**Tamales, a New Orleans Homestyle Dish with a Twist**
In the heart of New Orleans, where culinary traditions intertwine, there lies a delectable dish that captures the essence of homestyle cooking: the Hot Tamales. These savory treats, skillfully crafted with a blend of masa harina, tender meat, and aromatic spices, offer a unique taste that tantalizes the palate. Our comprehensive guide presents two irresistible variations of this New Orleans classic: the traditional Beef Tamales and the delectable Vegetarian Tamales. Embark on a culinary journey as we unveil the secrets behind these soulful dishes, providing step-by-step instructions, a list of essential ingredients, and insightful tips to elevate your tamale-making experience. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, let us guide you in creating these homestyle hot tamales that are sure to become a cherished part of your culinary repertoire.
HOMESTYLE HOT TAMALES - NEW ORLEANS STYLE
This Deep South tamale recipe from The Times-Picayune uses the cornmeal dough around the filling I am more accustomed to. From The Times-Picayune - "This New Orleans-style tamale is similar to Delta tamales. It was originally sent in by a reader in Chalmette." Anyone who can let me know about the right kind of paper wrapper please Zmail so I can get it right by the time it gets cold enough to make these boogers.
Provided by Busters friend
Categories Onions
Time 3h
Yield 150 tamales
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Put 150 to 180 tamale papers in water. Put in one at a time, sink it and add another until all are submerged. Set aside.
- Thoroughly combine all ingredients for meat mixture. Roll into finger-sized logs (approximately 150 to 180). Set aside.
- Combine cornmeal and salt with shortening, blending well with your hands. (The dough should be dark yellow and adhere easily to the outside of a meat log; if not, add more shortening.) Enclose each meat log in the cornmeal dough; place on a paper and roll halfway up; then tuck in one side of the paper and finish rolling.
- Cover the bottom of a large pot with chili powder. Add a row of tamales and sprinkle top with chili powder; then add another row, facing in the opposite direction, and sprinkle top with chili powder. Continue in this fashion until all of the tamales are layered in the pot.
- Pour cans of tomato sauce on top; then add water until all tamales are covered. Wait a few minutes (because water will soak into the layers) and pour in additional water until tamales are covered again. Bring to a boil and cook on high for 5 minutes; then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
HOT TAMALES (LOUISIANA STYLE)
These take a bit of time to roll, but the end result is well worth the effort. My Maw maw-in-law taught me how to make hot tamales with this recipe (she learned how to make them from a friend in Texas.) You can adjust the spices to your tastes- my husband loves it when you use tablespoons instead of teaspoons, but I find it too hot. You can also use all beef instead of that 1 lb of pork, if you prefer. Tamale wrappers are available in specialty stores, or online, although some grocery stores carry them. You will need 80-100 6-inch paper tamale wrappers, which are not listed in the ingredients as they aren't food. This recipe makes a lot by design, and they freeze wonderfully. I took pictures of the steps involved in rolling the tamales and posted them on my blog in case my directions aren't clear: http://randomcreativity.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/tamales/
Provided by Random Rachel
Categories Meat
Time 3h30m
Yield 75 tamales, 25 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Run onions, celery, garlic, and bell pepper through your food processor until they are finely minced.
- In a very large bowl, combine ground meat, minced veggies, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix together thoroughly using your hands. Add in the rotel, 1 cup of corn meal, and 1 can of tomato sauce; mix again. (You need to mix the wet ingredients in separately from the spices so that the spices don't all clump together in one spot.)
- Lay out your papers beside two baking sheets or trays. Add 1 cup of cornmeal to one baking sheet, to roll the tamales in (the other one is to stack completed tamales on.)
- Pinch off some of the meat mixture, and form into a ping pong sized ball. Roll it in the cornmeal, coating it as thick as you can. Place in the center of a tamale paper on one side, and roll. The ball should squish into a log, leaving an inch of the wrapper empty on either end. Press down the top of both empty ends, and fold the two sides of the ends in before folding them under the tamale.
