Tex Mex Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Beef Tamales
Traditional masa dough steamed in corn husks around a rich, chili-spiced shredded beef filling.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Simmer the shredded beef with the red chile sauce, chili powder, and cumin until well coated and slightly thickened; set aside.
- 2
Beat the lard until fluffy, then beat in the masa harina, baking powder, and salt alternately with the beef broth until a spreadable, fluffy dough forms.
- 3
Drain the corn husks and pat dry, then spread a thin layer of masa dough over the center of each husk.
- 4
Spoon the shredded beef filling down the center of the masa and fold the husk sides in, then fold up the bottom to enclose the filling.
- 5
Stand the tamales upright in a large steamer pot with water below the steamer rack, and steam for 60-75 minutes until the masa pulls cleanly from the husk.
- 6
Let the tamales rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping and serving.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
64/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving715
Calories
36 g
Protein
40 g
Carbs
45 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Tamales long predate Tex-Mex cooking, with masa steamed in wrappers across many parts of Mexico and Central America. A beef-and-red-chile version fits the northern Mexican and Texas borderlands pantry, where dried chiles, corn masa, and long-cooked beef are practical staples for feeding a group.
Listahan note
This version keeps the filling direct and hearty, then gives most of the attention to masa texture and patient steaming. The goal is a tamale that unwraps cleanly, tastes clearly of corn and chile, and still feels doable in a home kitchen.
Technique cues
- The masa should spread like soft frosting, not paste. If it drags or tears the husk, beat in a little more beef broth until it loosens.
- Do not overfill the husks. A narrow stripe of beef leaves enough masa around the filling to seal as it steams.
- Resting after steaming matters because the masa firms as it cools slightly. Unwrap one test tamale before serving; it should pull away from the husk without smearing.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Soak the corn husks while the beef filling simmers and the masa ingredients come to room temperature.
- Make-ahead
- Cook and shred the beef a day ahead, then warm it with the red chile sauce before assembling.
- Leftover move
- Unwrap extra tamales, crumble the masa and beef into a skillet, and crisp with eggs or roasted peppers.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Rinse the masa bowl before it dries, then soak the steamer insert while the tamales rest.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Dried corn husks
Steaming wrapper
Purpose: They shape the tamales, hold moisture around the masa, and give a faint corn-husk aroma while steaming.
Handling: Soak until flexible, then pat dry so the masa spreads instead of sliding.
Adaptation: Parchment can help patch torn husks, but corn husks give the more traditional shape and aroma.
Beef chuck roast
Shredded filling
Purpose: Chuck has enough connective tissue to become tender and rich after cooking, which suits a long-steamed tamale.
Handling: Shred it finely enough that each spoonful fits neatly inside the masa strip.
Adaptation: Brisket or short rib meat can work if already cooked, with brisket giving a leaner chew and short rib a richer filling.
Masa harina
Corn dough base
Purpose: Masa harina gives tamales their corn flavor and the structure that sets around the filling in the steamer.
Handling: Beat it with broth gradually so the dough hydrates evenly and stays spreadable.
Adaptation: Fresh prepared masa can be used if available; adjust the broth because it is already hydrated.
Lard or vegetable shortening
Masa fat
Purpose: Fat makes the dough lighter and helps the finished masa pull away from the husk instead of turning dense.
Handling: Beat until fluffy before adding the masa harina so air gets worked into the dough.
Adaptation: Vegetable shortening gives a cleaner, milder flavor; lard gives a more savory traditional finish.
Beef broth
Masa moisture
Purpose: Broth hydrates the masa while carrying beef flavor through the dough, not just the filling.
Handling: Add it in stages and stop when the dough is soft enough to spread in a thin layer.
Adaptation: A lighter broth makes the corn flavor more prominent; a stronger broth makes the tamales taste meatier.
Red chile sauce, chili powder, and ground cumin
Chile seasoning base
Purpose: Together they coat the beef with warmth, color, and earthy depth without making a loose filling.
Handling: Simmer with the shredded beef until the mixture thickens enough to spoon cleanly.
Adaptation: Use a smoother red chile sauce for a softer filling, or a chunkier sauce if you want more chile texture.
Technique notes
- Keep the water level below the steamer rack. If the tamales sit in water, the bottoms can turn heavy instead of setting cleanly.
- Stand the tamales upright with the open ends facing up, packed close enough to support each other but not so tight that steam cannot move.
- If the masa still sticks after 75 minutes, keep steaming and check again in 10-minute intervals; under-steamed masa is the usual issue.
Ingredient swaps
- Vegetable shortening path
- Use vegetable shortening in place of lard for a milder masa that lets the red chile beef stand out more.
- Prepared beef shortcut
- Use already-cooked shredded chuck roast and focus the active time on seasoning the filling, mixing the masa, and assembling.
- Sauce adjustment
- If the red chile sauce is very thick, loosen the filling with a splash of beef broth so it spreads in a narrow line without clumping.
- Smaller batch rhythm
- Assemble half the tamales first and keep the remaining husks covered with a damp towel so they stay flexible.
Serve alongside
- Mexican red rice
- Charro beans
- Calabacitas
- Cabbage-lime slaw
- Agua de jamaica
- Mexican lager
- Lime sparkling water
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooled tamales in their husks in a sealed container.
- Reheat in a steamer until the masa softens and the filling is hot, adding a little water to the pot as needed.
- Freeze wrapped tamales in a sealed bag, then steam from thawed or add extra steaming time from frozen.
Equipment
- Large steamer pot with rack
- Mixing bowl and hand mixer
- Flexible spatula for spreading masa
- Tongs for handling hot tamales
Make this household-aware
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