Tamal En Hoja
Tamal en Hoja is a classic Latin American dish that combines soft, steamed corn dough with various heartwarming fillings, all encased in a fragrant plantain leaf offering rich and savory flavors.
Equipment
- 5-quart crock pot
- Small pot
- Blender
- Strainer
- Preheated skillet
- Large bowl
- 16-quart steamer pot
- Heatproof ceramic or stone bowl
- Cloth for covering tamales in the steamer
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups beef broth or water
- 4 lbs boneless chuck roast beef
- 1 small onion
- 5 to 6 cloves garlic (3-4 for cooking beef, 2 for chile puree)
- 1 beef bouillon cube (or 2 tsp salt)
- 1 dried bay beef
- 8 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 dried Pasilla chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 4 cups instant corn flour (e.g., Maseca brand)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup lard or shortening
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 35 to 40 corn husks
Instructions
- Add beef, bouillon cube, bay leaf, onion, 3-4 cloves garlic, and 2 cups water in a crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.
- Remove and reserve the onion. Shred or chop the beef.
- Strain the liquid from the crock pot and reserve.
- For chile puree: Rinse chiles, cover with water, boil, then steep until soft. Blend with 1 2/3 cup broth/water, 2 garlic cloves, reserved onion and strain the puree.
- Reserve 1/3 cup chile puree for masa.
- For meat filling: In a skillet, add oil and strained chile puree. Simmer for 3 minutes, add beef, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- For masa: Mix corn flour, baking powder, and salt. Add lard/shortening and 1/3 cup chile puree. Gradually add 2-3 cups warm broth/water until the dough is like play dough.
- Spread 3-4 Tbsp masa on a corn husk, add meat filling, and enclose the tamal.
- In a steamer pot, add water, place a steamer plate and an upside-down bowl. Stack tamales around the bowl.
- Cover tamales with corn husks, a cloth, and a lid. Boil, then reduce to medium heat. Cook for 1-1.5 hours.
- Let tamales set for 20 minutes before serving. Makes about 30 tamales.
Video
Notes
- Ingredient Substitutions:If you can't find specific types of chiles like guajillo or pasilla, feel free to substitute them with other mild dried chiles available in your area. Similarly, vegetable shortening can replace lard for a vegetarian version of the masa.
- Masa Consistency:The masa should be moist and pliable, similar to play dough. If it's too dry, add more broth; if it's too wet, add more masa harina. The perfect consistency ensures the tamales are soft and not crumbly after steaming.
- Steaming Tips:Ensure the steamer does not run out of water during cooking, as this could burn the tamales. However, water should not touch the tamales directly - the vapor should steam them.
- Total Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
- Sodium: 720mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 35g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 15g