There's nothing better than a batch of homemade beef tamales, especially when they're made with tender shredded beef and a rich red sauce prepared with dried chiles. These classic beef tamales rojos get their bold flavor from the sauce mixed into the filling and masa, so every bite is packed with smoky, savory goodness. Serve with salsa macha for an extra kick of heat and crunch!
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This recipe actually came about thanks to a little tamale addiction I may or may not have caused. You see, I gave some Instant Pot tamales to my friend, Reyna, and next thing I know, she's hooked! So I made her an offer she couldn't refuse: she supplies the beef chuck from Stoken Ranch, her family's ranch, I handle the rest, and we split the tamales. Honestly, it's the kind of arrangement that makes you wonder why all good partnerships aren't built on tamales!
If you've ever wondered how to make authentic beef tamales from scratch, this step-by-step recipe will walk you through everything you need to know.
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🧐 What Are Tamales?
Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made with masa (a corn-based dough) that's filled with various fillings, some savory and some sweet. The tamales are wrapped in corn husks, and steamed until tender.
These beef tamales, also known as tamales rojos, are made with shredded beef and a rich red chile sauce for that classic smoky flavor.
🔖 Beef Tamale Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef: 6 lbs beef chuck roast (perfect for juicy, shredded beef tamales)
- Vegetables: Onion, garlic, and dried chiles. I used hatch chiles, Guajillo chiles, and ancho chiles, but if you like spicy tamales, you can use spicier chiles instead. See my chile colorado recipe for a list of chiles based on their heat index! Come to think of it, chile colorado would make an excellent filling for tamales!
- Masa: The masa is prepared with Maseca tamal, lard, beef bone broth, chile sauce, and spices. If, like me, you can't find Maseca Tamal, substitute with masa harina or Maseca amarillo (a brand of masa harina with more vibrant color).
- Seasoning: Sea salt, peppercorn, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, bay leaves, avocado leaves (optional), and dried oregano.
🫔 How to Make Beef Tamales
Prepare Beef Filling
Step 1: Add chuck roast, quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, avocado leaves (optional), peppercorns, oregano, and salt to a large stock pot. Cover with 8-10 cups of water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3 hours or until tender and easy to shred. Add more water as needed.
Step 2: Shred beef with two forks and add to a bowl. Strain beef broth through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside until needed. Discard solids. Submerge corn husks in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles, then toast in a hot cast-iron skillet until aromatic. Tear or cut into smaller pieces, then add to a jar and cover with 3 cups of hot broth. Seal the jar until the chiles soften. When the broth is no longer hot, blend until smooth (I used an immersion blender), then strain for a silky texture.
Step 4: Melt 1 tablespoon of lard in a large pan or Dutch oven, then saute 2 cups of chile sauce for a few minutes, over medium heat. Stir in shredded beef. If the mixture is too dry, add beef broth (but set aside at least 3 cups of broth for the masa).
Pro Tip: You want the meat mixture to be moist but not soupy, so don't add too much broth at once.
Prepare Masa From Scratch
Step 5: Meanwhile, whip lard in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until light, fluffy, and white, about 5 minutes.
Step 6: In a large bowl, whisk masa harina, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin until combined. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the masa mixture, 3 cups beef broth, and 1 cup chile sauce, a little at a time, until all the ingredients are combined. Switch to a paddle attachment, and continue mixing on medium until light and fluffy, and a pinch of the masa mixture floats in a cup of water.
Pro Tip: If you can't get the masa to float, don't worry, your tamales will still be delicious!
How to Assemble Tamales
Step 7: Remove corn husks from water and give them a good shake, then pat dry. Lay them out on your work surface with the smooth side facing up and the narrow end pointing away from you. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of masa onto the wider end of each husk, spreading it out while leaving about a ½ to 1-inch border along the edges. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling right down the center.
Step 8: Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then bring the other side across to seal it. Fold the bottom end up toward the center, then tear a thin strip from another husk and tie it around the tamale to hold everything in place. Continue assembling until all the filling is used up.
