Steaming Tamales: The Perfect Oven Method

Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish, often served at family gatherings and celebrations. They are made from corn dough and a sweet or savoury filling, then wrapped in corn husks and steamed. While steaming is the traditional method, you can also cook tamales in an oven. To do this, you should set your oven to a low temperature – around 225°F to 350°F – and place your tamales in a Dutch oven, casserole dish, or roasting pan with a rack and some water to create steam.

Preparing the tamales for the oven

Firstly, you will need to prepare your corn husks by soaking them in hot water until they are soft and pliable. This is an important step as it ensures the husks can be folded and wrapped around the tamale filling without breaking. While the corn husks are soaking, you can prepare your chosen filling. The filling is usually pre-cooked, so make sure it is ready to use and set it aside.

Next, you will make the masa, which is a corn dough that forms the base of the tamale. Beat the lard or butter until light and fluffy, then add your dry ingredients. Gradually add broth until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency. You can adjust the consistency by adding more or less broth, but it should be easy to spread on the corn husks.

Now it's time to assemble the tamales. Take a softened corn husk and lay it flat. Spread a thin layer of the masa onto the corn husk, leaving a border around the edges. Add your chosen filling to the centre. It is important not to overfill the tamales as this can cause them to break open during cooking. Once the filling is added, you can fold and seal the tamales.

If you are using store-bought tamales, they may come already wrapped in corn husks, but if you are making them from scratch, you will need to wrap each tamale individually. You can use corn husks or aluminium foil for this. Before wrapping, you can add some grated cheese or salsa to the top of each tamale for an extra burst of flavour.

Finally, place your wrapped tamales in a baking dish, standing upright. This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from sticking together. You can now move on to the next steps of cooking your tamales in the oven!

Preheat the oven to 225-350°F

Preheat your oven to 225-350°F. While the oven is preheating, you can prepare your tamales. If you are using store-bought tamales, they usually come in corn husks already. However, if you are making them from scratch, you will need to individually wrap each tamale in foil. You can also add some grated cheese or a dollop of salsa on top of each tamale before wrapping them up for an extra kick. Place your wrapped tamales in a baking dish, ensuring they are standing upright. This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from sticking together.

Once the oven is preheated, fill the baking dish with about half an inch of water to create steam inside the oven and ensure that the tamales stay moist and tender. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil to trap the steam inside. Place the dish in the oven and let the tamales bake for 45-60 minutes. Check on them occasionally to ensure the water hasn't completely evaporated, and add more if needed.

After cooking, carefully unwrap one of the tamales and insert a toothpick into the centre. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, your tamales are ready to be served! If you are cooking a premade frozen tamale, you do not need to thaw it out before reheating it in the oven. Simply wrap it in foil and place it on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, turning halfway for even cooking.

Wrap tamales in foil

Wrapping tamales in foil is an important step in cooking or reheating them in the oven, as it helps retain moisture and ensures even cooking. Here's a step-by-step guide to wrapping tamales in foil:

• Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
• While the oven is preheating, prepare your tamales by placing them on a clean baking sheet. If you're using store-bought tamales, they usually come wrapped in corn husks. For homemade tamales, wrap each tamale individually in foil. You can also add some grated cheese or salsa on top of each tamale for an extra kick of flavor.
• Make sure to wrap the tamales tightly in the foil, creating a good seal. You can use two layers of foil to ensure no steam escapes.
• Place the wrapped tamales upright on the baking sheet, leaving some space between them to allow for even cooking.
• Once the oven has preheated, put the baking sheet with the wrapped tamales inside and bake for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully turn each tamale over. This ensures even browning and cooking.
• Return the tamales to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
• Check the doneness of the tamales. They should be golden brown and cooked through. If not, place them back in the oven for another 10 minutes, checking every 10 minutes to avoid overcooking.
• Once the tamales are cooked to your desired level of doneness, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Remember, cooking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of your tamales, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Bake for 10-60 minutes

Once you've prepared your tamales, preheated the oven, and added water to the baking dish, it's time to bake your tamales. Cover the dish tightly with foil to trap the steam inside. Place the dish in the preheated oven and let the tamales bake for 45-60 minutes. Check on them occasionally to make sure the water hasn't evaporated completely. If needed, add more water to the baking dish.

The baking time will depend on the size and thickness of your tamales. For smaller or thinner tamales, 10-20 minutes may be enough. For larger or thicker tamales, they may need to bake for the full 60 minutes or even a bit longer. It's important to adjust the baking time accordingly and use your judgment to achieve the desired consistency.

While the tamales are baking, you can prepare any side dishes or toppings you'd like to serve with them. Some popular options include salsa or salsa verde, guacamole, or sour cream. You can also chop up some fresh cilantro or green onions to sprinkle on top.

If you're serving the tamales with a sauce, you can also prepare that while the tamales are in the oven. A delicious and simple option is to blend chile sauce with pork or chicken, which will add flavor and moisture to your meal.

Remember to keep an eye on your tamales and check their progress every 10 minutes or so, especially if this is your first time baking them in the oven. This will help ensure that they don't overcook or dry out.

Check for doneness

Checking for doneness is an important step in the tamale-making process. You don't want to end up with soggy or dry tamales, so here are some detailed instructions on how to check if your tamales are cooked just right:

Firstly, it's important to note that the cooking time for tamales may vary depending on the size and thickness of each tamale. In general, tamales take about 45 minutes to an hour to cook thoroughly in the oven. For this reason, start checking for doneness after about 45 minutes. To check, carefully unwrap one of the tamales and insert a toothpick or fork into the centre of the masa (dough). If the toothpick or fork comes out clean, without any raw batter, your tamales are done. The texture of the masa should be cooked through but still moist. If the toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, this is also a sign that the tamales are likely ready.

If your tamales are not yet done, place them back in the oven and check again after 10-minute intervals. It's important not to overcook your tamales, as this can lead to sogginess. Freshly cooked masa dough is supposed to feel soft, and it will need a bit of time to set. So, give your tamales about 10 minutes to firm up before checking again. If the tamales feel soggy after this resting period, they may need a few more minutes in the oven.

Another sign that your tamales are cooked through is that they will have a rich golden brown colour. However, colour is not the only indicator of doneness, so be sure to use the toothpick test as well.

In summary, checking for doneness is a crucial step to ensure your tamales are cooked to perfection. By using a combination of visual inspection and the toothpick test, you can determine when your tamales are ready to be devoured!

Frequently asked questions