Best 7 Tamale Sauce Recipes

HOMEMADE GREEN CHILE TAMALE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400℉.
• Remove seeds and membranes from peppers, cut into large chunks. (Note: please use gloves when cutting up peppers.) Cut onion into chunks. Place peppers, onion and garlic cloves into sauce pan. Cover with water and bring to a low boil on medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, until soft.
• Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Remove outer husk from tomatillos and wash well to remove any sticky residue. Cut each tomatillo in half, horizontally.
• Place tomatillos, cut side down, on sprayed baking sheet. Spray tops with cooking spray and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes, until soft. Use caution when removing because the tomatillos can burst into liquid. Set aside.
• Once peppers are softened, allow to cool about 10 minutes. Do not discard liquid. Using a slotted spoon, remove pepper mixture to blender to process only half at a time. Add a little bit of liquid from peppers to blender, just enough to allow the blender to process (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup). Process peppers and tomatillos fully. Discard remaining liquid. Return to pan.
• Add remaining seasonings and heat on medium for 15 minutes. Makes one quart (62 tablespoons).

RED TAMALE SAUCE RECIPE (+VIDEO)

Steps:

• Carefully split the peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Cut peppers into 1-2 inch pieces. Arbol peppers are small so no need to cut those.
• Using a firm bristle brush, wash peppers.
• Place peppers, tomatoes and garlic in pan with 2 cups chicken stock (or enough to cover). Heat on medium and bring to boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until soft.
• Remove all vegetables and remaining spices to blender and blend until smooth. Note: If water has turned too dark, you may want to strain the vegetables to the blender then discard the liquid and replace with fresh chicken stock. Return all to the same pan.
• Simmer for 15 minutes to thicken slightly. Add more spices or salt to taste, if desired.

TAMALE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook and dice potatoes (I cook in boiling water, then peel and dice) Mix all ingredients together.
• Start with 3 or 4 peppers and just 1-2 tsp of juice.
• Then add more to taste.
• But let sit at least 20-30 minutes so you can tell how hot it is!

TAMALE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place a skillet over medium heat, and add the butter. As soon as it has melted, sprinkle over the flour. Whisk until a paste has formed and stir for 1-2 minutes more.
• Begin adding the beef broth a splash at a time, whisking well after each addition, until it resembles a pudding-like consistency. Once this consistency has been achieved, begin streaming in the broth, whisking all the while. Allow the mixture to simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the adobo sauce, taco seasoning and American cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and remove from the heat.
• Top your tamales with the Tex-Mex Tamale Sauce, serve and enjoy.

TAMALES

Steps:

• Braise the meat. Place the pork in a pot with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, salt and enough water to cover 2/3 of the meat; bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. Reserve.
• Make the sauce. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Stem the chiles and seed if desired (seeds will make the sauce spicier). Place on a baking sheet and roast until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the toasted chiles to a medium saucepan along with the tomatoes, cumin and salt. Cover with about 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until the ingredients are soft and fragrant. Cool.
• Transfer the cooled sauce to a food processor and purée. Add the masa and continue to blend until thick. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Reserve.
• When the meat is cool, shred and combine with enough sauce to moisten well. Taste and reseason as needed. Transfer any extra sauce to an airtight container to serve alongside the tamales or to freeze to use later.
• Soak the corn husks in hot water for 30 minutes to an hour or until malleable. Remove the husks and pat dry with paper towels.
• To make the dough, using a standing or hand mixer, cream the lard in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the masa, baking powder and salt, and mix until combined; the mixture will be dry and resemble peas. Begin adding the warm stock about a cup at a time and continue to mix until the dough becomes light and spongy. You may not need the full 4 cups of stock.
• Place a steamer in a large deep pot with a lid and fill with 2 inches of water; bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer.
• Hold a husk in one hand with the wide end facing you. (If this is awkward you can also lay the husk flat on a clean work surface.) Using a spatula, spread the masa mixture in an even layer, no more than 1/4-inch thick, all over the lower 2/3 of a husk leaving the pointed end clean. Be sure to spread the masa all the way to the right side of the husk, but leave at least 1/2 inch clean on the left side so the batter doesn't overlap when the husks are sealed.
• Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the meat and sauce mixture into the center of the masa and fold the husk over to enclose. Fold the top of the husk down like an envelope and place in the prepared steamer.
• Steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the masa is light and fluffy and releases easily from the husk.

REAL HOMEMADE TAMALES

Steps:

• Place pork into a Dutch oven with onion and garlic, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the meat is cooked through, about 2 hours.
• Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from the chile pods. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, then remove from heat to cool. Transfer the chiles and water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture, stir in salt, and set aside. Shred the cooked meat and mix in one cup of the chile sauce.
• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of warm water. In a large bowl, beat the lard with a tablespoon of the broth until fluffy. Combine the masa harina, baking powder and salt; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as necessary to form a spongy dough.
• Spread the dough out over the corn husks to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness. Place one tablespoon of the meat filling into the center. Fold the sides of the husks in toward the center and place in a steamer. Steam for 1 hour.
• Remove tamales from husks and drizzle remaining chile sauce over. Top with sour cream. For a creamy sauce, mix sour cream into the chile sauce.

BEEF TAMALES

Steps:

• Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to cover the roast along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic. Cook until the meat is fork tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. When done, remove the roast to a platter to cool, reserve the beef broth. Hand shred the meat and set aside.
• To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.) Puree the chiles until smooth. Pass the pureed chiles through a strainer to remove the remaining seeds and skins. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if necessary. Add the shredded beef to the bowl of chili sauce, and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Go through the dried cornhusks, separate them and discard the silk, be careful since the husks are fragile when dry. Soak them in a sink filled with warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the broth into the masa a little at a time, working it in with your fingers. In a small bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a spongy texture.
• Rinse, drain, and dry the corn husks. Set them out on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and beef in chili sauce. Start with the largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon dipped in water. Do not use too much! Add about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
• Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. Lay a damp cloth over the tamales and cover with lid. Keep the water at a low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.
• The tamales are done when the inside pulls away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy. To serve, unfold the husk and spoon about a tablespoon of remaining beef filling on top.