Making tamales is a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. Many Hispanic families hold on to this tradition and make tamales during the holidays, especially during Christmas. All the girls and women in the family come together and use it as a special time to spend with one another. Now my girls and I do this too and I hope that one day they pass it along to their families. 

This recipe makes about 3 dozen tamales

Note: All ingredients can be found in Food City or Walmart. If Mama Lola’s is unavailable, use Dos Ranchitos Unprepared Masa or Food City Unprepared masa. 

Corn Husk Shell:

• 1 bag of 16-oz El Guapo Corn husks

Meat Ingredients:

• 4lbs of beef round 

• 4 bay leaves

• 4 tablespoons of All Seasoning

• 3 tablespoons of black pepper

• 1/2 of one onion 

• Water

• 20 dried mild red chili pods (New Mexico Chili Barker’s Brand)

• 2 tablespoons of Knorr Granulated tomato with chicken flavor bouillon

Masa Ingredients:

• 1 bag of 5-pound Mama Lola masa ( found at Food City)

• 1 1/3 cup of Morrell Snow Cap lard

• 1 tablespoons of baking soda

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 2 cups of beef broth

Corn Husk Shell Instructions:

1. Let corn husks soak in the sink overnight

Meat Instructions:

1. Place beef round in a slow cooker. 

2. Cover beef round with water until submerged fully

3. Put all seasoning, black pepper, bay leaves, and onion in the slow cooker over beef round.

4. Cover slow cover and cook beef round on medium overnight, at least 8 hours. Do not throw away beef broth, it will be used later.

5. Once the beef round is done cooking, In a large pot, put the dried red chili pods to boil

6. Shred the beef round.  

7. Put dried red chili pods and water it was cooked in, in a blender

8. Add bouillon to the red chili pod blender and blend until smooth. 

9. In a separate pot, place shredded meat and use a strainer to add the chili and bouillon mixture. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Place to the side and let cool. 

Masa Instrustions:

1. Mix 1 ⅓ cup of lard, 1 tbs baking soda, and 1 tbs of salt in a mixer until it takes on the texture of whipping cream. 

2. Add 5lbs of masa to mixer in three equal portions. 

3. Add 2 cups of strained broth slowly. Let blend  on medium for 10 minutes

Putting Together the Tamales:

1. In separate bowls, place masa, wet corn husks, and meat in front of you so you can start putting together the tamales. 

2. Take 2 tablespoons of masa, and spread it evenly on the smooth side of a corn husk. Leave about a third of the tail end of the husk free of masa. 

3. Take about 1 tablespoon of meat and spread it in the center of the masa.

4. Fold each side of the husk so it overlaps the other, and then take the bottom part, the tail, and fold it up along the seam. 

5. Repeat the above process 

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a 16qt tamale steamer pot, pour water until it hits the steamer plate line. 

2. Place a small, heat-proof bowl on the center of the steamer plate to make stacking tamales easier. 

3. Start stacking tamales in an upright position around the bowl until packed. 

4. Take extra corn husks and cover the tamales. 

5. Take a hand towel and cover husks and tamales

6. Turn water up to a boil, once boiling, lower heat to keep it at a rapid simmer, and let cook for 1hr and 30 minutes. 

7. Add water to the steamer if needed. Do not pour over tamales. 

8. After the cooking time, check a tamale. The masa should be fully cooked. If the tamale easily separates from the husk, it is ready. If it sticks, cook a little longer.