/ck/ - Food & Cooking

can i have some, Ill return your tupperware

>>19758330
I don't like the taste of masa especially in tamales

>>19758330
>I'm going to cook some tonight
no one cooks "some" you make dozens and freeze them because they are a pain in the ass to make and no one wants to help.

>>19758330
never. and I am following this thread because I wanna see

>>19758339
Sure, buddy.

>>19758352
I understand they're a hassle to make, bit I've never made them before and I wanted to give it a shot. I really, really like Mexican food.

>>19758366
good luck making a small batch, most recipes are for large amounts.

>>19758330
I've made them many times. I don't have recipe. I just make them. I use the dry masa and follow the directions on the package. I use real corn husks, and tie them on the ends like is proper. I never put olives in them because I don't like olives. I only make red chili pork tamales.

I have not made them in a long time because no one wants to help and it's a 2 day effort. I would make about 12 dozen and freeze them. my rule is if you don't help me make them you don't get any.

the ones they sell at costco are as good as mine so now I just buy those.

>>19758690
I've got some bone-in chicken brests, along will all the dried peppers, corn husks, shortening, masa, etc. I'll be starting in a few hours. Hopefully everything will work out. I'm off work today so I think I'll have plenty of time. I've watched a ton of tamale videos over the last week.

mexican tamales are bad make the colombian ones instead

>>19758731
everyone says to use lard in the masa, but I found that shortening taste better and you get a better texture.

>>19758750
>I ain't got no damn banana leaves.

>>19758330
Why would I make them when I pass at least a half dozen different MexiMILFs selling them on my drive to work?

>>19758822
>Why would I make them when I pass at least a half dozen different MexiMILFs selling them on my drive to work?
because there is a distinct lack of dogs in the neighborhoods where they make them. also I have never EVER seen an attractive chick selling tamales. just some worn out fat roasty.

>>19758822
I wish there were gorgeous latinas making fantastic tasty food for me in my area. But sadly, I must cook my own Mexican dishes.

>You boys ever make tamales?
I did. I even made the mole from scratch. It's all too much work unless you have siblings or kids to use as tamale slave laborers.
I'll post some of the process of my tamales. The mole is a mix between Jalisco and Oaxaca with an Indian curry's base of caramelized onions: Spicy as fuck and chocolatey sweet. The protein was shredded pork. My masa looks darker because I like to put mole into the masa for extra flavor.

>>19759206
If you ever make tamales, be sure to make a ton of them despite the amount of work put in. Nothing is worse than making great tamales but running out almost instantly.

>>19759206
I made a mole sauce before. It was too chocolate tasting. I like mole on spicy enchiladas, but that's about it for me.

>>19758330
What should I make as a side for these bad boys? I was thinking some quick refried beans and a bit of shredded lettuce with avocado and sour cream. Is there an official side dish for tamales?

>>19758356
I'll be posting random cooking images as I go along. I should be getting started around 5:00 EST.

>>19759216
I'm hope I'll have enough. I might even take a few into work tomorrow for my fellow Mexican food fans.

>>19759240
Try a mole that isn't from Oaxaca or Puebla. A Jalisco mole is spicy with zero sweetness or chocolate.

>>19759465
Pro tip: Wait for your tamales to settle and solidify before eating instead of eating them fresh out of the steamer. They will taste better and have much better texture/stability.

>>19759466
I figured that would be true. After cooking I'm sure they taste better after cooling and setting.

>>19758343
Do you like any Mexican food?

>>19758330
This is the primary recipe I'm going to follow. I've made a few modifications, but I'm hoping the whole operation will work out to be something like this.

https://youtu.be/G-y-4We2MsI?si=fGzgPAUNb0onKWjZ

>>19759466
That looks amazing, anon.

>>19759465
Is the jarred mole any good?

>>19758356
Same here. It's weird because I've been to plenty of Mexican restaurants but have never gotten the traditional tamales wrapped in the corn husks.

Figure I should make a point of trying them sometime. Because they definitely look good

>>19758330
I'm soaking my steaming pot out now. It had been in storage for a while. I gotta drop by the store to grab a few things before I start.

>>19759483
I had no idea. That was my first attempt and I couldn't wait to taste them, haha. I shared all but 3 that time with family. I ate two for dinner than had the last one the next day. The difference was astounding between fresh out the steamer and refridgerated.
>>19759527
Appreciate the compliment, anon!
>>19759544
I have never tried pre-made mole. As a beaner, I've been babied with homemade mole from family members. Pic related is my first attempt at mole. I highly recommend making your own because it can be frozen! Even if not frozen it still keeps in the fridge for over a weak depending on salt, fat, and acidity.
>>19759562
are we gonna be babied with a classic /ck/ cook-a-long thread?
>>19759560
My aunties were all impressed I use actual corn husks. Apparently, even in Mexico, most people use these sort of man-made plastic(?) pseudo corn husks. Ironically, I have maybe 5 frozen tamales from my dad's friend that uses said plastic husks. Not sure if it affects flavour or not, but I've never seen them sold in stores around me. Everywhere they only sell actual corn husks. I don't get it because if you store them properly, they can be used years later if you properly "activate" them with hot water.

