How do you keep Cheese from seeping out of tamale when steaming?

Question

Making Chili Cheese tamales. Each time I make them, the cheese seeps out. How do I avoid that?

Answer 1

Where are they seeping? Out the top?

After you make each tamal, you need to squeeze the top, so that the masa closes at the top.

If it is seeping out of the sides or bottom, it sounds like you are wrapping the tamales too tight, and the husk is breaking.
Do you fold up the bottom flap of the husk? You need to do that so you don't lose any of the filling.

Another hint for making the cheese tamales, if you don't do this already: Use butter instead of lard, and add some unbleached flour to the masa. Just a couple tablespoons.

I assume you know this already, but make sure you spread the masa wide enough to go all the way around the cheese as you wrap each one, and that makes a sufficient seal.

Also, I see you say "chili"...do you mean fresh chiles, chile salsa, or american CHILI with ground beef? I ask because when you make a traditional tamal, you either use fresh chiles or chile salsa (and you use VERY LITTLE salsa, so it doesn't leak). If you are putting american chili in there, it sounds yummy, but I can see how it might be too much liquid for your tamales to hold without leaking.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

I think she is using the chili/cheese mix for enchiladas in the tamale.
I might try this myself. I think the way to solve this problem is to put the tamales in a group of 6 and wrap in alum. foil, and steam. The foil is not sealed tightly and the steam can get in.
You can also steam regular tamales this way. You don't have to wrap them in the corn husks this way.
Hope this is of help.

Answer 3

seal well in masa wrapping
dont' overfill
use less cheese