Best Ways To Steam Tamales (Tamales Recipes)

Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish that contains fillings of meat or vegetables, or fruits in corn dough. The people from ancient Maya and Toltec civilizations used tamales as their food source if they were traveling for long distances. Tamales are still very popular in Mexico. Let’s find the best way to steam tamales.

How To Steam Tamales

There are different varieties of tamales like rice tamales, Paches, Cherokee, and Cambray to name a few. It is Belize’s staple food. The most common way to steam tamales is using a steamer.

You can also steam it in an oven or pressure cooker or stove or steamer basket.

How To Steam Tamales Using Steamer

When you use a steamer to steam tamales make sure you keep tamales above a bed of banana leaves or corn husks. They will work as a barrier between boiling hot water and tamales.

The other important thing is the closed end of the tamales should face the banana leaves. If the open end will be at the bottom then it will become soggy.

Put the lid on the steamer and let it steam for one and half hours. Once it is done turn the heat off and let the lid remain as it is for an extra half an hour to soften the tamales. This will improve the taste. After that, it is ready to be served.

Ways Of Steaming Tamales Without Steamer

As discussed before oven, pressure cooker, instant pot, and rice cooker can also be used for steaming tamales.

How To Steam Tamales Using Oven

Keep the oven at a low temperature otherwise, the tamales will get dried. Then put the steam rack in the casserole dish and put tamales over it with the closed end facing the casserole dish.

Put hot water in the casserole dish and cover it with a lid. Now let it steam for 45 minutes.

This method takes a lot less time but there is a chance of water getting dried up so you always have to make sure that the water hasn’t dried up and if there is water it should not come in contact with tamales.

In this method also make sure tamales are kept under banana leaves or corn husk.

How To Steam Tamales Using Rice Cooker

Add about two inches of water to the rice cooker. Now put the steam rack inside it. Put a bed of banana leaves or corn husk all over the rack and then place tamales on top of it.

Make sure the tamales are not in contact with water and as mentioned above the closed end of tamales should face the rack. Now cover the lid and let it steam for 90 minutes.

Once done turn off the heat, let it remain as it is for a couple of minutes and then serve. Here you can use a pressure cooker also and it will take less time but the entire process is the same.

How To Steam Tamales Using Steamer Basket

For this method, you need a pot and steamer basket and the entire process is the same as above. Pour about 2-3 inches of water in the pot and then in a steam basket place the tamales with their closed-end facing the basket.

Close the lid of the pot and simmer it for one and half hours.

In regular intervals keep a check on the water level, make sure it has enough water, and if not then add water but the water should not come in touch with tamales.

After 90 minutes turn the heat off, let it cool for 5-10 minutes and then remove the lid. Now with a tong take the tamales out and serve them.

How To Steam Tamales In Pot Using Aluminum Foil

Make four balls of aluminum foils two inches solid thick and wide. Pour an inch of water into the pot. Put these four balls in the pot. Place the balls in a square shape and then put a ceramic or thick glass plate that is heatproof over the balls.

Make sure it is placed well and does not move. Now place the tamales on the plate and cover the pot with a lid. Here also just remember the closed face of the tamales should face the plate.

Now put the pot on the stove and let it steam for an hour. Once done let it cool for 5 minutes and then serve the tamales.

Steaming Frozen Tamales

You can use any of the above methods to steam frozen tamales the only difference is while fresh tamales take 90 minutes to steam, the frozen ones will take 150 minutes to steam. So in this case keep track of water levels in regular intervals.

The water should not dry up. You can also defrost tamales in the microwave and once it is defrosted then you can use any of the above methods to steam them.

Reheating Tamales

If the tamales are already cooked and then you kept them in the freezer, you just need to reheat for half an hour using any of the above methods.

The other option is you can wrap tamales in a paper towel, place them on a microwaveable plate and turn the microwave on for a minute to reheat tamales.

You can also use the oven to reheat tamales. Keep the temperature at 425°F, wrap the tamales in aluminum foil, and heat it for fifteen minutes.

In between turn the tamales over to make sure all parts are reheated. Another way to reheat tamales is using instant pot. Keep it at high and reheat for 10 minutes. You can reheat tamales in an air fryer too.

To keep tamales warm for a longer time wrap them in either aluminum or a kitchen towel.

Read: How To Cook Bratwurst In The Oven

Tips For Tamales

1. If the tamales appear mushy then that means it is undercooked. You need to keep it longer to be cooked properly.

2. When steamed, the tamales expands so never overfill tamales to avoid any leakage.

3. You can also place tamales vertically rather than horizontally while steaming, just make sure the closed ends face the pot or rack.

4. Always make sure that tamale should not come in contact with water irrespective of the steaming methods you are using. It will spoil the taste, make it soggy and you will not get the perfect flavor.

5. Usually it takes one and half hours to steam tamales but with a pressure cooker, it takes around 40 minutes.

6. Don’t add much water while making tamales, if required you can add water later.

7. To get the best results, use fresh masa harina instead of cornmeal.

Using the above process you can use a crockpot also to steam tamales. It will take a little longer time for doneness.

Tamales Recipe

It requires 90 minutes of prep time and 30 minutes of cooking time.

The ingredients include dried corn husks, salsa, ground cumin, kosher salt, masa harina, baking powder, chicken or vegetable stock and corn oil.

Best Tamales Recipes

1. Mexican Tamales

It requires 25 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes of cooking time.

To make the dough the ingredients included dried corn husks, salt, masa harina, lard, cumin, baking powder, and broth. For the filling you need a mix of red chili sauce, Mexican rice, salsa verde chicken, bean and cheese.

2. Chicken Tamale Casserole

It requires 10 minutes of prep time and 40 minutes of cooking time.

The ingredients include tamales, corn muffin mix, chili powder, chicken, and eggs.

3. Red Pork Tamales

The recipe requires 1 hour 30 minutes of prep time and 4 hours of cooking time.

The ingredients include pork, onion, garlic, tamales, cumin, and red chile sauce.

Side Dishes With Tamales

It goes well with guacamole, margaritas, horchata, Mexican rice, or Caesar salad. The toppings for tamales are avocado, salsa, or sour cream.