Best Grandma Ruths Hot Tamales Recipes

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HOMESTYLE HOT TAMALES



Homestyle Hot Tamales image

From The Times-Picayune - "This recipe ran in the Times-Picayune in the early 1970s and is similar to Manuel's Hot Tamales, which did not return after Hurricane Katrina." If anyone knows what type of paper is used in this recipe please Zmail me - wax paper doesn't seem right as it doesn't need wetting ...

Provided by Busters friend

Categories     Onions

Time 2h45m

Yield 90 tamales

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 lbs ground chuck
4 medium onions, finely chopped
3 ounces chili powder
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
4 -5 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cornmeal, plain, plus more for rolling

Steps:

  • Mix by hand in a large bowl the meat, onion, 2 ounces chili powder, 1 can tomato sauce, water, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne and ½ cup corn meal. Prepare two shallow bowls, one with water and one with additional plain corn meal. Take about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture at a time and shape into a small log. Roll lightly in additional corn meal.
  • Roll in paper that has been passed through water (one paper at a time). Close one end and roll up, folding remaining edge under. Put tamales in rows in opposite directions in a large roaster that can be covered and used on the stove.
  • Bring two quarts water to a boil and add remaining tomato sauce and 1 ounce chili powder. Cover tamales with mixture, adding more water if needed. Cover and simmer for 2 hours on stovetop. Serve warm with buttered crackers. Tamales re-warm well in microwave.

HOT TAMALES (LOUISIANA STYLE)



Hot Tamales (Louisiana Style) image

These take a bit of time to roll, but the end result is well worth the effort. My Maw maw-in-law taught me how to make hot tamales with this recipe (she learned how to make them from a friend in Texas.) You can adjust the spices to your tastes- my husband loves it when you use tablespoons instead of teaspoons, but I find it too hot. You can also use all beef instead of that 1 lb of pork, if you prefer. Tamale wrappers are available in specialty stores, or online, although some grocery stores carry them. You will need 80-100 6-inch paper tamale wrappers, which are not listed in the ingredients as they aren't food. This recipe makes a lot by design, and they freeze wonderfully. I took pictures of the steps involved in rolling the tamales and posted them on my blog in case my directions aren't clear: http://randomcreativity.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/tamales/

Provided by Random Rachel

Categories     Meat

Time 3h30m

Yield 75 tamales, 25 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 lb ground pork
3 lbs ground beef
2 onions
2 (10 ounce) cans rotel (diced tomatoes in green chilies)
1 cup cornmeal (for filling)
2 cups cornmeal (for rolling)
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 bell pepper
4 stalks celery
4 garlic cloves (or 1/4 cup minced garlic)
8 (7 ounce) cans tomato sauce
5 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup salt (to taste)
1/2 cup oil (for the sauce)
1/4 cup chili powder (for the sauce)

Steps:

  • Run onions, celery, garlic, and bell pepper through your food processor until they are finely minced.
  • In a very large bowl, combine ground meat, minced veggies, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix together thoroughly using your hands. Add in the rotel, 1 cup of corn meal, and 1 can of tomato sauce; mix again. (You need to mix the wet ingredients in separately from the spices so that the spices don't all clump together in one spot.)
  • Lay out your papers beside two baking sheets or trays. Add 1 cup of cornmeal to one baking sheet, to roll the tamales in (the other one is to stack completed tamales on.)
  • Pinch off some of the meat mixture, and form into a ping pong sized ball. Roll it in the cornmeal, coating it as thick as you can. Place in the center of a tamale paper on one side, and roll. The ball should squish into a log, leaving an inch of the wrapper empty on either end. Press down the top of both empty ends, and fold the two sides of the ends in before folding them under the tamale.
  • Repeat with the remainder of the meat mixture. After a few, you get the feel of how much meat it will take to fill the wrapper up enough. We got 75 tamales out of one batch, it depends on how big you make them.
  • In a large dutch oven, pour in the 1/2 cup oil and 1 can tomato sauce. Cover with a layer of tamales, then a can of sauce, and a sprinkle of chili powder, repeating until you run out of tamales. Fill the pan with water until the tamales are just covered.
  • Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 2 - 2 1/2 hours till done, adding water if necessary.

