Recipe

Tamale Wrap Instructions Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Shirleyoma / All my dishes 2 years, 3 months ago Here are instructions for making tamale's with corn husks. Fillings are diverse.. this is basic. Prep:2m Cook:90m Servings:12	Shirleyoma
	make tamale with these instructions

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Ingredients

How To Wrap a Tamale

Time Required: 2 minutes per tamale

Here's How:

1. Sort the husks

Go through the corn husks removing any debris. Separate the larger usable pieces from the smaller bits and pieces. Save the smaller pieces for later.

2. Soak the husks

Place the husks into a large bowl. Cover husks with warm water. Set a heavy item (like a heavy bowl) on top of the husks to keep them submerged.

3. Prepare the husks

Remove the husks from the water and pat dry. Place into a covered dish or a large plastic bag to prevent from drying out. Use only the larger and medium sized husks for the tamales. The smaller ones can be used later for ties or patches. When looking at the husk, they have a narrow end, a broad end, and 2 long sides.

4. Adding the dough

Lay a husk on a flat surface. Place 1-2 tablespoons of dough onto the husk. When spreading the dough, leave a space of about 4 inches from the narrow end of the husk and about 2 inches from the other end. Spread the dough to the edge of one of the long sides and 2 inches away from the other long side. Try to keep the dough approximately 1/4 to a 1/2 inch thick.

5. Filling

Spread about a tablespoon of filling down the center of the dough.

6. Folding

Locate the long side with a 2 inch space with no masa. Fold that over, slightly overlapping the other side so the edges of the dough meet. Wrap the extra husk around the back.

Then fold the broad end over the top and then the longer narrow end over the broad end.

7. Tying

Create strips of husk by cutting or tearing 1/4 inch lengths off of some of the smaller or unusable husks. Use these to tie across the middle of the tamale to hold the flaps down.

8. Steaming

Set tamales upright in a steamer. You can buy large steamers made just for this purpose. You may have something else you can use to create the same effect. The key is to have a small amount of boiling water on the bottom of the pot and a colander or mesh of some sort to keep the tamales away from the water.

Steam for about 90 minutes

Directions

Tips:

1. Do not let the water boil up completely. Add hot water to the pot as necessary but keep it away from the tamales.

2. If some of the husks are too small or you have trouble closing them, use extra pieces of husk to wrap around the open areas.

3. You can also use kitchen twine to tie off the tamales.

What You Need:

* Corn husks

* Large container or sink for soaking

* Container of plastic bag for keeping the husks in

* Tamale dough

* Fillings

* Steaming bucket or something you can steam them in.

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Comments

jaie 2 years, 1 month ago said:
Thank you for taking the time to post this. I have always wondered how it's done and any show I've seen it on they do it so quickly and make it look so easy! I appreciate this :)

oldgringo 1 year, 12 months ago said:
Thanks for your posting. I have made tamales only a few times but have collected instructions such as yours. I was raised on the Tamales Norteños that are a primary dish in Tex-Mex Cuisine. I have two large pork roasts in my freezer to be used for tamales this Christmas. Wish me luck!

uhannigan 1 year, 11 months ago said:
Thank you so much. I occasionally have tamales shipped to me from Texas because I love them so much. Now I can try to make them.