Homemade Beef Tamales Recipes

Steps:

• Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to cover the roast along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic. Cook until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. When done, remove the roast to a platter to cool, reserve the beef broth. Hand shred the meat and set aside.
• To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.) Puree the chiles until smooth. Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if necessary. Add the shredded beef to the bowl of chili sauce, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Go through the dried cornhusks, separate them and discard the silk, be careful since the husks are fragile when dry. Soak them in a sink filled with warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time, working it in with your fingers. In a small bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a spongy texture.
• Rinse, drain, and dry the corn husks. Set them out on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and beef in chili sauce. Start with the largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon dipped in water. Do not use too much! Add about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
• Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.
• The tamales are done when the inside pulls away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy. To serve, unfold the husk and spoon about a tablespoon of remaining beef filling on top.

Steps:

• Place beef and garlic in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as water boils, reduce heat to a simmer and cover pot. Let simmer for 3 1/2 hours, until beef is tender and shreds easily. When beef is done, remove from pot, reserving 5 cups cooking liquid and discarding garlic. Allow meat to cool slightly, and shred finely with forks.
• Meanwhile, place corn husks in a large container and cover with warm water. Allow to soak for 3 hours, until soft and pliable. May need to weight down with an inverted plate and a heavy can.
• Toast ancho chiles in a 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 a large skillet. Mix in flour and allow to brown slightly. Pour in 1 cup beef broth and stir until smooth. Mix in ground chiles, cumin seeds, ground cumin, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, vinegar and salt. Stir shredded beef into skillet and cover. Let simmer 45 minutes.
• Place lard and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Add masa harina and beat at low speed until well mixed. Pour in reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until mixture is the consistency of soft cookie dough.
• Drain water from corn husks. One at a time, flatten out each husk, with the narrow end facing you, and spread approximately 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the top 2/3 of the husk. Spread about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture down the middle of the masa. Roll up the corn husk starting at one of the long sides. Fold the narrow end of the husk onto the rolled tamale and tie with a piece of butchers' twine.
• Place tamales in a steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for approximately one hour, until masa is firm and holds its shape. Make sure steamer does not run out of water. Serve immediately, allowing each person to unwrap their own tamales. Allow any leftovers (still in husks) to cool, uncovered, in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add beef, green chiles, hot sauce, salt, 3 cloves garlic, onion, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir until beef is thoroughly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the drippings.
• Combine reserved drippings, masa, lard, and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix well. Add up to 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture is as thick as biscuit dough. Divide into 50 equal balls. Place dough balls between 2 cutting boards each lined with a sheet of waxed paper; flatten into circles.
• Place each dough circle into a corn husk. Spoon about 3 tablespoons beef mixture in a line across the middle of each husk. Top with a small amount of cheese. Fold opposing sides of the tortilla to overlap the filling. Roll the husk around the tamale and fold in one end.
• Combine the remaining 1 clove garlic, 1 cup water, and chili powder in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring chili sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
• Stand a batch of the tamales, folded ends-down, in a steamer basket on top of a double boiler over simmering water. Bring water to a boil; cover and steam for 20 minutes. Remove tamales from heat; remove husks and top tamales with the chili sauce. Repeat with remaining tamales.

Steps:

• Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings from skillet. Chop half the onion. Add to skillet along with the ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, cloves and 1 pkt. seasoning; mix well. Cook 10 to 12 min. or until most the liquid is cooked off, stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, stir remaining seasoning pkt. into chicken broth; gradually add to cornmeal in large bowl, stirring constantly until mixture forms soft dough. Cover until ready to use.
• Slice remaining onion half. Place banana leaves in single layer on work surface. Spread about 1/3 cup dough mixture into 6x4-inch rectangle on each leaf; top with ground beef mixture, onion slices, pepper slices, olives, capers, prunes and bacon slices. Fold over both long sides of each leaf, then fold over both remaining ends to completely enclose filling. Wrap each tamale tightly in heavy-duty foil.
• Bring 5 qt. water to boil in 8-qt. stockpot or tamalera. Add tamales; cover. Cook on medium-low heat 30 to 40 min. or until cooked through. Remove tamales from water with tongs; drain. Cool 10 min. Top with cheese before serving.

Steps:

• Meat:.
• Place Beef Bottom Round Roast, chopped clove of garlic, wine, tomato paste and rotel in the crockpot on high for four hours if the roast is thawed, 8 hours if frozen.
• Set aside most of the juice from the crockpot. Cool roast enough to handle.
• Clean corn husks and soak for about an hour.
• In saute pan heat oil on medium, add jalapeno and onion, cook three minutes then add cumin and cilantro, cook three more minutes. Add black beans and stir.
• Chop about half of the roast into one inch pieces and shred, add these to the bean mixture as it cooks, stirring periodically. When finished add about 1/2 cup of the reserved juice from the crockpot. Let this simmer about five minutes and then take the pan off the heat to let it cool for a bit.
• In another pan heat 1 cup water and add bullion cube, strain 3/4 cup of reserved juice from roast into this and simmer two or three minutes. Set aside to cool about ten minutes.
• In medium bowl whip crisco until light and fluffy (about ten minutes with a fork). Set aside.
• In separate bowl combine maseca, baking powder and salt, mix thoroughly. Slowly add cooled broth/juice mixture about 1/2 cup at a time, stir with your hands or a fork until a soft dough forms, add soft dough to crisco and mix well!
• Assemble tamales! Spread two or three tablespoons on tamale dough onto corn husk and flatten out with your fingers or a well lubricated spoon, sprinkle some queso fresco onto the middle of the dough and then add two or three tablespoons of bean and beef mix. Wrap tamale tightly and fold then ends over. You can use another corn husk to secure the ends by wrapping it again or tearing strips off the corn husk and tying those around the tamale.
• Place all tamales in steamer (electric or stove-top) for about an hour making sure the water does not run out.

Steps:

• In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook beef and peppers over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, breaking up beef into crumbles; drain. Stir in salsa, corn and water; bring to a boil., Stir in tortilla strips. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes or until tortillas are softened. Sprinkle with cheese; cook, covered, 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream. Freeze option: Freeze cooled meat mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Serve with sour cream.