GRANDMA RUTHS HOT TAMALES



Grandma Ruths Hot Tamales image

Once thought to have been taken to the grave with her. My father stumbled across my grandmothers recipe a few years after her passing. Loved by the whole family and all her friends. Enjoy!

Provided by Chef Teer

Categories     Mexican

Time 3h

Yield 6 Dozen, 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 lbs ground meat (venison, pork, turkey, chicken, etc.)
2 ounces chili powder
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons red cayenne pepper
1 bunch corn husk
1 (4 1/2 lb) bag masa harina flour
1 spool bakers kitchen twine

Steps:

  • 1. Note: 1tsp cayenne for milder tamales. Soak corn husk in water several hours before or even overnight to make them softer to work with.
  • 2. Combine all ingredients in cast iron skillet and cook until meat is done.
  • 3. Follow directions on side of bag to make the corn Masa mix.
  • 4. Lay out 1st corn husk on baking "cookie" sheet. Add masa and spread about 16th of an inch thick.
  • 5. Add 1-2 spoons of meat and roll oblong (weenie style). One end open, the other end folded.
  • 6. Tie the made tamales in bundles of six with 2 lengths of twine cut about 1 foot long.
  • 7. Place all bundles of tamales open end up steam basket pot and cover pot with lid.
  • 8. Steam tamales for 2 hours.
  • 9. Can be frozen or canned. I vacuum seal mine in the bundles of six, freeze and take out as needed. You can Re-heat by steaming, microwaving, or on cookie baking sheet in oven.
  • Yields: approximately 6 dozen.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 3794.5, Fat 43.9, SaturatedFat 6.2, Sodium 3469, Carbohydrate 790.5, Fiber 77.9, Sugar 23.6, Protein 99.8

HOT TAMALES LIKE YA MAMA MAKES



Hot Tamales Like Ya Mama Makes image

Long ago I worked with a gal, Nora D., that made the best hot tamales. This is her recipe. You'll need 4 small aluminum loaf pans and 1 large roasting pan. Freezable either before or after cooking.

Provided by gailanng

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 2h20m

Yield 120 hot tamales, 20-30 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 17

120 tamales, papers
3 medium onions, chopped fine
5 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces Rotel tomatoes & chilies
3 lbs extra lean ground beef
2 teaspoons red peppers or 1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 ounces hot chili powder
8 ounces tomato sauce
3 cups yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons red peppers or 1 teaspoon cayenne
1 ounce chili powder
10 ounces tomato sauce
1 ounce chili powder

Steps:

  • Place the tamale papers into a shallow baking pan and soak them in just enough water to keep them wet.
  • Place the ground beef in a large mixing bowl.
  • With a food processor, puree the onions, garlic and Rotel tomatoes with juice. Pour this puree over the ground beef along with the red pepper, black pepper, salt, cornmeal, chili powder and tomato sauce. With your hands work this together until the meat mixture is uniformly and thoroughly blended. Your hands may become stained from the chili powder. Set aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes so that the seasonings can marry. In the meantime, mix cornmeal coating and tamale sauce.
  • Cornmeal Coating:.
  • In a shallow baking pan, blend together the cornmeal, salt, red pepper and chili powder until thoroughy mixed; set aside.
  • Tamale Sauce:.
  • In a small bowl combine tomato sauce and chili powder, stirring well; set aside.
  • The Work Station:.
  • Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a work surface. This is what you're going to roll the tamales on to keep things tidy. Put within reach the meat mixture, cornmeal coating, tamale papers and the loaf pans.
  • Begin Rolling:.
  • Using about one (1) tablespoon of the meat mixture, take your hands and roll out an oblong tamale about the size of a Vienna Sausage and toss it around in the cornmeal mixture. It's not necessary to pack the cornmeal on; just a light coating.
  • Remove tamale from the cornmeal and wrap it in one of the wet tamale papers. It's best to wrap them from point to point diagonally, tucking in the edges of the paper as you wrap.
  • As you finish each one, place it into the aluminum loaf pan. There should be three layers of tamales with 10 tamales on each layer, fitting into the pans perfectly with criss-crossed layers so the tamales cook evenly.
  • When all the pans are loaded, pour the sauce evenly over the tamales and fill each loaf pan with "boiling" water. Tightly cover each pan with aluminum foil and place them into an retangular roaster. Finally, fill the roaster with just enough water to come about 3/4 up the sides of the pans. Do Not Overfill.
  • Place the roaster on the stovetop, cover it tightly and simmer the tamales for about 2 hours.
  • Tips for freezing:.
  • If doubling the recipe for freezing, roll and wrap, placing them into loaf pans, ladle on the sauce, cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil and freeze uncooked. Or, for fully cooked tamales, cool, cover tightly with aluminum foil and freeze; defrost in refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 203.8, Fat 5.1, SaturatedFat 1.8, Cholesterol 42.2, Sodium 1506.1, Carbohydrate 23.2, Fiber 4.4, Sugar 2.4, Protein 17.8

