Tamales

[Tobias]

this is where sys or someone else steps in and tells us how it's actually a traditional dish

[Mikeyis4dcats]

this is where sys or someone else steps in and tells us how it's actually a traditional dish

I know they make Chiles en Nogada which are stuffed with raisins, so it's not surprising.

http://mexicofoodandmore.com/meat/chiles-en-nogada-stuffed-poblano-peppers-in-nut-sauce.html

[CNS]

Guys, I have a friend who used to eat cereal with soda rather than milk.  Doesn't mean it is an american tradition or any good. 

[TheFormerKCCat]

just had a "sweet" tamale. not really a fan. had like rasins instead of meat.

what kind of monster does this

real certified mexican (american)

He was/is trolling you very hard.  Sounds absolutely disgusting.

Nope. Can verify (and I'm a bona fide Mexican-American) that this is a real thing. Sweet tamales have never been my favorite, but they were a staple of our family Christmas/New Year's gatherings. They were always the last ones left though. While not as disgusting as fruit cake, they are similar in desirability in my book.

Also, no need to have to use a specific tamal steamer - a regular old pot with a veggie steamer or similar way to elevate the tamales will work too. As Pete mentioned, the process is tedious and lengthy only because of the multi-step preparation required. The more hands in assembling the tamales the better - it's a family bonding experience.

My family only goes with corn husk wrappers (we're Northerners), but others use the banana/plantain leaf. Also, other cultures (within Mexico and the Caribbean/Central America) use other things in their masa, and stuffing too: root vegetables (Puerto Rico) for masa, rice in the masa (Central America), olives (watch your molars and fillings if they aren't pitted!) in the filling, etc..

Enjoy!

[waks]

just had a "sweet" tamale. not really a fan. had like rasins instead of meat.

what kind of monster does this

real certified mexican (american)

He was/is trolling you very hard.  Sounds absolutely disgusting.

Nope. Can verify (and I'm a bona fide Mexican-American) that this is a real thing. Sweet tamales have never been my favorite, but they were a staple of our family Christmas/New Year's gatherings. They were always the last ones left though. While not as disgusting as fruit cake, they are similar in desirability in my book.

Also, no need to have to use a specific tamal steamer - a regular old pot with a veggie steamer or similar way to elevate the tamales will work too. As Pete mentioned, the process is tedious and lengthy only because of the multi-step preparation required. The more hands in assembling the tamales the better - it's a family bonding experience.

My family only goes with corn husk wrappers (we're Northerners), but others use the banana/plantain leaf. Also, other cultures (within Mexico and the Caribbean/Central America) use other things in their masa, and stuffing too: root vegetables (Puerto Rico) for masa, rice in the masa (Central America), olives (watch your molars and fillings if they aren't pitted!) in the filling, etc..

Enjoy!

This is how an ex-girlfriend of mine's grandmother made hers. They were incredible. Is that a Sonoran thing?

[j-dub]

yeah, my tamale guy makes the sweet w/raisins as well. puts lots of cinnamon in the mesa.. they are okay.

(sorry cf3, my bad bud. i guess i just liked having "my" thing ya know bud. we have so many "our" things already, that, well, i don't know bud.. sometimes i just need my tamale time i guess."

[Cartierfor3]

yeah, my tamale guy makes the sweet w/raisins as well. puts lots of cinnamon in the mesa.. they are okay.

(sorry cf3, my bad bud. i guess i just liked having "my" thing ya know bud. we have so many "our" things already, that, well, i don't know bud.. sometimes i just need my tamale time i guess."

Forgiven.

[p1k3]

yeah, my tamale guy makes the sweet w/raisins as well. puts lots of cinnamon in the mesa.. they are okay.

(sorry cf3, my bad bud. i guess i just liked having "my" thing ya know bud. we have so many "our" things already, that, well, i don't know bud.. sometimes i just need my tamale time i guess."

assuming you mean masa. I used to work for a masa company 

[sys]

sweet tamales are traditional, and yes, they suck.

[j-dub]

yeah, my tamale guy makes the sweet w/raisins as well. puts lots of cinnamon in the mesa.. they are okay.