Tamale Cooking Instructions
Step 9: Fill a pot with a steamer basket with a few cups of water; the water level should be below the bottom of the steamer basket. Arrange approximately 20 tamales, filling-side up. Pile extra corn husks on top. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and steam, covered, for one hour. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Instant Pot Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Pour 1 ½ cups of water into an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, then insert the steam rack. Arrange approximately 20 tamales on the rack, open side up. Lock the lid and turn the valve to "seal."
Step 2: Select high Pressure and set the timer to 45 minutes. When the time is up, let the steam release naturally until the pin drops. Carefully remove the lid and transfer the tamales to a plate. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy your Instant Pot Tamales!
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Chuck roast is the go-to. It has good marbling, so it turns juicy and shreds beautifully after braising or pressure cooking.
A common mistake when making tamales is using too much masa and not enough filling. Perfect tamales have the right ratio of masa to filling.
Tamales appear mushy right after being cooked, which is why you need to let them set for at least 15 minutes before digging in.
Yes, tamales freeze beautifully. This is true both before and after cooking.
To reheat tamales, place one or two tamales (still in husks) on a small plate and microwave for one minute. Unwrap and enjoy!
Making beef tamales from scratch takes several hours, mostly for cooking the beef and steaming the tamales, but the process is simple and well worth the effort.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Overlap smaller husks to make them big enough to fill. The amount of dough and filling will vary depending on the size of the corn husk.
- Tear the husks that are too small or too wrinkled into strips for tying the tamales once they're wrapped.
- Don't pack the tamales tightly; leave room for air circulation. If packed tightly, they will take longer to cook and cook unevenly.
- If you have leftover filling, masa, or corn husks, you can freeze them and use them the next time you make tamales.
- Store tamales in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
🌯 More Mexican Recipes
If you enjoy this beef tamale recipe, check out these other Mexican dishes.
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📖 Recipe
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Beef Tamales with Red Sauce (Tamales Rojos)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add chuck roast, quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, avocado leaves (optional), peppercorns, oregano, and salt to a large stock pot. Cover with 8-10 cups of water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3 hours or until tender and easy to shred. Add more water, as needed.
- Shred beef with two forks and add to a bowl. Strain beef broth through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside until needed. Discard solids. Submerge corn husks in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles, then toast in a hot cast-iron skillet until aromatic. Tear or cut into smaller pieces, then add to a jar and cover with 3 cups of hot broth. Seal the jar until the chiles soften. When the broth is no longer hot, blend until smooth (I used an immersion blender), then strain for a silky texture.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of lard in a large pan or Dutch oven, then saute 2 cups of chile sauce for a few minutes, over medium heat. Stir in shredded beef. If the mixture is too dry, add beef broth (but set aside at least 3 cups of broth for the masa).
- Meanwhile, whip lard in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until light, fluffy, and white, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk masa harina, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin until combined. With the mixer on low, alternate adding the masa mixture, 3 cups beef broth, and 1 cup chile sauce, a little at a time, until all the ingredients are combined. Switch to a paddle attachment, and continue mixing on medium until light and fluffy, and a pinch of the masa mixture floats in a cup of water.
- Remove corn husks from water and give them a good shake, then pat dry. Lay them out on your work surface with the smooth side facing up and the narrow end pointing away from you. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of masa onto the wider end of each husk, spreading it out while leaving about a ½ to 1-inch border along the edges. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling right down the center.
- Fold one side of the husk over the filling, then bring the other side across to seal it. Fold the bottom end up toward the center, then tear a thin strip from another husk and tie it around the tamale to hold everything in place. Continue assembling until all the filling is used up.
- Fill a pot with a steamer basket with a few cups of water; the water level should be below the bottom of the steamer basket. Arrange approximately 20 tamales, filling-side up. Pile extra corn husks on top. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and steam, covered, for one hour. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- If you can't get the masa to float, don't worry, your tamales will still be delicious!
- Overlap smaller husks to make them big enough to fill. The amount of dough and filling will vary depending on the size of the corn husk.
- Tear the husks that are too small or too wrinkled into strips for tying the tamales once they're wrapped.
- Don't pack the tamales tightly; leave room for air circulation. If packed tightly, they will take longer to cook and cook unevenly.
- If you have leftover filling, masa, or corn husks, you can freeze them and use them the next time you make tamales.
- Store tamales in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
Hilda Sterner says
I hope you give these tamales a try and let me know what you think!