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I need a tried and true tamale recipe

I’ve searched and there are threads about tamales and how wonderful they are, but no threads on the recipes themselves. Does anyone have some that they’ve personally used along with how to accomplish the rolling process?

I attempted making some with an internet recipe and it ended up with the tamale rolls having nearly the same consistency of sand. I had to throw out most of them as I couldn’t force myself to eat more than like 10.
 
They are not easy to make right. I've tried a few times, but now I rely on the wonderful ladies at my local tamale-ria; they do a superior job. I love living in LA.
 
They are not easy to make right. I've tried a few times, but now I rely on the wonderful ladies at my local tamale-ria; they do a superior job. I love living in LA.

West Virginia has amazing mountains, outdoor activities for days, and just all the mountain culture you could ever want. But every Mexican restaurant serves reheated frozen food. It’s getting better, but I have to drive to the DC/Baltimore area to find anything remotely authentic. There is a tapas restaurant I want to try though…

:D I think Chipotle and Chipotle-esque restaurants are the closest thing to fresh authentic Mexican I can get. At least it's from the right region of the country.
 

DoctorShavegood

"A Boy Named Sue"
West Virginia has amazing mountains, outdoor activities for days, and just all the mountain culture you could ever want. But every Mexican restaurant serves reheated frozen food. It’s getting better, but I have to drive to the DC/Baltimore area to find anything remotely authentic. There is a tapas restaurant I want to try though…

:D I think Chipotle and Chipotle-esque restaurants are the closest thing to fresh authentic Mexican I can get. At least it's from the right region of the country.

We have a Chipotle restaurant down the street a ways in a strip mall. I ate there once 10-12 years ago when it first opened. Around here we have a lot of Mexican food choices so that one is very low on the list. But, I can see how Chipotle's would be a place for you with limited options. I think you are on the right track by making your own tamales.
 
We have a Chipotle restaurant down the street a ways in a strip mall. I ate there once 10-12 years ago when it first opened. Around here we have a lot of Mexican food choices so that one is very low on the list. But, I can see how Chipotle's would be a place for you with limited options. I think you are on the right track by making your own tamales.

There are a lot of Mexican restaurants in the area. I can honestly think of 5 within 10 miles of myself, but they’re all cheaper reheated frozen foods and nothing is really fresh. It’s unfortunately too, because there is a large South American population around here with the industries that we have. But I can’t say much with the local paper’s reader’s choice award going to Olive Garden and one locally owned restaurant for the Italian category. I had a friend who is a very good cook who ended up as their “head chef” while trying to find a job and he said everything was frozen. The place was more expensive than Olive Garden as well and the owners wouldn’t even let him cook. He’s since left for one of the Voltaggio brother’s restaurants.
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
West Virginia has amazing mountains, outdoor activities for days, and just all the mountain culture you could ever want. But every Mexican restaurant serves reheated frozen food. It’s getting better, but I have to drive to the DC/Baltimore area to find anything remotely authentic. There is a tapas restaurant I want to try though…

:D I think Chipotle and Chipotle-esque restaurants are the closest thing to fresh authentic Mexican I can get. At least it's from the right region of the country.

Chipoltle's is pretty good. Maybe not totally authentic, but the ingredients are good and fresh. I like their barbacoa as well as the corn salsa
 
I would suggest that you concentrate on masa the corn paste mixture. There is a product Quaker sells that is called Masa Harina what are you using now?
 
West Virginia has amazing mountains, outdoor activities for days, and just all the mountain culture you could ever want. But every Mexican restaurant serves reheated frozen food. It’s getting better, but I have to drive to the DC/Baltimore area to find anything remotely authentic. There is a tapas restaurant I want to try though…

:D I think Chipotle and Chipotle-esque restaurants are the closest thing to fresh authentic Mexican I can get. At least it's from the right region of the country.
My local is Tamara's Tamales, on Venice Blvd, West LA. 12 +/- traditional tamales, a few more speciality, vegan, etc. Alas, they do not ship. And except for rice and beans, tamales are all they make and sell. Making tamales is so labor-intensive that it just isn't worth my time. Not when I have those talented ladies at Tamar's every day but Monday.
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
I would suggest that you concentrate on masa the corn paste mixture. There is a product Quaker sells that is called Masa Harina what are you using now?
Yep, no matter how good the filling, if the corn is too dry or too wet it won't be good
 
Trader joes homemade tamales are excellent. 15 minutes in a steamer and you are done.

Or even just a few in the microwave. I agree that they're nice; they even use the corn husk wrapper.

PS for purists: the singular is tamal, no 'e' on the end (at least in the original Spanish).
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
Or even just a few in the microwave. I agree that they're nice; they even use the corn husk wrapper.

PS for purists: the singular is tamal, no 'e' on the end (at least in the original Spanish).
That is not well known, as eating only one is impossible
 
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