New Orleans Hot Tamales

Submitted by Kikimony

"This is for a request of Hot Tamales. My mom used to make these, at least I think this is the recipe she used to use. :-) I am unsure of how many this makes, maybe a few dozen. (Recipe is from Chef Frank Davis: http://z.wwltv.com/frankdavis/Old_Recipes/realneworleanstamales.htm)"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 15mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 1 batch

ingredients

• 3 lbs lean ground meat
• 2 cups Ballard cornbread mix
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies
• 1 (3 1/4 ounce) envelope Two Alarm chili mix
• 1 (16 ounce) can peeled tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 (2 1/2 ounce) can Mexican chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 cups water
• salt
• cayenne pepper
• corn husk, tamale papers (found in most groceries)

directions

1. Start off by sautéing the ground beef and onions until the beef browns and the onions become tender.
2. At this point, strain the meat and drain off all but a couple tablespoons of the beef drippings; But KEEP IT IN RESERVE-you'll need it later.
3. Then combine into the meat the Rotel tomatoes, the chili mix, the peeled tomatoes, the chili powder, the cumin, the water, and your salt and cayenne pepper.
4. Now… bring the mixture to a slow boil; but as soon as the boil begins, reduce the heat to low and simmer everything together (with the cover on the pot) for about 45 minutes to an hour.
5. Next, strain the meat again from the juices (but save the juices); Then put the meat back into the pot and stir in the cornbread mix and one cup of meat drippings you saved from the sautéing process.
6. At this point, you can adjust the"spicyness" of the tamales by adding either more chili powder or cayenne pepper.
7. Then mix everything together extremely well once more- and note- you want the tamale mixture to be moist and pasty, but not"wet".
8. Finally, place about a tablespoon of the meat stuffing into the center of a moistened tamale paper, roll the paper around the tamale, and put the rolled tamales into a deep steamer pot.
9. Then ladle over the tamales all the juices and drippings you reserved during the preparation process and simmer everything on low for about 45 minutes.
10. When you're ready to eat, serve them piping hot.

Reviews

[Bayou Andy]

It's a real shame that this is a Frank Davis (word for word) recipe and he received neither credit nor mention.

 

[lprice25]

These tamales are very good and worth the effort. We used the McCormick Hot Mexican-Style Chili Powder. Instead of measuring a tablespoon of stuffing per tamale, we eyeballed it and we ended up with 54 hot tamales. Too, we discovered Ballard Cornbread Mix is now Martha White brand White Cornbread & Muffin Mix. It is packaged in a blue box and states “Ballard Old South Recipe� on the bottom front of the box.

 

[Cheley]

I've had these years ago and they are great! This is the same recipe New Orleans Chef Frank Davis lists. I am confused on the steamer though... Do they go into a steaming basket or just in a deep pot to simmer in the liquid?

 

[southern chef in lo]

this is almost excatly like the ones my moma and papa use to make, they owned a little resturant in bugalusa louisana called EL BOOGERS we still make these all the time i could eat the whole pot by myself

 

[Rita1652]

I did like this. It`s not the traditional Tamales! Spicy! Prep time was more like 1-1/2 hours! This is like eating somewhat firm chili out of a Corn Husk. I didn`t use the can of Mexican chili powder. Didn`t need it! I`d say it made about 60 minus the three I just ate! Yum!Tasty Tamales!