>>19759596
>man-made plastic(?) pseudo corn husks.

wtf? that doesn't sound good at all. but I guess convenience trumps everything sometimes

>>19758330
yes, it's pretty easy but takes a while. Simmering the meat takes like 4 hours but making the masa and wrapping everything up is pretty quick if you have a helper.

>>19758330
The cooking will begin in about 30 min. Stay tuned.

>>19759757
Alri.....hope they turn out well!!

>>19759776
Thanks, bro.

>>19758330
We have, for first step:
>Four bone-in chicken breaststroke
>One onion, peeled and cut in half
>four large garlic cloves
>Salt
>Chicken bullion paste
>Cilantro
An hour or so until next step.

>>19759890
awww yea here we go

IT'S HAPPENING! OP is actually cooking tamales!

>>19759890
Can’t wait to see how your beaner chicken corndogs turn out.

>>19759890
Waiting to see these beautiful corn filled chicken stuffed husks!!

>>19760042
Kek

>>19759890
why did you put the cilantro in right away?
also do you season your masa? I always put shit in it. Not that I hate the masa taste, but yeah I kinda hate the plain masa taste

>>19760167
I put some cilantro in the pot for the stock. Just a handful.

>>19758330
Alright. Chicken is done. I got a good broth. Now the corn husks get soaked and the dried chilies get get cooked for the sauce. We got a long way to go, my dudes. But it's gunna be worth it. I got plenty of beer so things should move along well.

>>19760185
noice. I'm in for the long haul OP

>>19758330
Call me in two days after they cool
I enjoy my tamales off the griddle refried and a rad bit scorched

a few years ago i was working at gastro pub. the head chef and i were going through a mexican phase.
we live in a country no where near mexico with very little mexican community, with no truly authentic mexican restaurants around. but our boss wanted some tacos on the menu.
so i came up with a nice fire grilled chicken thing, a barbacoa, an amazing mole we would just eat with a spoon, and a couple of other things.
i tried making our own corn tortillas, so i ordered the only masa we can get here, but they never really worked out, so i had a bunch of masa left over. i had corn as well, so i started saving the husks to make tamales because i had never had one before.
eventually i made the tamales. i used the barbacoa and the mole, which was delightful, but i couldn't really get around the flavour of the masa. they were nice, though. i would probably enjoy them a bit more today as my palette has grown and i'm a bit more patient when cooking unfamiliar food.

>>19758330
there's always jokes about the tamale lady using dog meat
it's such a dumb idea, dog is super expensive if you actually try to commercialize it like that one festival in that one region in China - it's a delicacy
tamale lady was shut down for dog meat. I don't believe it. she was shut down for cart permits and some dick hand figured that was the best story

>>19758343
>oooo masa gunn make me sqort

>>19759206
>My masa looks darker because I like to put mole into the masa for extra flavor.
THIS! I do this as well

>>19759216
also this

>>19758330
Husks are dry as all fuck. They need to soak for a good bit. While they soak, I'll start cooking the chilies and shit for dat sauce.
https://youtu.be/g0-F88c6Hrk?si=moLXju6MGdpTa5Wm

>>19758330
>Various dried chilies enter the fight.

>>19758330
OP is still here. Almost ready to mix all the shit into the masa.

>>19760755
still here OP

might I suggest in the future that you do all the cooking and photos first and then make a thread when it's all done. doing all this in real time is kind of slow and people are gonna miss out

>>19760822
You are correct. I'm too sleepy and druk to continue. I will refridgerate what I've made so far, and start a new tamale thread after I get home from work Monday night. Roughly 11:00 pm.
>Yawn.mp3
Good night, boys. See ya tomorrow.

>>19760831
see you tomorrow brah

>>19758366
Seriously Opie, Make a LARGE batch and freeze them, they do freeze well...If you can keep them around that long.
Don't fuck around trying to substitute ingredients..it will fuck them up. Use LARD, use Tamale masa, and follow the proportions, or you will get a substandard result.
*You CAN change the spice content, but they usually aren't heavily spiced.
The other best advice I could give, is to use the Large stockpot with aluminum foil cone stuffed with foil method. You can get away with a steamer insert in the bottom of the pot, but if you don't stand them up, you won't get the right consistency,(The lard melts out of the masa to make them "Fluffy")
Good luck! It's not easy at first, but you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly--like anything that isn't rocket science; It isn't hard, but it takes some practice to get it right.
(you can make strawberry dessert ones too with some good strawberry preserves and some fresh lime juice)
>pic tenuously related