Tamale Bites Recipe
User Reviews
5
Tamale Bites Recipe
Description
This recipe begins by sautéing onion, garlic, and shredded cooked meat with masa flour, tomato paste, cumin, thyme, and chipotle peppers to concentrate flavors and reduce liquid. Simultaneously, a masa dough is prepared from corn flour combined with baking powder, salt, cumin, beef stock, and vegetable shortening, resulting in a crumbly yet pliable mixture.
The dough is portioned into mini muffin tins and pressed to form small cups. Once the filling is ready and thickened, sour cream and lime juice are stirred in before spooning into the masa cups. The filled bites are baked until set, with crumbled queso fresco added as garnish after baking.
Tamale Bites can be served warm or at room temperature and are convenient for parties or snacks. They combine the soft, corn-dusted texture of masa with a flavorful, tender meat filling accented by smoky chipotle. Rewarming is easily done without compromising texture.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 pound beef or pork or chicken, cooked, shredded
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons masa (corn flour)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 1 tablespoon thyme + extra for garnish, fresh leaves
- 1-2 chipotle pepper chopped, canned
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice fresh
- salt
- black pepper
For the Masa Shell:
- 2 cups masa (corn flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 1/3 cups beef stock
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening melted
- queso fresco to garnish, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon butter for 2-4 minutes. Add the shredded meat, masa, tomato paste, cumin, thyme, and chopped chipotle peppers. Stir well and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer. Simmer until all the liquid in rendered out--approximately 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix 2 cups of masa with the baking powder, salt, and cumin. Add the beef stock and mix to a crumbly consistency. Pour in the melted shortening and mix by hand until smooth.
- Spray mini muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop the masa mixture into small 2 teaspoon balls using a small cookie scoop and place in the muffin tins. Use a round teaspoon (or pestel) to press a deep indention in the center of the masa balls. Once the beef mixture has rendered out the liquid, stir in the sour cream and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill each masa shell with the meat mixture. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the tamale bites to cool 5-10 minutes before extracting them from the muffin tins. Use a small sharp knife to loosen the tamale bites from the muffin tin. Then lift one side with the tip of the knife and gently lift each tamale bite out with your fingers. Garnish with crumbled queso fresco and thyme leaves. Serve warm.
Notes
- Tamale Bites can be served warm or at room temperature as appetizers.
- They reheat well after removal from muffin pans, making them practical for make-ahead serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 44bites
Amount Per Serving
Calories 82 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 82kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 9mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 59mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 78mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 70IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 0.8mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 19mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.9mg | 5% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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