(sorry cf3, my bad bud. i guess i just liked having "my" thing ya know bud. we have so many "our" things already, that, well, i don't know bud.. sometimes i just need my tamale time i guess."

assuming you mean masa. I used to work for a masa company 

 

[TheFormerKCCat]

olives (watch your molars and fillings if they aren't pitted!) in the filling

This is how an ex-girlfriend of mine's grandmother made hers. They were incredible. Is that a Sonoran thing?

It's a Spanish/Mediterranean thing. My wife's Puerto Rican and they put olives in damn-near everything. Argentinians put olives in their empanadas.

If your ex-girlfriend's grandma is from Sonora, that's the first incident of olives in Mexican tamales I've heard of, but perhaps it's more prevalent than I thought? Was that in a pork tamal?

[waks]

olives (watch your molars and fillings if they aren't pitted!) in the filling

This is how an ex-girlfriend of mine's grandmother made hers. They were incredible. Is that a Sonoran thing?

It's a Spanish/Mediterranean thing. My wife's Puerto Rican and they put olives in damn-near everything. Argentinians put olives in their empanadas.

If your ex-girlfriend's grandma is from Sonora, that's the first incident of olives in Mexican tamales I've heard of, but perhaps it's more prevalent than I thought? Was that in a pork tamal?

Can't remember what meat (if any) was used. Years ago.

[Mikeyis4dcats]

provided by my carpenter Nacho.   Pretty tasty.

[pissclams]

wtf you're eating the corn husk?

[Rams]

looks like nacho forgot the masa. 

[puniraptor]

mikey, you will get stopped up if you dont stop eating the husks

[gato montes]

kinda awesome how they're more or less traditional christmas fare in the southwest.  'tis the season!

It is awesome. I spent New Years Eve day making a about 200 with friends (including the masa). We toasted at midnight then chowed down on tamales. You should try with green chile in your meat mixture (hatch, sandia, big jim's, etc. not poblanos). Oh and a touch of cumin in the masa mix.

[yoEMAW]

i don't buy into the hype that they take a long time to make.  seems pretty pud.

Well, the meat has to be done in advance, and you know how long a pork shoulder takes.  I baked a small one for 4 hours at 275, and did 5 pounds of chicken breasts for the same amount of time in a large crock pot.  I mixed the pork and chicken together after I pulled them.

Then the construction of 50 tamales takes the better part of an hour with two people, less if you have more people.

Then the steaming takes 2-3 hours at least.

Did you see his recipe?

"Ain't no meats!"

Where's the beef, clams?

[TheFormerKCCat]

You should try with green chile in your meat mixture (hatch, sandia, big jim's, etc. not poblanos). Oh and a touch of cumin in the masa mix.

Can confirm that this is delicious. Green chile and pork (chicken too, but I like pork more!) LOVE each other and bring out each other's flavors beautifully. Green chile + pork = 

[pissclams]

i don't buy into the hype that they take a long time to make.  seems pretty pud.

Well, the meat has to be done in advance, and you know how long a pork shoulder takes.  I baked a small one for 4 hours at 275, and did 5 pounds of chicken breasts for the same amount of time in a large crock pot.  I mixed the pork and chicken together after I pulled them.

Then the construction of 50 tamales takes the better part of an hour with two people, less if you have more people.

Then the steaming takes 2-3 hours at least.

Did you see his recipe?

"Ain't no meats!"

Where's the beef, clams?

they're really good.  if you're even in santa monica or downtown LA, go in and order some.  if they aren't great, then you ain't a tamale lover son

[p1k3]

You should try with green chile in your meat mixture (hatch, sandia, big jim's, etc. not poblanos). Oh and a touch of cumin in the masa mix.

Can confirm that this is delicious. Green chile and pork (chicken too, but I like pork more!) LOVE each other and bring out each other's flavors beautifully. Green chile + pork = 

yeah when I lived in Cali we would always go to some dude in Merced that made the dankest green chili/pork tamales. My God I would fly out there again just to eat those.

[Kat Kid]

I do NOT appreciate the Venezuelan olive tamales that ones served in Maracaibo during the holidays.  I did however scarf down arepas at every oppy.