HOT TAMALES



Hot Tamales image

These are worth the effort and time to make them. You can find dried cornhusks, instant corn masa & dried chiles in the ethnic food section of your supermarket.

Provided by KittyKitty

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time P1DT30m

Yield 2 dozen, 24 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 (3 lb) beef shoulder or 1 (3 lb) chuck roast
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 dozen dried corn husks
3 large dried chilies
2 teaspoons shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups instant corn masa harina flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening, plus
1 tablespoon shortening
picante sauce (optional)

Steps:

  • Combine first 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Add water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Drain meat, reserving broth; set broth aside. Shred meat with a fork; set aside.
  • Cover dried cornhusks with hot water; let stand several hours or until softened. Drain well. If husks are too narrow overlap 2 husks to make a wide one. If too wide, tear off one side.
  • Remove and discard seeds from chiles; place in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until chiles are tender. Drain chiles, reserving 3/4 cup water; place softened chiles in container of blender. Add reserved water and blend 1 minute or until smooth; set aside.
  • Melt 2 teaspoons shortening in a small saucepan; add flour and cumin, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup chile mixture and 3/4 teaspoon salt; add to shredded meat, stirring well. Set aside.
  • Bring reserved beef broth to a boil. Combine corn masa, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening in a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup plus 2 to 3 tablespoons hot beef broth to make a stiff dough. Add the remaining chile mixture to the dough, mixing well.
  • Place 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons masa dough (depending on husk size) in the center of each husk, spreading to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Place 2 tablespoons meat mixture in center. Fold short ends of husks to center, enclosing filling; roll up from unfolded side. Tie with string or strip of softened corn husk.
  • Place a cup in center of a steaming rack or metal colander inside of a large pot. Add enough water to fill pot below rack level and keep tamales above water. Stand tamales on flded ends around the cup. Bring water to a boil. Cover and steam 1 hour or until tamale dough pulls away from corn husk; add more water as necessary. Serve with Picante sauce, if desired.
  • Note: Steamed tamales can be frozen. Allow to cool; place in plastic bag, or wrap them securely in aluminum foil, and place in freezer. To reheat, follow steaming procedure until tamales are thouroughly heated.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 181.7, Fat 9.3, SaturatedFat 2.7, Cholesterol 31.8, Sodium 300.9, Carbohydrate 11.2, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 0.1, Protein 13

BIG EARL'S "MY MOMMA'S" HOT TAMALES



Big Earl's

I remember from early childhood that my momma would often make her version of hot tamales for supper and I really liked them. At that young age I thought they were real hot tamales. It was many years later, when I was in my early twenties, that I ate my first real tamale in Mexico. I was surprised and the first chance I got later I asked momma about her tamales. She told me that she couldn't find masa or corn husk in Florida where we lived, so she made up her own recipe and here it is.

