The tamale dough needs to be softer than that used for making tortillas. I think it looks pretty and it adds a little extra flavor. I prefer to add chili powder to the masa dough, but that’s completely optional. The dried or fresh masa is mixed with a fat, either lard (or vegetable shortening), broth, salt, and seasonings, if desired. It is made from corn that has been treated with lime (not the citrus fruit), dried and ground. If you’ve ever made homemade corn tortillas, then you’ll already be familiar with dried masa. If you’re lucky enough to live near a Mexican market and can find fresh masa, get it! It’s better and the hard work is pretty much done for you when it comes to the correct consistency and texture. The masa dough can be made from either fresh or dried masa. Read on for how-to photos, tips, and tricks. Once the fillings are made, it’s time to tackle the batter or tamale dough. The brand even launched a new line of creamy Queso Dips as well as three exiting new salsas (Pico do Gallo, Hatch Chile and Salsa Verde…YUM) this year! Rojo’s offers a variety of salsas and dips, fit for any flavor craving. Everything is stirred together and ready to go in about 10 minutes.
The reason I make it the day before is because then the chicken has time to cool adequately and reabsorb the flavorful sauce.įor a vegetarian option, I like to combine black beans, roasted poblano chiles, corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and Rojo’s Fire Roasted Salsa. That’s about 5 minutes of prep for delicious, flavorful chicken to rival any others. I simply place the chicken, salsa, a little chili powder and salt in my slow cooker and cook until the chicken shreds easily. That’s where Rojo’s Restaurant Style Medium Salsa comes in handy. One thing I’ve started doing is to cook the chicken filling in my slow cooker, typically the day before I want to make the tamales. Savory tamales are my jam, so that’s what I’m demonstrating in this post. Tamales can be either savory or sweet and can be filled with just about anything–meat, poultry, vegetables, cheese, or fruit. The first component I prepare is the filling. So nail that part of the recipe and most of the work is done. Without a good filling, the tamales aren’t worth the time. (For this recipe, I call for dried corn husks because they are easier to procure.)įor me, it’s all about the filling. They are made inside a wrapper, typically cornhusks or banana leaves, and steamed. Tamales are composed of corn masa dough or batter, and a flavorful filling. I like to take a few shortcuts to make the process even easier, as I’ll explain below. But the more often you make them, the simpler and more streamlined the process becomes. Making tamales is fairly easy, although it is a little time consuming. (They make a great lunch to take and reheat at work too.) Or if you’re like me, set aside an afternoon and make a big batch to freeze so they’re all ready to pull out and reheat for a party or night at home. Tamale making is a great activity for a group of people–it makes the assembly go a lot more quickly and it’s fun to have a few filling options so everyone can personalize their tamales. My family quite enjoys tamales during the holidays because we gather around the kitchen table and make them together. Tamales are often a part of Mexican holiday celebrations, though they can be found pretty much everywhere on a daily basis too. The salsas are cold processed and expertly seasoned–and they can be found right in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store Each one is crafted in small batches to ensure quality, freshness, and homemade taste. From that very first salsa to now, Rojo’s has become an industry leader in offering salsas, including restaurant-quality refrigerated salsas (my favorite!), and other Mexican dips created with fresh-cut tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Rojo’s was founded over 30 years ago when a secret homemade salsa recipe was brought to the U.S. Today we’ve partnered with with Rojo’s Salsa to show how easy it is to make homemade tamales in your own kitchen. I’ve eaten tamales from Mexico and several Central American countries and I’ve loved them all. While I’m an enchiladas superfan, eat tacos or fajitas or by the half dozen, nosh on chips and salsa on a daily basis, and yes, even enjoy “Americanized” Mexican food, there is nothing I adore more than homemade tamales.Īnd they don’t even have to be Mexican tamales. I could eat it every single day and never grow tired of it. Mexican food is probably my very favorite.
We’ve partnered with Rojo’s Salsa to create this post.