- Repeat with the remainder of the meat mixture. After a few, you get the feel of how much meat it will take to fill the wrapper up enough. We got 75 tamales out of one batch, it depends on how big you make them.
- In a large dutch oven, pour in the 1/2 cup oil and 1 can tomato sauce. Cover with a layer of tamales, then a can of sauce, and a sprinkle of chili powder, repeating until you run out of tamales. Fill the pan with water until the tamales are just covered.
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 2 - 2 1/2 hours till done, adding water if necessary.
NEW ORLEANS HOT TAMALES
This is for a request of Hot Tamales. My mom used to make these, at least I think this is the recipe she used to use. :-) I am unsure of how many this makes, maybe a few dozen. (Recipe is from Chef Frank Davis: http://z.wwltv.com/frankdavis/Old_Recipes/realneworleanstamales.htm)
Provided by Kikimony
Categories Cajun
Time 2h15m
Yield 1 batch
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Start off by sautéing the ground beef and onions until the beef browns and the onions become tender.
- At this point, strain the meat and drain off all but a couple tablespoons of the beef drippings; But KEEP IT IN RESERVE-you'll need it later.
- Then combine into the meat the Rotel tomatoes, the chili mix, the peeled tomatoes, the chili powder, the cumin, the water, and your salt and cayenne pepper.
- Now... bring the mixture to a slow boil; but as soon as the boil begins, reduce the heat to low and simmer everything together (with the cover on the pot) for about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Next, strain the meat again from the juices (but save the juices); Then put the meat back into the pot and stir in the cornbread mix and one cup of meat drippings you saved from the sautéing process.
- At this point, you can adjust the"spicyness" of the tamales by adding either more chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Then mix everything together extremely well once more- and note- you want the tamale mixture to be moist and pasty, but not"wet".
- Finally, place about a tablespoon of the meat stuffing into the center of a moistened tamale paper, roll the paper around the tamale, and put the rolled tamales into a deep steamer pot.
- Then ladle over the tamales all the juices and drippings you reserved during the preparation process and simmer everything on low for about 45 minutes.
- When you're ready to eat, serve them piping hot.
HOMESTYLE HOT TAMALES
From The Times-Picayune - "This recipe ran in the Times-Picayune in the early 1970s and is similar to Manuel's Hot Tamales, which did not return after Hurricane Katrina." If anyone knows what type of paper is used in this recipe please Zmail me - wax paper doesn't seem right as it doesn't need wetting ...
Provided by Busters friend
Categories Onions
Time 2h45m
Yield 90 tamales
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Mix by hand in a large bowl the meat, onion, 2 ounces chili powder, 1 can tomato sauce, water, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne and ½ cup corn meal. Prepare two shallow bowls, one with water and one with additional plain corn meal. Take about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture at a time and shape into a small log. Roll lightly in additional corn meal.
- Roll in paper that has been passed through water (one paper at a time). Close one end and roll up, folding remaining edge under. Put tamales in rows in opposite directions in a large roaster that can be covered and used on the stove.
- Bring two quarts water to a boil and add remaining tomato sauce and 1 ounce chili powder. Cover tamales with mixture, adding more water if needed. Cover and simmer for 2 hours on stovetop. Serve warm with buttered crackers. Tamales re-warm well in microwave.
Tips:
- For extra flavor, use fresh corn husks instead of dried ones.
- Make sure the masa dough is well hydrated and smooth. If it's too dry, the tamales will be tough.
- When wrapping the tamales, make sure to fold the husks tightly so that the filling doesn't spill out.
- Steam the tamales for at least 1 hour, or until the masa dough is cooked through. A skewer should come out clean when inserted into the center of a tamale.
- Serve tamales hot with your favorite toppings, such as salsa, sour cream, and guacamole.
Conclusion:
New Orleans-style tamales are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They're also a great way to use up leftover meat, vegetables, and beans. With a little practice, you'll be able to make tamales like a pro! So what are you waiting for? Get cooking!
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