Easy Recipe for Tamale Pie (2024)

FAQs

What is tamale pie made of? ›

Most tamale pies consists of a flavorful ground beef base and cornbread topping, but we decided to go a different route. We layered our ground beef and cheese on top of an enchilada sauce-smothered cornbread crust.

Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made with a corn based dough mixture that is filled with various meats or beans and cheese. Tamales are wrapped and cooked in corn husks or banana leaves, but they are removed from the husks before eating.

Baking powder prevents the tamales chewiness rise caused by a decrease in fat content. At a high fat content, baking powder does not cause major changes in tamales texture. In the absence of fat, the leavening agent causes a desirable tamales texture.

Vegetable shortening is a meat-free and dairy-free substitute for lard, allowing you to serve tamales to meat eaters and vegans alike. That said, there are other substitutes for lard that will work well in tamale recipes as well, like refined coconut oil, butter, and avocado oil.

Cornmeal is coarsely ground hominy often used as a breading, in cornbread, and more. Masa harina is made from hominy that is treated with a lye solution and ground very fine, more like flour. It is used to make tortillas, tamale dough, and the soup dumplings chochoyotes.

One of the biggest mistakes is not mixing the masa dough long enough; this causes the tamales to fall apart. Mix the masa dough, with an ELECTRIC MIXER, until a small amount (1 tsp) floats in a cup of water.

The most popular flavors are chicken and pork, but tamale filling options are almost endless. Alin developed a variety of savory and sweet options, including jalapeno and cheese, mole, pineapple, and sweet cream, but filling types can vary from family to family or from region to region.

There are sweet tamales filled with fruits, savory tamales filled with meat or vegetables, and plain tamales with no filling at all. The most common tamales are made with nixtamalized corn.

Butter may be the simplest substitute for lard. With some minor modifications to your recipe, butter can help retain the taste and texture of your final product. This makes butter a great option for pie crusts, tortillas, tamale dough, and more.

Estimate how many guests will come to your party and for the main meal, calculate between 2 and 3 tamales per person if you're serving them by themselves except for a frothy hot chocolate, champurrado or an agua fresca. For dessert, consider 1 or 2 per person. Our tamales are 4oz.

What happens if you make tamales with masa that doesn't float? ›

If it floats, the masa is ready. If it sinks, add. more lard! Watch our archived mobile broadcast making Green.

Is lard the same as Crisco? In a word, no, but they can be used for similar purposes. Lard is made from rendered pork fat, while Crisco is vegetable shortening made from palm oil and soybean oil. Crisco can be used in pie crust recipes and for frying.

Canola oil is a neutral-flavored and versatile oil, making it a good substitute for lard in frying. It has a high smoke point and is less saturated, making it a healthier option for various cooking methods.

Lard makes tastier and fluffier tamales than other fats do. You can replace the lard with solid fats, like duck fat or shortening, to obtain a similar texture; butter and liquid oils work but will make a denser masa.

Sweet tamales are a Mexican dessert made from a sweet masa corn dough and filled with a variety of fruit, nut and sugary fillings. Common fillings include raisins, pineapples, fruit preserves, cajeta and dulce de leche.

Tamales are made of masa, which is ground corn moistened with water. The masa is wrapped in whatever leaves are available, such as corn husks, banana leaves, or even tree bark.

In some countries, the masa is filled with a simple piece of chicken or pork. Most tamales have elaborate slow-cooked seasoned meat fillings (usually chicken or pork), sometimes with vegetables (potatoes, corn, peppers, or carrots), cheeses, dried fruits, and olives.

Corn cakes

In a medium bowl add the pureed corn, softened butter, sugar, chopped onion & jalapenos, water, along with salt and pepper. Mix until combined. Next add masa and flour and mix until no flour streaks remain. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels, and mix until corn is evenly distributed.