Beef Tamales

Homemade beef tamales are definitely a labor of love but it’s well worth it. They’re delicious, filling, and perfect for the holidays or for simply stocking your freezer.

These tamales are filled with tender shredded beef that was simmered in a rich and flavorful ancho sauce. The masa has the perfect amount of seasoning to complement the filling and it’ll have you coming back for seconds and thirds!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tender and` flavorful shredded beef
• Features a homemade ancho chile sauce
• Soft, fluffy masa
• Perfect for holidays or meal prep
• Freezer friendly

Ingredients

For the Beef Filling

• Chuck roast
• Salt
• Vegetable oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic cloves
• Black peppercorns
• Mexican oregano
• Bay leaves
• Ancho chilies
• Water
• Chicken bouillon
• Ground cumin

For the Masa

• Maseca for Tamales
• Reserved cooking broth
• Water
• Lard
• Baking powder
• Salt

For Assembly

• Corn husks

Instructions

Prepare the Chile Sauce

Remove the stems and seeds from the ancho chilies.

Place the chilies in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let them soak for 30 minutes.

Transfer the softened chilies to a blender, discarding the soaking water. Add the chicken bouillon, ground cumin, and 2 cups of fresh water. Blend until completely smooth.

Next strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. You should have about 2 cups of sauce. Set it aside.

Cook the Beef

Season the chuck roast with the salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, adding more oil as needed.

You don’t want to rush this step. A good browning on the meat creates a lot of flavor. Also the fond that ends up on the bottom of the pot contains a lot of flavor as well.

Make sure you don’t crowd the pot when browning the meat. If you do your meat with steam instead of brown.

When done browning the meat add another tablespoon of oil along with the onion and garlic. Cook for several minutes until fragrant.

Pour in 1 cup of the reserved ancho chile sauce into the dutch oven. Make sure to stir well to scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pot and incorporate it into the sauce.

Now you can return the browned beef to the dutch oven. Also add 4 cups of water, black peppercorns, oregano and bay leaves. Then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Let the meat simmer for about 3 hours or until it’s fork tender.

Soak the Corn Husks

While the beef cooks, place the corn husks in a large bowl or pot of hot water.

Keep them submerged and soak for at least 1 hour.

Prepare the Filling

Transfer the cooked beef to a large bowl and allow it to cool a bit. Use two forks to shred the beef. Then add the remaining 1 cup of ancho chili sauce to the bowl and mix with the meat until everything is evenly coated. Then you can taste the mixture and add additional salt if needed.

Make the Masa

Strain the cooking broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Reserve 4 cups of broth for the masa. If you have slightly less than 4 cups, add enough water or beef broth to make 4 cups.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the Maseca, baking powder, and salt.

Add the reserved broth and 1 cup of water. Mix until a soft dough forms.

In a separate bowl, beat the lard until light and fluffy.

Add the masa mixture to the whipped lard and beat for 5–8 minutes until the dough becomes light and airy.

For a traditional test, drop a small piece of masa into a glass of cold water. If it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, continue beating for another minute or two.

However I don’t always go by this test, there’s been times where I’ve beaten the masa for 20 min and it still doesnt float however the tamales still came out great.

Assemble the Tamales

Pat the soaked corn husks dry.

Spread a generous tablespoon of masa over the smooth side of each husk, leaving space around the edges.

Place a heaping tablespoon of the shredded beef filling down the center.

Fold both sides of the husk toward the center, then fold the narrow end upward.

Continue until all of the masa and filling have been used.

Steam the Tamales

Fill the bottom of a tamale steamer with water.

Arrange the tamales standing upright with the open ends facing upward.

Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover and steam for about 1 hour, checking occasionally to make sure the steamer doesn’t run out of water.

The tamales are done when the masa easily pulls away from the corn husk.

Allow the tamales to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Tips

• Brown the beef well for the best flavor.
• Don’t overfill the tamales or they’ll be difficult to fold.
• If the masa seems dry, mix in a little additional warm broth before assembling.

Storage

Store leftover tamales in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze cooked tamales for up to 3 months.

Reheat by steaming, microwaving with a damp paper towel, or wrapping in foil and warming in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes. Beef tamales are perfect for making a day or two in advance and often taste even better after the flavors have had time to develop.

Can I freeze tamales?

Absolutely. Freeze them after cooking and cooling completely. Reheat directly from frozen by steaming until heated through.

Can I use another cut of beef?

Chuck roast works best because it becomes incredibly tender after slow cooking, but beef shoulder or brisket can also be used.