Does your family enjoy tamales for your holiday celebrations? Northgate Markets and I have teamed up to teach you how to make the perfect tamales!
Now don't worry, we're providing visual representation so you can follow along. Let's start off by choosing the perfect masa for you delicious tamales.
Prepared Masa:
This masa is ready for you to simply put it in the corn husk and start making
tamales! The recipe used to prepare this masa is a longstanding tradition at
Northgate, a traditional masa that can be used in almost any tamale recipe.
This perfect mix of ingredients makes it unique and perfect for saving time.
5 lbs. = 20 tamales 20 lbs. = 100 tamales
Unprepared Masa:
Also known as “masa quebrada”, this masa is commonly used in tamales
made in Northern Mexico. Quebrado, meaning “broken”, refers to the
pieces of nixtamal found in this masa. Choose this masa if you’d like to
add your own ingredients such as pork lard, grape-seed oil or special
flavors like strawberries or pineapple.
5 lbs. = 35 tamales 20 lbs. = 120 tamales
Pineapple or Strawberry Masa:
Our sweet masa starts with our regular nixtamal and is enriched with
butter and natural strawberries or pineapple chunks, which make the
masa ideal for your dessert tamales. This masa is fully prepared so that
all you have to do is put it on the corn husk, wrap, cook and ENJOY!
5 lbs. = 15 tamales 15 lbs. = 60 tamales
Follow along with the video below as we move on to assembling the delicious tamales:
After choosing your preferred masa(s), choose the ingredients you want to fill your delicious tamales with. Do you prefer chicken, pork or beef? Green or red salsa? Feel free to add whatever you desire:
Assembling and cooking your tamales:
1. Rinse and soak the corn husks in very hot water for15 minutes or until they are supple. Drain the leaves and rinse. Place 4 to 5 of the broken leaves on the bottom of the steamer basket.
2. Spread ¼” to ½” of masa across the corn husk, leaving a margin on all sides.
3. Add a spoon of the meat with sauce filling in the center of the masa.
4. Pick up the pointy end.
5. Fold the edges of the husks toward the center and over the filling.
6. Fold it inward (over the previous fold) to keep the masa from spilling out.
7. Place each tamal vertically in the steamer basket with the folded end at the bottom
8. Cover the tamales with the husks leaves and cover the steamer.
Want to win a tamale-making party for you and your family and friends? Watch the video below to find out how to win!
Don't forget to send me photos of you and your loved ones making those delicious tamales! I can't wait to see them!