Beef Tamales
Learn how to make beef tamales from scratch, featuring tender, spicy beef wrapped in soft, smooth, and slightly fluffy masa, all wrapped in corn husks and steamed to perfection. With this step-by-step guide, complete with pictures for each stage, you'll be able to impress your friends and family with your authentic homemade tamales!
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Instant Pot (For cooking the beef. You can also use a large pot or Dutch Oven, but they will take longer time.)
- Blender or food processor (To blend the chiles and make the chile paste.)
- skillet (For cooking the chile paste and beef filling.)
- Stand mixer (For mixing the masa dough. You can also use a large mixing bowl to mix with your hands. But it will take longer time.)
Ingredients
For the Beef Filling:
- 2 lb beef chuck roast
- 1 onion (quartered)
- 1 tomato
- 1 head garlic (no need to peel)
- 10 California chiles (remove the seeds)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin (or ground cumin)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 piece ginger (1-inch)
- 4 cups water
For the Masa Dough:
- 4 cups masa harina
- 1¼ cup lard (Room temperatured)
- ½ tbsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3½ cup beef broth (reserved from cooking the beef)
Other:
- 24 - 28 dried corn husks
Instructions
Prepare the corn husks:
- Use a large bowl or pot to hold all the corn husks you need to soak. Select large, intact husks and place them in the container. Pour cold water over the husks, ensuring they are fully submerged. Let them soak overnight. (If you forgot to soak the husks in cold water at least 4 hours ahead, you can soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes before using them to wrap tamales. The husks, once soaked, should be soft and flexible, allowing you to fold and wrap them smoothly without tearing.)
Prepare the Beef Filling:
- Cut the beef chuck roast into 2-inch chunks. Place the pieces in an Instant Pot along with the other ingredients listed under "For the Beef Filling." Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 1 to 1.5 hours, until the beef is tender and easy to shred. Alternatively, you can use a large pot or Dutch oven: bring the contents to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the beef is tender, about 2-3 hours.
- Remove the beef from the broth, let it cool slightly, then shred it by hands or using two forks.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to separate the solids from the broth, reserving the broth in a large bowl.
- Place the strained solids into a blender. Remove the whole head of garlic from the solids, squeeze the flesh into the blender, and discard the skin. Add 1 cup of the reserved beef broth to the blender and blend for 1 minute until smooth.
- In a large skillet, add the shredded beef and the chile paste. Mix well and season with salt to taste. Cook for about 15 minutes, stir occasionally, then set aside.
Prepare the Masa Dough:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the masa harina, lard, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed using the paddle attachment until the lard is fully incorporated and the mixture looks crumbly.
- Slowly add 3½ cup of the reserved beef broth to the masa mixture, about 1 cup at a time. Mix on medium speed. After each addition, let the mixture fully absorb the liquid before adding more.
- Continue beating the dough for about 30 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but not too wet.
- To ensure the masa dough is ready, perform a simple test: drop a small ball of dough into a glass of water. If it floats, the dough is ready. If it sinks, continue beating for a few more minutes and test again. (You can also mix by hand or with a sturdy spoon, but the entire mixing process may take up to 1 hour without a stand mixer.)
Assemble and Steam the Tamales:
- Lay a corn husk flat on a large plate, with the wider end away from you and the narrower end closer to you. The rough side should be facing down, and the smooth side facing up.
- Spread the masa in the center of the upper half of the corn husk, leaving 1 inch of space on the left, right, and top edges. Place 1 to 2 spoonful of the beef filling in the center of the masa.
- Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other side over, overlapping the first. Fold up the bottom end of the husk, leaving the top open.
- Optionally, tie up the tamale with a strip of corn husk.
- Continue spreading the masa dough, adding the filling, and folding the husks until all the dough and filling are used up.
- Stand the assembled tamales upright in the steamer basket, with the open ends facing up. Fill the bottom of the steamer with water, making sure the water level is below the steamer basket. Cover the pot and steam the tamales for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the masa is firm and easily pulls away from the husk. Check the water level periodically and add more water as needed to prevent it from drying out.
- Allow the tamales to cool slightly before serving.
Storage and Reheating:
- Allow the tamales to cool completely before storing.
- For short term storage: Place cooled tamales in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For long term storage: wrap each tamale in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Put the wrapped tamales in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label the bag with the date. Frozen tamales can last for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then steam or microwave to heat. You can also steam them directly from frozen.