Best 4 Spicy Beef Tamales Recipes

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**Feast on Authentic Mexican Flavors: A Journey Through Spicy Beef Tamales Recipes**

Embark on a culinary adventure to the heart of Mexican cuisine with our collection of spicy beef tamales recipes. Tamales, a traditional Mesoamerican dish, are delectable pockets of corn dough filled with savory fillings, steamed to perfection in banana leaves. Our recipes showcase a tantalizing array of flavors, from the classic red chili sauce to the unique green tomatillo salsa. Prepare to indulge in a symphony of textures and tastes as you explore these authentic Mexican delights.

Let's cook with our recipes!

BEEF TAMALES



Beef Tamales image

These are just like the tamales my Abuelita used to make for special occasions. This recipe makes a lot, but if you're going to go to all the trouble of making tamales from scratch, you might as well have a party! You will need butchers' twine and a large pot with a steamer basket to make these. May be frozen up to 6 months in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator and then steam or microwave until heated through.

Provided by jenn

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 6h30m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 17

4 pounds boneless chuck roast
4 cloves garlic
3 (8 ounce) packages dried corn husks
4 dried ancho chiles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon white vinegar
salt to taste
3 cups lard
1 tablespoon salt
9 cups masa harina

Steps:

  • Place beef and garlic in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as water boils, reduce heat to a simmer and cover pot. Let simmer for 3 1/2 hours, until beef is tender and shreds easily. When beef is done, remove from pot, reserving 5 cups cooking liquid and discarding garlic. Allow meat to cool slightly, and shred finely with forks.
  • Meanwhile, place corn husks in a large container and cover with warm water. Allow to soak for 3 hours, until soft and pliable. May need to weight down with an inverted plate and a heavy can.
  • Toast ancho chiles in a cast iron skillet, making sure not to burn them. Allow to cool and then remove stems and seeds. Crumble and grind in a clean coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet. Mix in flour and allow to brown slightly. Pour in 1 cup beef broth and stir until smooth. Mix in ground chiles, cumin seeds, ground cumin, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt. Stir shredded beef into skillet and cover. Let simmer 45 minutes.
  • Place lard and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Add masa harina and beat at low speed until well mixed. Pour in reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until mixture is the consistency of soft cookie dough.
  • Drain water from corn husks. One at a time, flatten out each husk, with the narrow end facing you, and spread approximately 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the top 2/3 of the husk. Spread about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture down the middle of the masa. Roll up the corn husk starting at one of the long sides. Fold the narrow end of the husk onto the rolled tamale and tie with a piece of butchers' twine.
  • Place tamales in a steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for approximately one hour, until masa is firm and holds its shape. Make sure steamer does not run out of water. Serve immediately, allowing each person to unwrap their own tamales. Allow any leftovers (still in husks) to cool, uncovered, in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 346.8 calories, Carbohydrate 23.3 g, Cholesterol 38 mg, Fat 24.4 g, Fiber 3.2 g, Protein 9.1 g, SaturatedFat 9.1 g, Sodium 247.6 mg, Sugar 0.2 g

BEEF TAMALES



Beef Tamales image

Provided by Tyler Florence

Categories     main-dish

Time 5h30m

Yield 3 dozen

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 pounds beef shoulder roast
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 garlic bulb, cloves removed and peeled
4 ounces dried New Mexico chilies
2 ounces ancho chiles
2 ounces pasilla chiles
2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted
1 tablespoons salt
2 bags dried corn husks, about 3 dozen
4 cups masa mix
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups reserved beef broth, warm
1 cup vegetable shortening

Steps:

  • Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to cover the roast along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic. Cook until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. When done, remove the roast to a platter to cool, reserve the beef broth. Hand shred the meat and set aside.
  • To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.) Puree the chiles until smooth. Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if necessary. Add the shredded beef to the bowl of chili sauce, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Go through the dried cornhusks, separate them and discard the silk, be careful since the husks are fragile when dry. Soak them in a sink filled with warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time, working it in with your fingers. In a small bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a spongy texture.
  • Rinse, drain, and dry the corn husks. Set them out on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and beef in chili sauce. Start with the largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon dipped in water. Do not use too much! Add about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
  • Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.
  • The tamales are done when the inside pulls away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy. To serve, unfold the husk and spoon about a tablespoon of remaining beef filling on top.

HOMEMADE BEEF TAMALES



Homemade Beef Tamales image

Homemade tamales with homemade tortillas. Top with sour cream.

Provided by Marvin Howard

Categories     100+ Everyday Cooking Recipes

Time 1h40m

Yield 25

Number Of Ingredients 15

5 pounds ground beef
1 (4 ounce) can chopped roasted green chile peppers
5 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as Cholula®)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, pressed, divided
1 tablespoon minced white onion
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (2 pound) package yellow masa flour
2 tablespoons lard
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups water, divided
50 dried corn husks
8 ounces grated Chihuaua cheese, or to taste
5 tablespoons chili powder

Steps:

  • Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add beef, green chiles, hot sauce, salt, 3 cloves garlic, onion, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until beef is thoroughly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the drippings.
  • Combine reserved drippings, masa, lard, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix well. Add up to 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture is as thick as biscuit dough. Divide into 50 equal balls. Place dough balls between 2 cutting boards each lined with a sheet of waxed paper; flatten into circles.
  • Place each dough circle into a corn husk. Spoon about 3 tablespoons beef mixture in a line across the middle of each husk. Top with a small amount of cheese. Fold opposing sides of the tortilla to overlap the filling. Roll the husk around the tamale and fold in one end.
  • Combine the remaining 1 clove garlic, 1 cup water, and chili powder in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring chili sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
  • Stand a batch of the tamales, folded ends-down, in a steamer basket on top of a double boiler over simmering water. Bring water to a boil; cover and steam for 20 minutes. Remove tamales from heat; remove husks and top tamales with the chili sauce. Repeat with remaining tamales.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 375.2 calories, Carbohydrate 29.7 g, Cholesterol 66.2 mg, Fat 19.5 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Protein 20.6 g, SaturatedFat 7.9 g, Sodium 454.3 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

SPICY CAJUN TAMALES



Spicy Cajun Tamales image

I got this from the famous New Orleans Radio Chef Frank Davis. I like the taste of a spicy ground beef in my tamale, as opposed to that stringy, chewy shredded beef!

Provided by Grandpa Harry

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 1h45m

Yield 24 tamales

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 lbs lean ground meat
2 cups Ballard cornbread mix
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies
1 envelope Two Alarm chili mix
1 (16 ounce) can peeled tomatoes (, chopped)
1 (2 1/2 ounce) can Mexican chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cups water
salt
cayenne pepper

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:

  • Soak the corn husks: Soaking the corn husks in warm water for at least 30 minutes will make them pliable and easy to work with.
  • Use fresh masa harina: Fresh masa harina will give your tamales a better flavor and texture than store-bought masa harina.
  • Season the meat well: The meat is the main ingredient in these tamales, so it's important to season it well. Use a variety of spices, such as chili powder, cumin, and oregano, to create a flavorful filling.
  • Don't overfill the tamales: Overfilling the tamales will make them difficult to wrap and cook evenly.
  • Steam the tamales for at least 1 hour: Steaming the tamales for at least 1 hour will ensure that they are cooked through.
  • Let the tamales cool slightly before serving: Let the tamales cool slightly before serving so that they are easier to handle.

Conclusion:

Spicy beef tamales are a delicious and flavorful dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are perfect for a party or potluck, or as a quick and easy meal. With a little planning and preparation, you can make delicious spicy beef tamales at home. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting dish to try, give these spicy beef tamales a try. You won't be disappointed!

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