Provided by Earl Williams @emw12

Categories     Other Main Dishes

Number Of Ingredients 24

MEAT
4 pound(s) ground beef
2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
MEAT SAUCE
2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
2 tablespoon(s) all purpose flour
2 cup(s) beef broth
2 can(s) tomato sauce (8 ounces each)
1 cup(s) chili sauce
2 medium chili peppers (seeds removed; toasted and ground)
1 teaspoon(s) cumin
2 teaspoon(s) oregano, fresh finely chopped
1 teaspoon(s) red pepper flakes
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
MASA DOUGH SUBSTITUTION
4 cup(s) grits, extra fine ground
6 cup(s) water
2 teaspoon(s) salt
3 teaspoon(s) pepper
TAMALE WRAPPERS
- white cotton squares (see note 1)

Steps:

  • Place tamales wrappers in a container and cover with very warm water. You will need to weight them down with an inverted plate and a heavy can so they are completely covered with water.
  • Place vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When hot add garlic, and chopped onion and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Add ground beef and continue cooking until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Drain any excess fluid from the meat and set aside.
  • Toast chilies in the cast iron skillet, making sure not to burn them. Allow to cool and then remove stems and seeds. Crumble and grind in a clean coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle
  • Heat oil in the cast iron skillet. Mix in flour and allow to brown slightly. Pour in beef broth and stir until smooth. Mix in minced garlic, ground toasted chilies, cumin seeds, ground cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Let mixture simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add ground beef into skillet, stir well to cover all the meat and cover. Turn heat to low and let simmer 45 minutes. Add more beef broth if necessary to keep mixture from drying out but you do not want the meat sauce runny.
  • Add the six cups of water, salt, and pepper to a pot and bring to a boil. Slowly pour in the grits stirring constantly. When all the grits have been introduced, cover the pot, turn the heat down to low and let them simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring often. (You can add cheese to the grits if you like cheese grits) When the grits are thick (about the consistency of mashed potatoes) turn the heat off. As long as the heat is on the grits should be stirred frequently.
  • Drain water from wrappers. One at a time, wring out the water and flatten out a wrapper (work on a flat surface). Put 1/4 cup of grits into the center of the wrapper and spread into a four inch square. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of meat mixture down the middle of the grits leaving one half inch border of grits on all four sides. (You can add some chopped fresh peppers of your choice if you want your tamales spicier) Gently lift up opposing sides of the wrapper (grits should meet at the top) and fold about 1/4 inch of the wrapper down onto itself. Continue to fold 1/4 inch of the wrapper down until there is no more to fold (do not mash the contents down). Then fold up both ends and fold the ends of the wrapper on top of the seam. You may tie both ends with a piece of butcher's twine if necessary to keep them folded. Your tamale should resemble a large sausage wrapped in cloth.
  • (See Tip 1) Place tamales in a steamer basket, seam side down. Cover and steam over boiling water for one to two hours, until the grits are firm and holds their shape. Make sure the steamer does not run out of water (Add boiling water if needed). Serve immediately, allowing each person to unwrap their own tamales. Allow any leftovers (still in wrappers) to cool, then store in the refrigerator. They can also be placed in a zip lock bag and frozen. They will be just as good when later reheated in the steamer.
  • NOTE 1. Cut six by six inch squares out of old white cotton sheets or table cloths. Be sure and wash them good and rinse all the soap and detergent out of them. Momma Used them just as if they were corn husk. After supper momma would wash the used ones twice, discarding any discolored ones, and save the rest for the next time she wanted to make tamales again.
  • TIP 1. Instead of steaming the tamales by laying them down in a basket, try inverting a bowl in a large pot and standing the tamales on end around the bowl to create a funnel effect. This will produce a more even distribution of heat. Momma used a small bundt cake pan for her bowl. If she had to add water to the steamer she would just pour boiling water down the opening in the center of the bundt pan.

GOOD EATS HOT TAMALES (ALTON BROWN 2009)



Good Eats Hot Tamales (Alton Brown 2009) image

Tamales are simpler to make than you might expect. And these are delicious! We added tomato paste to the filling for added flavor as an option to Alton's recipe. He says you get about 5 dozen, but we got just 3 dozen. You may also enjoy trying Recipe #369851

Provided by 2Bleu

Categories     South American

Time 4h

Yield 36 Tamales

Number Of Ingredients 20

1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 lbs boston butt, untrimmed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded and diced)
3 ounces tomato paste (optional)
2 lbs yellow cornmeal (about 6 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup lard
36 dried corn husks (3 dozen)

Steps:

