Recipes

Meat Filling

Ingredients:
  • 5 lb Pork
  • 3-5 Dried Red Poblano Peppers
  • 1/4 cup Mixed Whole Cumin and Pepper
  • 1 Garlic Pod Peeled
  • 1-2 cups Meat Broth
  • Salt to Taste
Procedure
Boil, broil, bake, or slow-cook the meat. Reserve the broth for the masa and filling. Chop or shred cooked meat. Clean peppers and boil in one cup for about 5 minutes. Place in blender and add the mixed cumin and pepper seed, and garlic. Blend until a paste is formed and all the spices are ground. Place chopped meat in a large pot and add broth, pepper and garlic paste, and salt. Mix until all ingredients blend together. Use immediately or refrigerate overnight, allowing the seasonings to ferment into the meat.

Tamale Masa (Traditional Version)

Ingredients:
  • 5 lb Fresh Masa
  • 1 lb Lard
  • 1 cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 1/8 cup Salt
  • 1/4 cup Chili Powder
  • 2 cups Broth or Water
  • 1/8 cup Baking Powder
  • 1/8 cup Garlic Powder (Optional)
Procedure
Place masa in a large bowl, break into pieces. Set aside. Melt lard and shortening on low heat; add chili powder and salt, then mix. Stir together broth, baking powder, and garlic powder. Gradually combine broth and lard mixture to masa. Mix well after each addition. Masa should be smooth. Let masa rest for 10 minutes. Spread fast and easy using the Mas Tamales Masa Spreader. Add your favorite filling and steam cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Tamale Masa (Light Version)

Ingredients:
  • 5 lb Fresh Masa
  • 2 cups Meat Broth
  • 1 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 cup Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
Procedure
Place masa in a large bowl, then break it into small pieces. Add broth and mix using a mixer. Set aside. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, and salt to the oil, then mix to dissolve the spices. Add to the masa and whip for a few minutes. Add baking powder and mix. Let the masa rest for a few minutes. Spread fast and easy using the Mas Tamales Masa Spreader. Add your favorite filling and steam cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Tamale Masa Using Masa Harina

Ingredients to Make Enough Masa for Approximately 4 Dozen Tamales:
  • 4 cups Masa Harina
  • 4 cups Broth or Water
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Ground Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 cup Oil
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
Ingredients to Make Enough Masa for Approximately 16 Dozen Tamales:
  • 16 cups (or 1 bag) Masa Harina
  • 16 cups (or 1 gallon) Broth or Water
  • 1/3 cup Salt
  • 1/3 cup Ground Garlic
  • 1/3 cup Chili Powder
  • 4 cups Oil
  • 1/3 cup Baking Powder
Procedure
Place masa in a large bowl, add broth-water combination, then mix using a mixer. Mix oil, chili powder, and salt and add to masa. Mix using a mixer. Add baking powder and mix. Start on low and then whip for about 10 minutes. Let masa rest for 10 minutes, then spread using the Mas Tamales Masa Spreader.

Notes:

For low-fat tamales, you’ll need to use lean meats for your filling.
Use fresh spices for a better, more traditional flavor. These include dried poblano peppers (i.e., chile ancho), whole mixed peppercorns and cumin seeds, and garlic.
Estimating how much masa and meat to purchase? A good estimate is that for every 5 lb of masa, you’ll need 5-10 lb of meat. Measuring the same amounts of meat and masa will yield equal amounts of filling to masa. If you like double the amount of meat compared to the masa, go with 10 lb of meat for every 5 lb of masa.
For spicy tamales, use one small poblano pepper (i.e., chile ancho) for 1 lb of meat. If you don’t like them spicy, use one pod for every 2 lb.
Make your tamales HOT by adding your favorite peppers.
When it comes to corn husks, 5 dozen tamales will need about 6 oz of corn husks. Make sure you spread the masa on the silky side of the corn husk.