Canned Tamales
This is a variation on a recipe from an old Kerr Canning book. These tamales are canned in a pressure cooker and take a while to wrap and prepare. I usually get about 15 pint jars from a recipe and often have to make the meat filling twice to have enough. They are great for quick meals when short on time.
This is a variation on a recipe from an old Kerr Canning book. These tamales are canned in a pressure cooker and take a while to wrap and prepare. I usually get about 15 pint jars from a recipe and often have to make the meat filling twice to have enough. They are great for quick meals when short on time.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 3 teaspoons salt
- meat filling
- 3 pounds ground beef or venison
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- add to meat after grinding
- 5 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 cups water with 2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved before adding
- corn meal spread
- 4 1/2 cups corn meal extra fine like masa harina cornmeal
- 5 cups water *5 beef bouillion cubes can be dissolved in this if desired
- Carbohydrate 10.5907426711217 g
- Cholesterol 22.6796185 mg
- Fat 8.05488976123892 g
- Fiber 1.42795147846496 g
- Protein 7.43504282066819 g
- Saturated Fat 2.88465195834564 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (72g)
- Sodium 2062.31527103031 mg
- Sugar 9.16279119265673 g
- Trans Fat 2.34305199456654 g
- Calories 142 calories
Step-by-step
- Brown the meat and drain off the fat.
- Add the onion, garlic and salt.
- Mix well and put mixture through a food grinder using the finest blade.
- To the meat mixture add the 5 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups of beef bouillon, cayenne pepper and 2 tablespoons flour.
- Simmer over medium heat about 5 minutes until thick.
- Then it is ready to be spread on the meal.
- Mix the last 4 ingredients together until smooth and of a consistency to spread.
- Cut parchment paper into 6 inch x 3 inch strips.
- Spread meal mixture about 1/4 inch thick.
- Allow enough space at each end and down one side of the paper to turn these over.
- Through the center of the meal dough spread about 2 teaspoons of the prepared meat mixture.
- Roll up, folding sides and the ends of paper.
- Into clean pint canning jars pack tamales into jar.
- To prevent difficulty in packing the last tamale, place it between to knives and slip it into the center of the pack.
- (I usually get 6 to 7 tamales in a jar.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of water to each pint before sealing.
- Put on lids and bands screwing them down firmly tight.
- Process in pressure canner at 10 pounds of pressure for 60 minutes.
Processing home-canned tamales at 10 pounds of pressure for a full 60 minutes is the single non-negotiable threshold ensuring proper thermal penetration and safety. Utilizing a pressure canner rather than a boiling water bath reaches the necessary internal temperatures to safely process low-acid meat ingredients sealed inside jars. Equipment calibration matters immensely here; verify that your canner's weighted gauge or dial indicator functions accurately before loading the pint jars. Skipping pressure regulation steps or reducing processing time risks spoilage due to the density of the packed cornmeal and meat filling.
Pairing these shelf-stable parcels requires balancing the pronounced sodium content and savory richness inherent in bouillon-infused doughs. Crunchy, raw acid elements cut right through the dense texture of masa and ground beef without competing for palate space. Think of thinly sliced radishes tossed in lime juice, raw cabbage slaws, or fresh pico de gallo featuring raw white onion and cilantro. Pickled jalapeños or escabeche carrots also supply the necessary sharp contrast to lighten each bite.
Grinding the browned meat through the finest blade of a food grinder transforms the texture, preventing coarse bits from tearing the delicate cornmeal spread. Achieving a smooth, spreadable consistency in the masa dough requires thorough hydration, using extra-fine cornmeal like masa harina. Spreading that dough precisely one-quarter inch thick on parchment strips ensures the wrapper rolls correctly without cracking or leaking filling during the packing stage. Sliding the final tamale into a packed pint jar becomes effortless when guided between two butter knives.
Allowing processed jars to cool completely undisturbed on a wooden board prevents thermal shock and broken glass. Once cooled completely, remove the screw bands, test the seals, and store the jars in a cool, dark pantry where they remain shelf-stable for months. Opening a jar yields a fully cooked meal requiring only gentle steaming or heating before service alongside your chosen fresh accompaniments.
