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Tamales: I see a lot here about the red chile pork filling, but what about beef??
- Thread starter cheezz
- Start date
No, I have a favorite masa. I've tried 3 or 4 versions & finally settled on one.
When I had a tamale making party, we made the masa in the link and Rick Bayless' masa. We forgot to mark which were which but once you steamed them & tasted, you knew instantly. The recipe in the link comes from my friend Naomi who used to run a take out and catering business and her tamales were considered the best in town.
http://seattlemexicanfoodblog.typepad.com/vvblog/2009/06/fat-is-not-a-fourletter-word.html#tpe-action-posted-6a00e55279aa28883301761778891a970c
When I had a tamale making party, we made the masa in the link and Rick Bayless' masa. We forgot to mark which were which but once you steamed them & tasted, you knew instantly. The recipe in the link comes from my friend Naomi who used to run a take out and catering business and her tamales were considered the best in town.
http://seattlemexicanfoodblog.typepad.com/vvblog/2009/06/fat-is-not-a-fourletter-word.html#tpe-action-posted-6a00e55279aa28883301761778891a970c
I render my own lard but that's mostly due to lack of access. You? If you
don't want to render lard, I'd imagine you could find a source near you (Mexican resto or Mexican butcher).
Here's my schedule.
- I usually make the filling...or several...and freeze them (2 weeks ahead)
- Render lard & chill it. (1 week ahead)*
- Thaw the fillings (1 day ahead)
- Make the masa & fill the tamales.
- Steam or freeze the finished tamales**
* I usually render about 10 pounds of lard at a time. You probably won't need that much, but it lasts.
** Frozen tamales can go directly into the steamer and while I haven't timed it, I'm guessing they take about an hour.
don't want to render lard, I'd imagine you could find a source near you (Mexican resto or Mexican butcher).
Here's my schedule.
- I usually make the filling...or several...and freeze them (2 weeks ahead)
- Render lard & chill it. (1 week ahead)*
- Thaw the fillings (1 day ahead)
- Make the masa & fill the tamales.
- Steam or freeze the finished tamales**
* I usually render about 10 pounds of lard at a time. You probably won't need that much, but it lasts.
** Frozen tamales can go directly into the steamer and while I haven't timed it, I'm guessing they take about an hour.
Homesick Texan has a terrific lard rendering tutorial. I believe others on the swap
(Joe?) have talked about rendering lard in the oven or the crockpot. It takes some time but I think it's worth it.
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-render-lard.html
(Joe?) have talked about rendering lard in the oven or the crockpot. It takes some time but I think it's worth it.
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-to-render-lard.html
michael-in-phoenix
Well-known member
I won't use commercial lard in my tamales after trying Rick Bayless's recipe...
...for rendering lard at home.
It's easy, and the lard you get is so much tastier. It really makes a difference in the flavor of the masa. My thinking is that if you are going to eat lard at all, shouldn't it be the "good stuff"?
Here's Rick Bayless's instructions:
2 lb pork fat, cut into 1 inch cubes ( do not use bacon or salt pork)
Directions
Preheat oven to 275 deg F. Spread the cubes out in a deep baking dish, place in oven.
Stir every once in a while as the fat renders into a clear liquid.
When the baking dish contains only clear liquid and browned bits (about 2 hours), carefully remove the dish from the oven (letting the cracklings color richly gives the lard a fuller, roastier flavor).
Let the lard cool to lukewarm, then strain.
Store the lard in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator (freeze if you won't use it all within a month).
MY NOTES:
I get packages of trimmed pork fat from the markets that cater to mostly latino neighborhoods here in Phoenix. Don't hesitate to ask your neighborhood meat guy to save some for you if you don't see it in the meat case. Find out when they recieve their pork shipment each week. Usually they cut and package the meat the same day and the fat is available then.
I use sheet pans, mainly because I can fit two at a time in my oven and render more lard. The sides are low, so I have to be very careful when I move them in and out of the oven.
I strain the lard through a medium sieve. I keep it in the fridge in quart mason jars.
Keep in mind, rendered lard has less saturated fat than butter! Lard is not evil. Maybe a little pig-headed, but not evil!
Michael
...for rendering lard at home.
It's easy, and the lard you get is so much tastier. It really makes a difference in the flavor of the masa. My thinking is that if you are going to eat lard at all, shouldn't it be the "good stuff"?
Here's Rick Bayless's instructions:
2 lb pork fat, cut into 1 inch cubes ( do not use bacon or salt pork)
Directions
Preheat oven to 275 deg F. Spread the cubes out in a deep baking dish, place in oven.
Stir every once in a while as the fat renders into a clear liquid.