  • MEAT FILLING: In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, kosher salt, paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and cumin. Divide the mixture in half and reserve 1 half for later use.
  • Cut the Boston butt into 6 even pieces and place into a 6 to 8-quart saucepan. Add half of the spice mixture and enough water, 3 to 3 1/2 quarts, to completely cover the meat. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  • Remove the meat from the cooking liquid to a cutting board. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot. Both meat and liquid need to cool slightly before making dough and handling. Remove any large pieces of fat and shred the meat into small pieces, pulling apart with your hands or using 2 forks.
  • Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, jalapeno, and remaining half of the spice mixture and continue to cook for another minute. Add the meat (and tomato paste if desired) and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • WRAPPERS: While the meat is cooking, place the husks in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in hot water. Soak the husks until they are soft and pliable, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours.
  • DOUGH: Place the cornmeal, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the lard and using your hands, knead together until the lard is well incorporated into the dry mixture. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 3 to 4 cups to create a dough that is like thick mashed potatoes. The dough should be moist but not wet. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside until ready to use.
  • ASSEMBLY: Remove a corn husks from the water and pat dry to remove excess water. Working in batches of 6, lay the husks on a towel and spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the husk so the dough surrounds the meat, then fold the bottom under to finish creating the tamale. Repeat until all husks, dough and filling are used. Tie the tamales, around the center, individually or in groups of 3, with kitchen twine.
  • TO COOK TAMALES: Stand the tamales upright on their folded ends, tightly packed together, in the same saucepan used to cook the meat. Add the reserved broth from making the dough and any additional water so the liquid comes to 1-inch below the tops of the tamales. Do not pour the broth into the tops of the tamales. Cover, and simmer until the dough is firm and pulls away easily from the husk, about 30-60 minutes (Alton says 2 hrs, but ours were done much sooner).
  • SAUCE: To make a wet sauce to serve with the tamales, after removing them from the broth, add a little tomato paste (about 3 oz) to the broth and simmer till thickened.
  • STORING TAMALES: Tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the freezer, for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and steam until heated through (we used a steamer basket in the microwave and they were done in 8 minutes, so it makes a great quick munchie snack). :).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 233, Fat 13.9, SaturatedFat 4.2, Cholesterol 23.3, Sodium 742.6, Carbohydrate 21.2, Fiber 2.5, Sugar 0.6, Protein 6.8

NEW ORLEANS HOT TAMALES



New Orleans Hot Tamales image

This is for a request of Hot Tamales. My mom used to make these, at least I think this is the recipe she used to use. :-) I am unsure of how many this makes, maybe a few dozen. (Recipe is from Chef Frank Davis: http://z.wwltv.com/frankdavis/Old_Recipes/realneworleanstamales.htm)

Provided by Kikimony

Categories     Cajun

Time 2h15m

Yield 1 batch

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 lbs lean ground meat
2 cups Ballard cornbread mix
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies
1 (3 1/4 ounce) envelope Two Alarm chili mix
1 (16 ounce) can peeled tomatoes (chopped)
1 (2 1/2 ounce) can Mexican chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
3 cups water
salt
cayenne pepper
corn husk, tamale papers (found in most groceries)

Steps:

  • Start off by sautéing the ground beef and onions until the beef browns and the onions become tender.
  • At this point, strain the meat and drain off all but a couple tablespoons of the beef drippings; But KEEP IT IN RESERVE-you'll need it later.
  • Then combine into the meat the Rotel tomatoes, the chili mix, the peeled tomatoes, the chili powder, the cumin, the water, and your salt and cayenne pepper.
  • Now... bring the mixture to a slow boil; but as soon as the boil begins, reduce the heat to low and simmer everything together (with the cover on the pot) for about 45 minutes to an hour.
  • Next, strain the meat again from the juices (but save the juices); Then put the meat back into the pot and stir in the cornbread mix and one cup of meat drippings you saved from the sautéing process.
  • At this point, you can adjust the"spicyness" of the tamales by adding either more chili powder or cayenne pepper.
  • Then mix everything together extremely well once more- and note- you want the tamale mixture to be moist and pasty, but not"wet".
  • Finally, place about a tablespoon of the meat stuffing into the center of a moistened tamale paper, roll the paper around the tamale, and put the rolled tamales into a deep steamer pot.
  • Then ladle over the tamales all the juices and drippings you reserved during the preparation process and simmer everything on low for about 45 minutes.
  • When you're ready to eat, serve them piping hot.

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