Tamales

Kevin

Kevin

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Gonna warm up this weekend so I want to Q a butt for a tamale making party with the family gathering on Sunday. My standard rub includes plenty of cumin, mexican oregano, garlic and the rest of the usual stuff. I'll for sure spray it with aj a lot and foil for good pulling consistency. Any seasoned tamale vets have suggestions?

I'm not opposed to a different rub if it would work better for tamales.

I'm using a recipe from "The Border Cookbook" by The Jamison's.
The book is good for me so far and they use authentic recipes with dried chiles instead of ground and packaged chile powder, which seams to me to produce a better product.
 
You can make tamales? I always put those in the realm of majically apearing at the local Mexican joint! Let me know how they turn out.
 
I've never made them either but I'm guessing that some good smoked pork would be awesome in them, especially if you add more meat than the ones I usually end up with.
 
I have made tamale's a few times, usually boiled the butts, but, smoking would work. I would put a pan under to catch the drippings to mix in once shredded. I would also think you could pull at 185-190 since you need to shred anyway.
 
Mother in-law won't let me smoke the meat for tamales. She is from Guymas Mexico (Baja) area and claims that the meat must be boiled. Her tamales are the best I've ever tasted, so I figured it wasn't worth an argument.
 
I make tamales twice annually - have been for about 12 years. I would not use pulled pork primarily because the pork should not be completely cooked when you roll your tamale. I don't mean the pork should be pink in the middle, rather it should be over 160 degrees (done), but not in the fall apart stages. You are going to steam these things for a couple hours so you want something that will eventually be fork tender, not something that already falls apart.

I also would not boil the pork. To me that's just like boiling chicken or ribs before Q'ing. Cube up fresh pork butt, add your seasonings and cook in a stock pot until you are almost fork tender, then add your chile verde or chile colorado.
 
Thanks TK. That was the way I was leaning after the feedback here and reading some recipes. I need that moisture and flavor from the pork fat.
 
tommykendall said:
I make tamales twice annually - have been for about 12 years. I would not use pulled pork primarily because the pork should not be completely cooked when you roll your tamale. I don't mean the pork should be pink in the middle, rather it should be over 160 degrees (done), but not in the fall apart stages. You are going to steam these things for a couple hours so you want something that will eventually be fork tender, not something that already falls apart.

I also would not boil the pork. To me that's just like boiling chicken or ribs before Q'ing. Cube up fresh pork butt, add your seasonings and cook in a stock pot until you are almost fork tender, then add your chile verde or chile colorado.
Click to expand...

TK, would you be willing to share your recipe(s)? I've wanted to make those ever since I left San Antonio!

Arlin
 
Arlin_MacRae said:
TK, would you be willing to share your recipe(s)? I've wanted to make those ever since I left San Antonio!

Arlin
Click to expand...

Yes, share your recipe.

I accidentily poured some honey on my tamales once whilst in a Tex-Mex place. Been eating 'em that way ever since.
 
Aeynghus said:
I accidentily poured some honey on my tamales once whilst in a Tex-Mex place. Been eating 'em that way ever since.
Click to expand...

Accidents like that are what change wierd ideas into great tasting food.
 
Aeynghus said:
Yes, share your recipe.

I accidentily poured some honey on my tamales once whilst in a Tex-Mex place. Been eating 'em that way ever since.
Click to expand...

:eek: :eek: :eek:
Like, EEEWWWW!!
 
chad said:
Definately nacho mama's sopapillas! :biggrin:
Click to expand...

If someone is cookin sopapillas with a little honey on the side, I'm there !!
 
This thread is driving me nuts...we lived in San Antonio for 9 years and really enjoyed this time of year with the tamales (sure, you could get them all year - but this is special), real breakfast tacos, lunch combos that'll immediately clog the arteries, Saturday barbecoa specials :eek: ,etc.

And sopapillas to finish off a gorging!! Oh man!:biggrin: None of that fancy two on a plate with cinnamon and honey - I want a basket of HOT fresh sopapillas, plenty of butter, and bottle of honey!!!
 
Go sugar levels GO but I'm with you if you bring them one at a time HOT out of the grease. With warm butter that has butter melted in it!:biggrin:
 
cayenne is your friend. The best tamales I have ever had came from a little stand. Tried a couple fresh off the steamer and it was almost a religious experience. Noticed that I was getting some flavor from the massa. I asked about it and the allowed that they added a little seasoning to the massa to compliment the various fillings they used.

Probably take some trial and error, but might be worth trying over the long run.

Edit: My family has been in Texas long eough that tamales have become the official X-mas eve meal with few exceptions. Big bowl of pico de gallo, some good chili, and a big platter of tamales right of the steamer....hard to go wrong there.
 
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