**Hot Tamales, A Taste of Louisiana:**
Indulge in the bold and savory flavors of Louisiana-style hot tamales, a delectable dish that captivates taste buds with its unique blend of spices, tender meat, and a rich, flavorful masa dough. Originating from the heart of Cajun country, these hot tamales are a celebration of Louisiana's culinary heritage, offering a taste of tradition in every bite. Our collection of recipes provides a step-by-step guide to crafting authentic Louisiana hot tamales, exploring variations that range from classic pork tamales to adventurous seafood and vegetarian options. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey that will leave you craving more.
HOT TAMALES
Provided by Alton Brown
Time 5h45m
Yield 4 to 5 dozen tamales
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, kosher salt, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and cumin. Divide the mixture in half and reserve 1 half for later use.
- Cut the Boston butt into 6 even pieces and place into a 6 to 8-quart saucepan. Add half of the spice mixture and enough water, 3 to 3 1/2 quarts, to completely cover the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the meat from the cooking liquid to a cutting board. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot. Both meat and liquid need to cool slightly before making dough and handling. Remove any large pieces of fat and shred the meat into small pieces, pulling apart with your hands or using 2 forks.
- Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and remaining half of the spice mixture and continue to cook for another minute. Add the meat and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- While the meat is cooking, place the husks in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in hot water. Soak the husks until they are soft and pliable, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- For the dough:
- Place the cornmeal, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the lard and using your hands, knead together until the lard is well incorporated into the dry mixture. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 3 to 4 cups to create a dough that is like thick mashed potatoes. The dough should be moist but not wet. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside until ready to use.
- To assemble the tamales:
- Remove a corn husks from the water and pat dry to remove excess water. Working in batches of 6, lay the husks on a towel and spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the husk so the dough surrounds the meat, then fold the bottom under to finish creating the tamale. Repeat until all husks, dough and filling are used. Tie the tamales, around the center, individually or in groups of 3, with kitchen twine.
- To cook the tamales:
- Stand the tamales upright on their folded ends, tightly packed together, in the same saucepan used to cook the meat. Add the reserved broth from making the dough and any additional water so the liquid comes to 1-inch below the tops of the tamales. Try not to pour the broth directly into the tops of the tamales. Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 12 minutes. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to low, to maintain a low simmer, and cook until the dough is firm and pulls away easily from the husk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Serve the tamales warm. For a 'wet' hot tamale, serve with additional simmering liquid. Store leftover tamales, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the freezer, for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and steam until heated through.;
EASY HOT TAMALES
I got this recipe from a co-worker and played around with it. I hate Tamales that dont have enough meat. These babies are meaty and full of flavor.Plus they are super easy!! They are the best left over and they freeze beautifully!! It sounds like alot of ingredients but its really easy.
Provided by Debbie W
Categories Other Appetizers
Time 2h15m
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- 1. Mix all of the meat ingredients in a large mixing bowl.Set to the side.
- 2. In a shallow pan mix the cormeal mixture and get a a steam pot ready. I crumble up foil in the bottom of a large pot.
- 3. I take a large rounded tablespoon of the meat mixture and drop it in the dry cornmeal mixture. Roll lightly in mix shapping to make rolls about 3-4 inches long. Place tamale on a wrapper(coffee filter). Wrap and fold in the ends. Stack in a pot to steam.Should make 4-5 dozen.
- 4. Pour steam mixture over tamales and add enough water to almost cover tamales. Bring to boil and and reduce to medium heat and cover. Steam for approx 1 hour and 15 min. Allow the temales to cool before serving.
GRANDMA RUTHS HOT TAMALES
Once thought to have been taken to the grave with her. My father stumbled across my grandmothers recipe a few years after her passing. Loved by the whole family and all her friends. Enjoy!
Provided by Chef Teer
Categories Mexican
Time 3h
Yield 6 Dozen, 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 1. Note: 1tsp cayenne for milder tamales. Soak corn husk in water several hours before or even overnight to make them softer to work with.
- 2. Combine all ingredients in cast iron skillet and cook until meat is done.
- 3. Follow directions on side of bag to make the corn Masa mix.
- 4. Lay out 1st corn husk on baking "cookie" sheet. Add masa and spread about 16th of an inch thick.
- 5. Add 1-2 spoons of meat and roll oblong (weenie style). One end open, the other end folded.
- 6. Tie the made tamales in bundles of six with 2 lengths of twine cut about 1 foot long.
- 7. Place all bundles of tamales open end up steam basket pot and cover pot with lid.
- 8. Steam tamales for 2 hours.
- 9. Can be frozen or canned. I vacuum seal mine in the bundles of six, freeze and take out as needed. You can Re-heat by steaming, microwaving, or on cookie baking sheet in oven.
- Yields: approximately 6 dozen.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 3794.5, Fat 43.9, SaturatedFat 6.2, Sodium 3469, Carbohydrate 790.5, Fiber 77.9, Sugar 23.6, Protein 99.8
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.
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.
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.
Tips:
- Choose the right tamales: Louisiana-style hot tamales typically use masa harina, a type of corn flour, as the base. Ensure you have high-quality masa harina for the best results.
- Soak the corn husks: Before using the corn husks to wrap the tamales, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes. This will make them pliable and easier to work with.
- Season the masa dough well: The masa dough should be well-seasoned with salt, pepper, and other spices to your taste. You can also add fillings like cooked meat, cheese, or vegetables.
- Wrap the tamales tightly: When wrapping the tamales in the corn husks, ensure they are wrapped tightly to prevent the filling from leaking out during cooking.
- Steam the tamales thoroughly: Steam the tamales for at least 1 hour or until the masa dough is cooked through. You can use a steamer basket or a large pot with a steamer insert.
Conclusion:
Making Louisiana-style hot tamales at home can be a fun and rewarding experience. With careful preparation and attention to detail, you can create delicious and authentic tamales that will impress your family and friends. Experiment with different fillings and seasonings to find your perfect combination. Enjoy the unique flavors and textures of this iconic Louisiana dish!
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