how to make tamales without a steamer?

Question

how can i make tamales without a steamer? does anyone know how i can make a homemade steamer?

Answer 1

TAMALES

6 lbs. lean boneless roast
3/4 lb. suet
1/2 box paprika
1 tbsp. salt
17 pieces garlic
4 hot chili peppers
2 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
2 1/2 tbsp. comino seeds
1 tsp. red pepper
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. paprika
3 boxes white corn meal
3 pkgs. corn husks
Ball of string

Place meat, suet, 1/2 box of paprika, and 1 tablespoon salt in a large roaster with enough water to cover meat and suet well. Place in oven at 300 degrees until very tender. Remove from oven and remove meat and suet to cool. Set broth aside for cooking tamales.
While meat is cooling place corn husks in hot water to soften: when they are soft take them apart and remove silks then place in clean hot water to keep soft.

Using a meat grinder: grind meat (along with just enough suet to help meat stick together) garlic, and chili peppers, alternating each as you grind. Add to meat mixture, chili powder, comino seeds, red pepper, black pepper, and the 1 tablespoon paprika and mix well. Set aside. Make cornmeal mixture in small batches at a time by putting 3 cups boiling water in a bowl and gradually adding corn meal until you have a spreadable mixture about the thickness of pudding, salt to taste.

Before rolling hot tamales, spread newspaper on table and cover working area with wax paper. Drain corn husks several dozen at a time so they don't dry out. Lay husk with smooth side up and large end to your right, spread corn meal mixture along side next to you an area about 3 1/2 long and 3 inches wide leaving about 3/4 inch at large end on your right.

Sprinkle approximately 3 tablespoons of meat mixture down center of corn meal. Roll up, then fold up the 3/4 inch bottom end. When you have rolled 6 tamales place them in a bundle with folded ends toward center of bundle, tie bottom of bundle with string about 1/2 inch from bottom and top of bundle about inch from top, then tie ends of strings together so they cannot slide off end of bundle. Be sure they are tied very snug. When you have several bundles tied place them in the hot broth and simmer (do not boil) for at least 1 hour. Then place remainder of bundles in broth and cook. Serve plain or topped with chili and cheese or picante sauce.

Answer 2

Since you already (I'm assuming) have the tamales, and just need a method of steaming. In a pinch, here's what really works best.....

Take an old aluminum pie tin (the really flimsy ones) and poke holes in the bottom of it....place it in a sauce pot that will accommodate it's diameter and fill with a half inch of water. Presto, an instant steamer......You might want to look in the kitchen wares aisle of a dollar store, as I see steamer baskets there all the time.....Enjoy your tamales!!!

Christopher

Answer 3

RE:
how to make tamales without a steamer?
how can i make tamales without a steamer? does anyone know how i can make a homemade steamer?

Answer 4

I use a round cake cooling rack that i rest on 3 tuna cans or ortega chili cans, tops and bottoms removed. Then pour the hot water into the bottom of your big pot and place the tamales on the cooling rack cover and steam away. check the water level occasionally and add more boiling water as needed by pouring down the side of the pot. Ta Dah! There you go! Best of Luck to you!

Answer 5

REALLY SIMPLE HOT TAMALES

MEAT MIXTURE:

2 lg. onions
1/2 c. tomato sauce
3 lbs. ground meat
1 pkg. dry chili mix
1/2 env. dry onion soup
1/2 c. yellow corn meal
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 oz. chili powder
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Put meat in a large bowl. Puree onions and tomato sauce in blender and pour over meat. Add corn meal, dry chili mix, dry onion soup mix, bouillon cubes, chili powder, salt and pepper, garlic powder and cayenne. Mix well with hands and shape into logs no longer than half the length of the tamale paper.

COATING:

1 box yellow cornmeal, regular
1 1/2 oz. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pie plate mix corn meal, salt and pepper, chili powder and garlic powder. Do not under-salt; cornmeal takes a lot of salt. Roll meat logs in cornmeal to coat on all sides. Wet a bunch of papers by submerging in a bowl of water. Keep one corner dry for easier handling.
Take a pinch of cornmeal mixture in pie pan and place toward top of paper. Set meat on top of cornmeal. Make one roll with the paper, turn in sides and continue to roll. Place in large roaster with the seam side down. Cover tamales with sauce.

Cover roaster, bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 45 minutes. Fry off suet and pour grease over tamales during last 5 minutes of cooking time. Let tamales soak for 1/2 hour.


SAUCE:

1 lg. can tomato sauce
2 bouillon cubes (beef)
1 can chili
1 lb. suet

In a bowl mix 1 large can tomato sauce, bouillon cubes, 1 can chili and enough water to keep tamales covered.

Answer 6

MAKE YOUR FAV RECIPE FOR TAMALES AND WRAP THEM IN FOIL. I THEN PUT THEM ON THE GRILL, WHEN THEY FEEL FIRM, THEY ARE DONE.