Palmer’s Direct To You Market
Instant Pot Tamales
The best beef tamales made in a fraction of the time with an Instant Pot. Follow this step-by-step recipe for an authentic Mexican dish your family will love.
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 3 hrs 5min
- Total Time: 3 hrs 45 min
- Yield: 16 tamales 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pressure Cooking (Instant Pot)
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
2 1/2 – 3 pounds Certified Angus Beef ® boneless chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
16 corn husks
3 teaspoons adobo seasoning
1 teaspoon canola oil
4 dried guajillo chilies, seeded, stems removed and torn apart
3 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons coffee
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup beef stock
3 cups masa
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 sticks butter or 1 cup shortening, room temperature
2 1/2 cups warm water
Salsa verde (optional)
Instructions
1. Soak Corn Husks:
- In a stockpot or deep pan, soak corn husks in warm water for at least 1 hour.
2. Prepare Beef:
- Preheat Instant Pot on Sauté setting. Season chuck cubes with adobo seasoning, add canola oil to the pot and sear beef, working in three batches; reserve to a clean plate.
- Add chilies, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to toast for one minute. Stir in cocoa powder, coffee, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and beef stock. Bring to a boil.
- Return beef to the pot, close and lock the lid. Set to Pressure Cook High for 40 minutes. Allow Instant Pot to naturally depressurize for 20 minutes.
3. Make Masa Mixture:
- While beef is cooking, make the masa mixture. In a small mixing bowl combine masa, chili powder, baking powder, and salt. Add butter (or shortening) and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until butter is well incorporated into masa. Stir in warm water, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
4. Shred Beef:
- Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick from the pot. Shred beef with two forks and reserve to a pan. Mix in one cup of the braising liquid and set aside.
5. Assemble Tamales:
- Drain corn husks and pat dry. Spread about 1/4-cup masa mixture starting from the wide end of the husk towards the narrow end creating a rectangle roughly 4 1/2-inches long from wide end to narrow end of husk and about 4 inches wide. There should be at least a 1-inch border of exposed corn husk on the sides and about 3-inches from the narrow tip.
- Spoon a scant three tablespoons of the beef filling in a line down the center of the dough from wide end to narrow end. Fold long sides of corn husk around filling then fold the narrow end toward the open end. Repeat with remaining husks.
6. Cook Tamales:
- Insert the steam tray in the bottom of the Instant Pot and add enough water to just barely touch the bottom of the tray without submerging in water.
- Stand tamales in Instant Pot on folded end, mostly vertically. Close lid and Pressure Cook on High for 15 minutes. Allow to naturally depressurize for 20 minutes.
7. Serve:
- Remove from pressure cooker and cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with salsa verde or your favorite salsa.
Notes
Tamales can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.
Serve with a side of rice and beans for a complete meal.