Homemade Beef Tamales Recipe

Beef tamales (Tamales de Picadillo) can be a perfect alternative if you want to try something other than pork or chicken tamales. This time, we will be making a delicious recipe for tamales with ground beef, called “Tamales de Picadillo”.

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What is a Tamal?

A Tamal is a dish made by wrapping corn masa (dough) in a corn husk and then steaming it. Tamales can be savory or sweet, plain or with a filling, and besides using cornhusks, they can also be wrapped in banana leaves or other cooking leaves (like Swiss chard, for example).

Types of Tamales

Tamales can be found in many sizes and varieties, not only in Mexico but also in other countries throughout Central and South America. In Mexico, we have tamales made using grainy dough, strained dough, and regular dough, all made with corn masa harina. The fillings range from chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, vegetables, beans, cheese, or a combination of ingredients.

Ground Beef Tamales in Mexico

Ground Beef Tamales are made in different regions of the country. The “Picadillo” (ground beef stew) used to make these beef tamales can vary depending on the region and the cook. It generally includes ground beef and potatoes, but can also include ingredients like carrots, tomatoes, onions, and even olives and raisins. It can also be made with a dried pepper salsa, which is common in the Huasteca region of the country (this region includes parts of Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Hidalgo, and other states).

How to Make Beef Tamales

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 3 Ancho peppers, seeds and veins removed.
• 3 Guajillo peppers, seeds and veins removed
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. Ground Beef (85/15 grass-fed beef has a good flavor)
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp. ground pepper
• ¼ of a medium-size white onion, chopped
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup potatoes, diced (about one medium-size potato)
• 1 cup carrots, diced

For the dough (masa):

• 9 oz. lard (253 grams, or 1¼ cup)
• 3½ cups masa harina for tortillas (13.7 oz, or 390 grams)
• 3 cups of chicken broth
• 20 Corn husks, plus 10 extra for lining the pot

Instructions:

For the filling:

1. Place the clean peppers in a medium size saucepan along with 3 cups of water. Turn the heat to medium high. Once the water comes to a boil, turn the heat off and let the peppers soak in that water for 15 minutes. This will allow the peppers to soften. In case they still don’t look soft after the 15 minutes, leave them in for another 5 minutes.

2. While the peppers are soaking, season the ground beef with salt and pepper and mix well. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet at medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meat and fry it at medium heat. Cook the meat for about 5 minutes, then stir in the chopped onion and minced garlic. Keep cooking for 1 more minute.

3. Add the diced carrots to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes. After that time, stir in the potatoes and keep cooking for about 8 more minutes

4. At this time, remove the peppers from the soaking water and place them in your blender with ½ cup of the soaking water or clean water. Process the peppers and water until you have a smooth sauce.

5. Using a strainer, pour the sauce into the skillet. The strainer will catch the leftover bits and pieces from the pepper skins. Stir and check the sauce for seasoning, and add salt if needed. Keep cooking for about 5 more minutes, until the vegetables are cooked. Make sure you do not overcook the vegetables, since they will keep cooking when you steam the tamales. Make sure that the potatoes still have some shape to them, otherwise they will disintegrate when you cook the tamales.

For the cornhusks:

6. Take the husks out from their package, separate them, and remove any corn silk that they might have on them. Inspect the husks and discard any that are damaged or have holes in them.

7. Place the husks in a warm bath of hot or warm water to soak for 30 minutes. You can do this in a large pot, a large bowl, or in your kitchen sink. This step will help to soften the husks so that they are pliable when you’re assembling the tamales.

For the dough:

8. In a large bowl, beat the lard until it changes to a lighter color. You can do this step with your mixer or by hand.

9. Slowly add the corn masa harina, and then add the chicken broth. Mix well, taste, and season with salt. Beat until all the ingredients are well combined and the dough is light and spongy.

Assembling the tamales:

10. Remove the husks from their warm water, then shake them dry or dry them with a kitchen towel. You want to remove any excess water they might have.

11. Place one cornhusk on your work surface, with the wide end facing towards you. Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of dough in the center, but closer to the bottom of the cornhusk. Use a spoon or plastic spatula to spread the dough out evenly.

12. Top with 2 tablespoons of the ground beef filling in the center of the dough. Fold one side of the husk towards the center, then fold the other side towards the center, too. Finally, fold the narrow end towards the center. Repeat this process with remaining husks, dough, and filling.

Cooking the tamales:

13. Place the tamales on a tray while you’re finishing up with the rest of the assembly process.

14. To get your pot ready for steaming, add 3 cups of hot water into the pot and place the steamer rack inside.

15. Place a layer of cornhusks on the steamer rack, then place the tamales on top of that in a standing position. Next, cover the tamales with another layer of the cornhusks and a dish towel. Finally, place the lid on the pot.

16. Steam the tamales over medium heat for about 60 minutes, or until the corn husk easily separates from the dough (you’ll have to pull a tamale out of the pot to test this). During the steaming time, check the steamer to see if it needs more water (be careful when removing the lid). When the tamales are done, wait for 10 minutes so that the dough can firm up. Serve the tamales while still hot.

Serving Beef Tamales

When can you Serve Beef Tamales? 

If you’re wondering if you can eat tamales for breakfast, then the answer is yes! In Mexico, we love tamales for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Tamales are a classic Mexican food that can be enjoyed at any time of day. Having said that, they are more commonly eaten for lunch or dinner.

What can you serve with Tamales? 

This might be hard to believe for some, but in many regions of Mexico, we actually serve tamales with a side of refried beans, made with either black beans or Pinto beans. They are a perfect side dish to serve with tamales. In many cases, though, tamales can be found served by themselves, accompanied only by a red or green salsa to top them with.

Tips for Making Beef Tamales:

When buying dried peppers, make sure that they’re not too dry to the point that they break easily. Also, check to see that they are clean and free of small bugs.

You can also make these tamales using shredded beef instead of ground beef. Use beef flank or beef skirt, and cook them like the recipe in this link, and add the sauce as instructed in this recipe.

If you don’t have a tamal steamer pot, you don’t need to buy one. You can improvise with what you already have on hand. You can use crumpled aluminum foil to separate the tamales from the bottom of the pot, mimicking a steamer rack.

FAQ:

Can you freeze Tamales?

Yes, you can freeze tamales. They last up to 3 months in the freezer.

How do you reheat tamales?

There are several methods for reheating tamales. The easiest way is to use the microwave. Depending on the size of the tamales, it will take about 1-2 minutes per tamal to reheat them in your microwave.

You can also steam the tamales in the same way that you cook them, using a pot with a steamer rack. It will take you about 30 minutes to reheat a dozen frozen tamales this way.

Another other way you can reheat tamales is by placing an already-defrosted tamal on a hot griddle, with the cornhusk on. Turn it to make sure that both sides get warmed up. This will take about 10 minutes, or less if the tamal was at room temperature.

Can you freeze raw tamales and cook them later?

Absolutely! When you’re ready to cook them, just place the frozen tamales (no need to defrost them) in a pot with a steamer rack, and cook them for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

More Tamales Recipes:

Black Beans Tamales, Pork in Red Sauce Tamales, Chicken in Green Sauce Tamales & Sweet Tamales.

Recipe

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