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Description
Of all the foods enjoyed for Las Posadas (the Christmas Nativity story celebrated in Latin America and parts of the United States each December), tamales might be the most loved — and these tamales are among the best you’ll find. Tender shreds of beef drenched in red chile sauce, plus potato, carrot, pickled jalapeño, and green olives, all get wrapped in corn masa that’s seasoned with more chile sauce…
Five different types of chiles give the sauce flavors of smoky, bitter, spicy, and sweet to create a well balanced sauce. You can find them online and at a Latin grocery store. If they’re not all available you can go with more pasilla, New Mexico, or guajillo chiles, but always include a dark chile such as mulato, ancho, or chile negro to balance out the bitterness of the others.
Making tamales is a big project, ideally for at least a few people to share and spread out over a couple of days. You’re going to need a large stand mixer to beat the masa so it comes out fluffy, and a 32-qt. tamale steamer, though you can also steam the tamales in batches in a 10- to 12-qt. pot. Enjoy the tamales on their own, or serve them with sour cream or creme fraiche, salsa, rice, and beans. The recipe, which makes 40 tamales, is a Yummly original created by Ericka Sanchez.
Ingredients
- 4 lb. boneless beef chuck (or a little more, if meat has quite a bit of fat)
- 2 small white onions (peeled, divided)
- 10 garlic cloves (whole, peeled; divided)
- 12 allspice berries (divided)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 7 tsp. salt (divided, plus more to taste)
- 1 lb. dried corn husks
- 7 oz. dried guajillo chiles
- 1 dried New Mexico chile (or California chile)
- 1 dried mulato chile
- 1 dried pasilla chile
- 1 dried puya chile (or use an ancho chile)
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1 fresh jalapeño peppers (large)
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 3 cups lard (or vegetable shortening, at room temperature)
- 8 cups masa harina (also called instant masa)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 3 large carrots
- 3/4 lb. potatoes (Yukon gold, russet, or regular white potatoes)
- 45 pimento-stuffed green olives
- 12 oz. sliced pickled jalapeños (1 can, drained; about 45 slices)
Directions
- Make filling: Bring 3 qt. water to a boil in a 6- to 8-qt. pot over high heat. Meanwhile, cut beef into 2-inch chunks, trimming any large chunks of fat (it’s OK to leave some). Add beef to water along with 1 whole onion, 6 garlic cloves, 3 allspice berries, the bay leaves, and oregano, and reduce heat to medium. Return to a boil, then boil meat uncovered for 15 minutes, skimming off foam with a wide metal spoon.
- Add 1 Tbsp. salt to beef. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer beef until it’s very tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, if you’re filling the tamales on the same day as cooking the beef, separate corn husks and rinse of any debris or silks. Place husks in a large bowl and soak in hot water weighted down with a couple of plates until husks are soft, at least 1 hour. Otherwise, wait to soak the husks until the day you fill the tamales (see Step 9).
NutritionView More
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| Calories730Calories from Fat460 |
| % DAILY VALUE |
| Total Fat51g78% |
| Saturated Fat19g95% |
| Trans Fat0g |
| Cholesterol90mg30% |
| Sodium960mg40% |
| Potassium710mg20% |
| Protein23g |
| Calories from Fat460 |
| % DAILY VALUE |
| Total Carbohydrate47g16% |
| Dietary Fiber8g32% |
| Sugars6g |
| Vitamin A90% |
| Vitamin C15% |
| Calcium15% |
| Iron35% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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