Smoked Tamales - Merry Christmas


 
jeffsipes

jeffsipes

TVWBB Member
Making tamales is a favorite part of the Christmas season in Texas. I went a little off the map today and tried to make some on my smoker.

I set up the WSM with a full water pan to keep the temperature steady and to provide some moisture. I put my dutch oven on the grate with some ground beef, cumin, chile powder, tomato paste and diced onion. I wrapped some tomatoes and some tomatillos in bacon to make a sour cream dipping sauce.

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I set the meat on the stove to cool down and drain.

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The tomatillos and jalepenos are done. I put them in the blender with some EVOO and some sour cream.

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I soaked my corn husks for a good while this afternoon and then went into assembly. Masa, ground meat mixture, wrap and tie.

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I used corn husks to tie them in a bundle and set them on the grate. I smoked them for about 2h between 200 degress and 225 degrees. I used pecan chunks for flavor and that good smoke smell.

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I plated them with my roasted jalapeno, tomatillo, bacon, sour cream sauce and there was supper. Enjoy.

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Great looking tamales Jeff!
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It's 10PM, I just got home from services, and I'm starving! Oh how I wish I had one of those bundles right now!
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Nice!

I use smoked pulled pork for my fillings but I've never smoked the tamales themselves, always steamed. I'll have to give this a try.
 
man, those look nice?

How did the masa cook? I know they take some time to steam, I'd haven't a clue how long they'd take in a smoker.

I'll bet they pick up a bit of smoke.
 
Bookmarked. Man, those looked good. The wife is the chili cook, and I'm not really a cook since the only thing I've stuffed is peppers, but that sure makes me want to learn how. Thanks!

Merry Christmas!
 
Holy tamales!!! Just spotted this post, and i'm glad I did. Great job. How long was the whole process?
 
Zowie! Those look tasty.

Could you please elaborate on the sauce? Was it simply the bacon-wrapped tomatillos & (looks like jalapenos) in the blender with sour cream, or did you add other stuff?

Up here in Gringoland, the locals think that tamales = sloppy joes
(S.J.s can be good, but they're not even close to being tamales)
 
Ron,

I ended up liquefying the tomatillos and the bacon together in the blender and while it was tart, smoky and bacony as I had planned, it was a very unsightly oatmeal color. I then took the bacon off the jalapenos and liquefied them. I added some EVOO and some sour cream. I added just a little bacon in order to have the flavor but didn't want to mess with the nice green color. I didn't add anything else, just a nice simple sauce.

Jeff
 
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