Authentic Corn Tamales Recipe
You’ll need fresh corn kernels, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, egg, salt, baking powder, harina de maiz
(dried corn flour) *, dried corn husks
* (*Can be found in Hispanic grocery stores).
Working in batches, add the corn kernels to a blender/food processor and puree until smooth (this is the food processor
I love and use). In the bowl of an electric mixer
, cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the egg, salt, and baking powder. Mix to incorporate. Add the flour and pureed corn and mix until blended and forms a loose smooth dough. Put a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you. Spread 3 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half of the corn husk (if you have trouble getting an even spread try a tamale spreader
), leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the sides. Pick up the 2 long sides of the corn husk and bring them together. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the filling. Repeat with remaining husks and dough. Arrange the tamales, seam side down, in a steamer and add 1/2-inch of water. Cover with a tight fitting lid, bring to a simmer for 1 hour, adding additional water, as needed to maintain 1/2-inch of water in the pan. Remove the tamales from the steamer and serve.
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Authentic Corn Tamales Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 cups fresh corn kernels from 7 ears
- 1 1/2 sticks 6 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup harina de maiz dried corn flour *
- 20 dried corn husks soaked in warm water for 30 minutes*
- *Can be found in Hispanic grocery stores
Instructions
- Working in batches, add the corn kernels to a blender/food processor and puree until smooth.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale.
- Add the egg, salt, and baking powder. Mix to incorporate.
- Add the flour and pureed corn and mix until blended and forms a loose smooth dough.
- Put a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you.
- Spread 3 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half of the corn husk, leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the sides.
- Pick up the 2 long sides of the corn husk and bring them together. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the filling.
- Repeat with remaining husks and dough.
- Arrange the tamales, seam side down, in a steamer and add 1/2-inch of water.
- Cover with a tight fitting lid, bring to a simmer for 1 hour, adding additional water, as needed to maintain 1/2-inch of water in the pan.
- Remove the tamales from the steamer and serve.
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I’ve never had corn tamales, which is crazy because I love Mexican food!
Where is the meat?
These look delicious! I would love to make these on Taco Tuesday. My family would love them.
I love Mexican food! These look really good. I have never made tamales before, I would love to try this recipe.
You should try them and let me know what you think.
I’ve never had tamales before, but these look simple enough to make. Think my shredded chicken would taste great with them.
I agree that shredded chicken would be really good with these.
Trader Joe’s has some very delicious corn tamales, but they are expensive. My sister and I love eating corn tamales, and I am sure she would love for me to make these. I think this is a fun recipe to try out.
Even better, have your sister help you make them.
Some of the best tamales I ever had were vegetable tamales. That has a lot to do with seasoning, but they were the best I have ever had.
I think a 1/2 cup corn flour is not enough. Mine never firmed up after two hours in steamer. Other recipes call for 3 to 4 cups of corn flour.
Thanks for the feedback. I’m sorry to hear that your tamales didn’t work out. I’m not sure what might have gone wrong as I know others have had success with this recipe.
Same . I tried this recipe and my tamales remained soft.