice. Just ensure that it’s something you enjoy the flavor of before incorporating it into your masa.

When crafting tamales, you might not be aware of the regional differences. Failing to recognize this can lead you to miss out on some fantastic options. The types that many are acquainted with are Mexican tamales; however, Delta-style tamales are a choice that is often overlooked beyond specific areas in the U.S.

So, what distinguishes Delta tamales from Mexican tamales? To begin, let’s examine their origins. Mexican tamales are the originals, but when individuals from Mexico began immigrating to the U.S. for work, they brought their tamales along. They adapted to the flavors and ingredients typical of the American South and evolved over time.

A major distinction lies in the corn used. Mexican tamales utilize masa harina, whereas Delta-style tamales employ cornmeal. Cornmeal yields crumblier, grainier tamales compared to their Mexican counterparts, but it also offers a more pronounced corn flavor that many enjoy. Delta tamales are typically smaller than Mexican ones, served with sauce, and they are simmered rather than steamed. Generally, it is challenging to find Delta-style tamales outside of the American South.

For those unfamiliar, it may be challenging to determine when your masa is just right. This could result in you going through the lengthy steaming process only to end up with unsatisfactory tamales. Fortunately, there’s a simple method: the float test. If you aren’t utilizing this method to discern whether your masa is prepared for forming tamales, you’re making things unnecessarily difficult for yourself.

So, what does the float test entail? Essentially, it requires tearing off a small piece of masa and dropping it into a glass of water. “If it floats, you’re in great shape — it signifies your masa is light, airy, and ready for steaming,” Ellen Marie Bennett elucidates. “If it sinks, that indicates it requires a bit more air and fat.”

If you’re curious about why this occurs, chef Lucia Gomez provides the explanation. She explains that masa is an emulsion of fat and its other components. You likely know that oil consistently floats on the surface of a glass of water. Well, “when we execute a tamale masa test, it operates on the same principle,” Gomez states. If the masa doesn’t float, it’s indicating that there’s insufficient fat within the mixture. What’s the outcome? “If we were to cook the dough as is, we would end up with a dry tamale that might adhere to the corn husk or banana leaf it’s cooked in,” remarks Gomez.

Tamales are prepared individually within corn husks. This retains the warmth and moisture so they steam appropriately and also maintains their shape. However, a frequent mistake when crafting tamales is neglecting to adequately soak the corn husks.

It is essential to soak the corn husks to make them pliable and prevent them from rupturing. Otherwise, your tamales may become desiccated during cooking. Ellen Marie Bennett suggests immersing the husks in hot water for about 30 minutes before starting the assembly process. Lucia Gomez recommends separating the husks prior to soaking since some are thicker than others and require more time to soften. Once they appear sufficiently flexible to encase a tamale, they’re ready to be utilized.

It’s noteworthy that in Oaxaca and Southern Mexico, individuals use banana leaves instead of corn husks for wrapping tamales. This is primarily due to availability — in this area, banana leaves are more accessible than corn husks. Nevertheless, they tend to impart a distinct sweetness to the tamales. They can be found fresh or frozen, so hydration isn’t necessary, though some people warm them over a gas flame to enhance their pliability and reduce the likelihood of cracking.

Ellen Marie Bennett emphasizes that a little goes a long way here. You want to achieve the right balance of masa to filling. Excess masa will result in tamales that resemble primarily steamed cornbread without much filling inside. However, at the same time, you also don’t want the filling to dominate the outer layer.

You require approximately 2 tablespoons of masa per tamale, distributed thinly over the corn husk, ensuring a margin of about 1 inch at the top and sides and 2 inches at the tapered base. You can eliminate any surplus if the layer ends up excessively thick, but 2 tablespoons is generally enough to create a 4-inch square. It may not appear substantial, but tamales expand while steaming, meaning you will have more of the outer layer than you might anticipate.

The allure of tamales lies in the virtually limitless array of fillings you can use. You can play around with numerous combinations of flavors and textures. Therefore, it’s quite unfortunate if you consistently resort to the same choices.

However, it’s natural to seek some inspiration. “My absolute favorites?” Ellen Marie Bennett shares. “The classics: pork with red chile, chicken with green chile, and delightful options like pineapple or chocolate mole.” That’s correct — you can create sweet dessert tamales in addition to savory ones — and we highly encourage you to try it. Yet, you can also think outside the box. Grilled corn, mango salsa, and fresh herbs; roasted vegetables, crispy onions, and chimichurri; or simply a hefty amount of cheese.

Lucia Gomez mentions that she considers the three main elements of her fillings while crafting them — the fat, the liquid, and the filling itself. Thus, she might prepare a veggie tamale with her chosen vegetable oil, a vegetable broth, and puréed sweet potato. This approach helps in developing a more unified filling. Nevertheless, she also suggests being inventive.

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