When the baking dish contains only clear liquid and browned bits (about 2 hours), carefully remove the dish from the oven (letting the cracklings color richly gives the lard a fuller, roastier flavor).
Let the lard cool to lukewarm, then strain.
Store the lard in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator (freeze if you won't use it all within a month).
MY NOTES:
I get packages of trimmed pork fat from the markets that cater to mostly latino neighborhoods here in Phoenix. Don't hesitate to ask your neighborhood meat guy to save some for you if you don't see it in the meat case. Find out when they recieve their pork shipment each week. Usually they cut and package the meat the same day and the fat is available then.
I use sheet pans, mainly because I can fit two at a time in my oven and render more lard. The sides are low, so I have to be very careful when I move them in and out of the oven.
I strain the lard through a medium sieve. I keep it in the fridge in quart mason jars.
Keep in mind, rendered lard has less saturated fat than butter! Lard is not evil. Maybe a little pig-headed, but not evil!
Michael
G
Guest
Guest
A vendor at my farmer's market sells lard, thank goodness!
Butter?! Really?? In the book from Tamales 101 by Alice Guadalupe Tapp
(from the Tamar's Tamales Restaurant), the followoing is her masa recipe - one my husband almost swooned over, it was so light, fluffy and delicious...
Basic Fresh Masa Recipe:
Purchase unprepared* masa and prepare it as follows for a perfectly light, flavorful dough.
5 pounds fresh masa dough (unprepared)
1 pound butter (or margarine if preferred)
2-3 cups meat (chicken, pork, beef) or vegetable stock (chicken stock recipe follows)
2 tablespoons (or less) of salt
Place the butter into a bowl and ship until fluffy, 2 minutes. Add the fresh masa alternately with the stock and add the salt. Beat until well mixed and turn mixer to high and beat for approximately 3-5 minutes or until masa resembles spackling paste.
Take a small piece (1/2 teaspoon) and drop it into a cup of cold water. If it floats it is ready, if it sinks, whip for another minute and test it again. Repeat this process until the masa floats.
Note: The fresher the masa, the faster it will become light and fluffy enough for use. Using 1/2 cup of masa per tamale, one pound of unprepared masa will yield approximately one dozen tamales so this recipe will make approximately 60 tamales.
(from the Tamar's Tamales Restaurant), the followoing is her masa recipe - one my husband almost swooned over, it was so light, fluffy and delicious...
Basic Fresh Masa Recipe:
Purchase unprepared* masa and prepare it as follows for a perfectly light, flavorful dough.
5 pounds fresh masa dough (unprepared)
1 pound butter (or margarine if preferred)
2-3 cups meat (chicken, pork, beef) or vegetable stock (chicken stock recipe follows)
2 tablespoons (or less) of salt
Place the butter into a bowl and ship until fluffy, 2 minutes. Add the fresh masa alternately with the stock and add the salt. Beat until well mixed and turn mixer to high and beat for approximately 3-5 minutes or until masa resembles spackling paste.
Take a small piece (1/2 teaspoon) and drop it into a cup of cold water. If it floats it is ready, if it sinks, whip for another minute and test it again. Repeat this process until the masa floats.
Note: The fresher the masa, the faster it will become light and fluffy enough for use. Using 1/2 cup of masa per tamale, one pound of unprepared masa will yield approximately one dozen tamales so this recipe will make approximately 60 tamales.
Think pie. You can make a crust w/ lard, butter, or both. Because she's a
former vegetarian and offers vegan options (margarine), I suspect she's more comfortable with butter than lard. I've always used lard (my grand total of 4 times making tamales) but I'd be open to trying a half batch with butter. Butter contributes to the flavor. Authentic? No. But this tamale-making gringo isn't concerned about that!
former vegetarian and offers vegan options (margarine), I suspect she's more comfortable with butter than lard. I've always used lard (my grand total of 4 times making tamales) but I'd be open to trying a half batch with butter. Butter contributes to the flavor. Authentic? No. But this tamale-making gringo isn't concerned about that!
This caught my attention because I am looking for a vegetarian Mexican entree for a Valentine's Day
fundraiser with the theme "Like Water for Chocolate." We plan on Chicken Mole and Chiles en Nogado. I'd like a vegetarian option too and I was thinking of chile-cheese tamales but to me any tamale worth the calories would have to be made with lard.
But I hadn't thought of butter!
fundraiser with the theme "Like Water for Chocolate." We plan on Chicken Mole and Chiles en Nogado. I'd like a vegetarian option too and I was thinking of chile-cheese tamales but to me any tamale worth the calories would have to be made with lard.
But I hadn't thought of butter!