Cody Casey
Tamales are a beloved Mexican dish that can be made with various fillings, including chicken, beef, and pork. Traditionally, tamales are steamed in a basket over water on the stove, but they can also be cooked in a crock pot or slow cooker. Crock pots are a convenient option for making tamales as they help retain moisture and free up stove space. This method involves placing a rack in the slow cooker, adding water, and leaning the tamales against an overturned bowl or foil ball. The cooking time for crock pot tamales typically ranges from 3 to 6 hours, depending on the desired doneness.
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What You'll Learn
Tamale cooking times and temperatures
Tamales can be cooked in a crock pot, also known as a slow cooker. This method of cooking tamales is a great alternative to steaming them in a large pot or steamer basket.
The cooking time for tamales in a crock pot is around 6-8 hours, depending on the recipe. For example, one recipe recommends cooking the meat filling on high for about 6 hours, then turning the heat to low and cooking for an additional 2 hours. Another recipe recommends cooking the entire tamale in a crock pot for 4-5 hours.
The cooking temperature for tamales in a crock pot is typically set to high for the first few hours to speed up the cooking process, and then lowered to low for the remaining time.
When steaming tamales in a steamer basket, the recommended cooking time is around 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. It is important to ensure that the tamales are cooked through, as undercooked tamales can be dry and crumbly. To check if tamales are cooked through, it is recommended to use a food thermometer to ensure that they have reached an internal temperature of 158-168°F (70-76°C). This temperature range is important for achieving full gelatinization of the starches in the masa, resulting in a soft and fluffy tamale.
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Meat preparation and seasoning
Tamales are a labour of love, but you can make the process easier by using a crock pot. The first step is to prepare the meat. For chicken tamales, it is recommended to use legs and thighs instead of chicken breasts, as they have more flavour. For beef, a chuck roast is a good option. Season the meat with salt and black pepper on both sides, and heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides to lock in the flavour, then place it in the crock pot.
At this stage, you can add other ingredients such as chopped onion, green chillies, chilli powder, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Pour in enough water to cover about 1/3 of the meat, and add a beef bouillon cube if using beef. Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours, keeping an eye on the water level to ensure it doesn't dry out. After this, turn the heat to low and cook for another 2 hours. Once the meat is tender, shred it with forks and taste it. You can add more hot sauce if you prefer it spicier. For the best results, refrigerate the shredded meat overnight.
If you are making shredded pork tamales, the process is similar. Rinse and dry the pork, trim any skin or fat, and rub with oil and seasonings. Place the pork in the crock pot and add the remaining ingredients, ensuring that the liquid covers everything. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours, then shred the meat and remove any bones.
For a vegetarian option, you can prepare a filling of corn, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and olives. Brown and crumble ground beef or turkey in a skillet with diced onion and garlic, then drain the excess fat. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, egg, and milk, mixing until smooth. Add the corn, tomatoes, seasoning, olives, and meat to this mixture, then transfer it to the crock pot.
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Preparing corn husks
Tamales are a popular dish in Mexican and Spanish culture, and they can be made at home with corn husks. Corn husks are the outer covering of an ear of corn, and they are dried to be used in making tamales or encasing foods to be steamed. They can be found year-round in Texas, especially around December, near the produce area.
When preparing corn husks for making tamales, it is important to select corn husks that are free from tears, moisture, and debris. The night before making tamales, remove the corn husks from their packaging. Before adding the corn husks to a container, give them a quick rinse under cold water to remove any dirt, dust, or threads. Use a container large enough to soak the desired number of corn husks, such as a restaurant plastic storage container, a cooler, an ice bucket, a stockpot, or your sink. Clean the container thoroughly before adding the corn husks.
Place the corn husks in the container and top them with hot water. Weigh down the husks to ensure they are fully submerged and do not float to the top. Leave the corn husks to soak overnight or for at least two hours. The goal is to make the husks soft and pliable, ready for wrapping the tamales.
When you are ready to assemble your tamales, remove the corn husks from the water and place them on a baking sheet. Cover them with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. If the corn husks start drying out, return them to the water and let them soak again.
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Masa preparation
Tamales are a beloved Mexican dish, popular throughout much of Central America, and they have been around for thousands of years. The ingredient that makes a tamale a tamale is corn masa dough. Preparing the masa is the first step in making tamales.
To prepare the masa, you will need a handful of ingredients and a little bit of patience. The ingredients include masa harina, which is a special type of corn flour, warm water, chicken stock, vegetable broth, lard, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil. You can also add baking powder and salt to taste.
Start by whipping the lard, vegetable shortening, or vegetable oil in a KitchenAid or hand mixer until it is light and airy, similar to cake frosting. Then, add the baking powder and salt. Next, add the masa harina and liquid (water, chicken stock, or vegetable broth) in equal parts, alternating between the two until they are fully mixed. For example, if your recipe calls for 8 cups of masa harina, you will need 8 cups of liquid. Beat the mixture for about 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy, and you have a spreadable, smooth consistency. If the dough is too dry, add more liquid, and if it is too wet, add more masa harina.
You can prepare the masa by hand or with an electric mixer, which will cut the prep time in half. Preparing masa for a large batch of tamales can be challenging, as the masa might not mix properly and will cook unevenly.
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Reheating tamales
Step 1: Prepare the Crock Pot
Place a rack in the crock pot. Many crock pots come with a steaming rack, but if yours does not have one, you can use a colander or steamer basket with legs. Add water to the crock pot until it reaches just below the surface of the rack.
Step 2: Arrange the Tamales
Lay the tamales on the rack. If you are reheating a large number of tamales, you can lean them against an overturned small bowl or a large ball of tin foil placed in the center of the crock pot. If needed, fill in any open spaces with extra corn husks or aluminum foil to keep the tamales from falling over.
Step 3: Reheat the Tamales
If your crock pot has a sauté or steam function, use it to heat the water quickly, then lower the heat to slow cook. Reheating time will depend on the number of tamales and whether they are fresh, frozen, or thawed. For thawed tamales, it should take around 20 minutes, while frozen tamales may need up to 45 minutes.
Other Reheating Options
In addition to using a crock pot, there are several other ways to reheat tamales, including using an Instant Pot, oven, microwave, skillet, or steamer. When using an Instant Pot or steamer, place the tamales upright with the open side up and lean them against the side of the pot. If using the oven, place the tamales in a baking dish with water and cover with aluminum foil before heating. For the microwave, place the tamales in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate, and if using a skillet, simply heat the tamales in the skillet until warmed through.
No matter which method you choose, always ensure that your tamales are heated thoroughly before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, tamales can be cooked in a crock pot.
It takes between 3 to 6 hours to cook tamales in a crock pot.
The ingredients needed are corn husks, cornmeal, eggs, milk, tomatoes, corn, seasonings, meat, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and green onions.
Beef and chicken are commonly used in tamales.
The tamales are done cooking when the husk comes away easily from the masa.
