The Foolproof Method For Rolling Tamales With Ease

According to a non-negligible amount of food historians, tamales date back to about 10,000 years ago when they were first created by the Aztecs. Some even claim that this simple yet delicious dish, which typically features a filling of meat or fruit surrounded by ground corn — or masa as it is more widely known – is one of the earliest meals ever created, even before Egyptians started using sourdough in 1500 B.C. Nowadays, making tamales for the holidays, celebrations, or even a big family meal, is a communal event, but it is one that requires quite a bit of skill.

We spoke to Marc Marrone, the executive chef at Arriba Abajo, a rooftop cantina in Austin, Texas, to get his tips on how to perfectly roll out tamale masa. "[The] easiest way at home is to line your tortilla press with plastic, press the masa down into a flat round disk, line the half closest to you with filling, and use the plastic to help roll the tamale away from you and keep tight, remove the plastic and it's ready to wrap in the soaked husk!" he advised.

Anyone lucky enough to have eaten a steaming tamale straight from a street vendor knows how crucial it is to purposely wrap the filling, masa, and corn husk in a neat, little package ripe for devouring. Of course, flavor and stuffing are just as crucial as the structure, and with a few simple tamale-making tips, like the one Chef Marrone shared, you'll be cranking out restaurant-quality tamales in no time.

The beauty of tamales is that you can stuff them with anything. For instance, you can try this vegetarian tamales de rajas recipe featuring a filling of tomatillos, poblano peppers, and cheese. But regardless of the filling you prefer, it is important to cook it before adding it to your tamale. By cooking the filling, you're ensuring that it's soft enough to melt in your mouth. For meat, it's also a food safety concern. Overall, the tamale steaming and/or reheating process will not cook your fillings much further than they've already been cooked. If you have leftover liquids in the pan, feel free to add them back into your tamale before you wrap everything up, as this will help encourage moisture and maintain flavors.

Thanks to Chef Marc Marrone's tips, it shouldn't be too challenging to roll out easy-to-manage tortillas for the tamales. But to make your corn husks more pliable, we recommend soaking them in warm water for 15 minutes. This will make the wrapping process so much smoother. And, if you're looking for some guidance on how to properly eat the beautiful tamales you've just concocted, we've got you covered there too, as you can take a quick look at our Tamale Eating 101 guide for additional tips.