Tamales de Frijol con Jalapeño
La Tamalada y Las Fiestas: Gathering Around the Holiday Table
Smear the masa across a damp corn husk with the back of a metal spoon. As the earthy scent of toasted masa meets the sharp bite of one jalapeño strip, the trick to keeping the filling from turning into a leaky mess is taking the pinto beans to the chinito stage: frying them hard until they form a dense, slideable paste that holds its ground inside the fluffy masa. Break the work across a couple of weeknights, and you’ll have an uncompromising taste of home without losing your mind—drop them in the pot, wait until the steamer hisses, and leave the lid alone.
Before you start
Soak the corn husks.
Submerge the dried husks in a large pot or sink full of very hot tap water, weighing them down with a heavy bowl for at least 45 minutes until they become soft and pliable.
Dry and sort.
Drain the husks and pat them dry with a kitchen towel, tearing any small, unusable runts into thin strips to serve as ties if needed during assembly.
Ingredients
- dried corn husks8 oz
- pork lard3 tbsp
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic2 small clove
- whole pinto beans with liquid2 15-oz can
- ground cumin1 tsp
- Mexican oregano1/2 tsp
- ancho chili powder1 tsp
- pork lard or vegetable shortening1 cup
- masa harina3 cup
- baking powder1 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- chicken broth3 cup
- pickled jalapeños1 cup
- queso panela1 cup
Method
- 01
Build the flavor base.
Heat 3 tablespoons of lard in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, then sauté the diced onion and minced garlic for about 4 minutes until translucent.
- 02
Season and mash the beans.
Pour the pinto beans and their liquid into the skillet, add the cumin, oregano, and chili powder, and aggressively mash the mixture smooth as it comes to a simmer.
- 03
Reduce to the chinito stage.
Drop the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 to 25 minutes, stirring constantly until the moisture evaporates and the beans form a dense, dark paste that slides across the pan as a unified mass.
- 04
Whip the fat into submission.
In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of lard or shortening on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until aerated, pale, and looking exactly like buttercream frosting.
- 05
Hydrate the masa.
Whisk the masa harina, baking powder, and salt together, then gradually incorporate the dry mix into the whipped fat while steadily streaming in the warm chicken broth.
- 06
Check the float.
Beat the masa for another 5 minutes until it resembles thick hummus, then drop a half-teaspoon into a cup of cold water; if it floats, it is aerated properly, but if it sinks, beat it for two more minutes and test again.
- 07
Assemble the tamales.
Spread about 3 tablespoons of masa evenly over the wide half of a pliable husk, dollop 1 tablespoon of the cooled, dense bean paste down the center, and crown it with a strip of cheese and a strip of jalapeño.
- 08
Fold and seal.
Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling to encase the beans securely in masa, then fold the empty, pointy tail up against the seam to seal the bottom.
- 09
Steam with a warning system.
Arrange the tamales vertically in a steamer basket over simmering water, drop a clean penny into the water so it rattles to alert you if the pot boils dry, and steam tightly covered for 60 to 75 minutes.
- 10
Let them rest.
Remove the tamales from the heat and let them sit uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing the starches to retrograde and firm up so the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk.
Notes
Divide the labor.
You do not have to tackle this in one night. The frijoles chinitos actually develop a deeper, more robust flavor if made a few days ahead and kept in the fridge.
Do not use watery beans.
Substituting standard canned refried beans is a rookie mistake; the excess moisture will turn to steam inside the masa, cracking the tamale from the inside out and leaving you with a sticky blowout.
From Cook Tex-Mex.