Spicy Tamale Balls Recipes

SPICY TAMALE BALLS

Steps:

• 1. Mix all ingredients together (don't cook meat), and roll into small 1" balls. Put balls into a large baking pan or dutch oven.
• 2. Preheat oven to 300 F. Mix all ingredients for the sauce and pour over the tamale balls. Cover and bake for 2 hours. DO NOT STIR.
• 3. Tamale balls will expand and absorb the juice. After 2 hours check for doneness and if needed bake another 15-20 minutes until done. Enjoy!
• 4. Tip: These can be made mild by using regular V-8, omitting the crushed chili flakes, and cutting back just a little on the chili powder. Don't omit the cayenne in the balls as it's not enough to make them hot but gives them a nice flavor. Alternate cook method: Put into slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours. Tamales can be made by rolling the above mixture into softened corn husks. Don't put mixture all the way to the top to allow for expansion. Put tamales in the sauce and cook on stovetop for two hours on low heat.

TAMALE BALLS

Steps:

• 1. In a large mixing bowl combine the first 11 ingredients to form tamale balls.
• 2. Form into 1" balls and set aside.
• 3. In a large pot combine the remaining ingredients for tamale ball sauce.
• 4. Add formed balls to sauce and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tamale balls are fully cooked. Tamale balls will increase in size due to the cornmeal and become like a tamale.
• 5. Alternate Cooking Directions: Follow steps one and two, and then combine sauce in a large slow cooker and add formed balls. Cook on high for five to six hours or until tamale balls are fully cooked.

HOT TAMALE BALLS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients for tamale balls in large bowl. Form into small balls and layer into large roaster pot.
• Mix all ingredients for sauce and pour over tamale balls.
• Cook over medium heat 50-60 min., covered.

SPICY BEEF TAMALES

Steps:

• Husk corn, discarding the silk. Place corn husks in a large pot and pour boiling water over them, and allow to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry, leaving moist but not wet.
• Cut the kernels from the corn to equal about 1 1/2 cups. Of this amount, puree 1 cup of the kernels in a food processor and leave the other kernels whole. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil and saute onion until translucent. Add ground beef, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, celery salt, and salt and pepper, and cook until browned. Drain off extra fat and divide into even amounts per the number of tamales you will be making.
• Combine cornmeal, salt, and 1 cup water in a mixing bowl. Bring another 1 cup of water to a boil and stir in cornmeal mixture, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, baking powder, pureed corn, whole corn kernels, and jalapeno.
• The tamales are eaten directly from the corn husk casings in which they are steamed. To make tamale casings for steaming: Tear corn husks into strips. Some of these will be woven together and should be at least an inch wide. You will also need about 16 narrower strips (1/4 to 1/2 inch wide) to secure the ends of the tamales. Lay 4 strips or so side by side, and then weave another 4 or so through in a perpendicular fashion to make 8 rectangles about 8 inches square. Each tamale will be filled with even amounts of the corn mixture, beef mixture and cheese. Spoon some of the corn mixture (between 2 and 4 tablespoons) into the center of each tamale case and spread to make a layer. Then spoon an even amount of the ground beef mixture into the center of corn mixture on each tamale. Top beef mixture with even amounts of cheese on each tamale. At this point, begin 1 or 2 pans of boiling water, each fitted with a steaming rack (You will need enough steaming space over the pans to accommodate the tamales.) Fold the corn husks so the corn filling encases the meat filling and cheese. Secure the ends of the tamales casings by tying shut with pieces of corn husk. Place tamales on racks and steam - covered - for about 20 minutes to a half hour, replenishing water in pan(s) as needed. Let rest briefly before serving.

TAMALE BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine cornbread crumbs, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, minced garlic (if using) and salt.
• Add ground chuck and mix well.
• Shape into 1-inch balls and place in a shallow baking dish.
• Add a little more of the enchilada sauce, a tablespoon at a time, if it's not holding together good.
• Meatballs can be made in advance up to the point and refrigerated; allow to come to room temperature before baking.
• Bake uncovered, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile in a saucepan, stir together tomato sauce and remaining enchilada sauce and heat gently until heated through.
• Transfer cooked meatballs to chafing dish or crockpot.
• Pour sauce over and top with cheese.
• Keep warm over low heat and serve with toothpicks.

HOT TAMALE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup tomato juice, cornmeal, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic and cayenne. Add the beef and sausage and mix well. Shape into 1-1/4-in. balls. , In a dutch oven, combine the remaining tomato juice, cumin, chili powder and salt; bring to a boil. Add meatballs; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.

SPICY CAJUN TAMALES

Steps:

• Start off by sautéing the ground beef and onions until the beef browns and the onions become tender.
• At this point, strain the meat and drain off all but a couple tablespoons of the beef drippings.
• But keep it in reserve-you'll need it later.
• Then combine into the meat the Rotel tomatoes, the chili mix, the peeled tomatoes, the chili powder, the cumin, the water, and your salt and cayenne pepper.
• Now… bring the mixture to a slow boil… but as soon as the boil begins, reduce the heat to low and simmer everything together (with the cover on the pot) for about 45 minutes to an hour.
• Next, strain the meat again from the juices (but save the juices).
• Then put the meat back into the pot and stir in the cornbread mix and one cup of meat drippings you saved from the sautéing process.
• At this point, you can adjust the"spicyness" of the tamales by adding either more chili powder or cayenne pepper.
• Then mix everything together extremely well once more… and note- you want the tamale mixture to be moist and pasty, but not"wet".
• Finally, place about a tablespoon of the meat stuffing into the center of a moistened tamale paper, roll the paper around the tamale, and put the rolled tamales into a deep steamer pot.
• Then ladle over the tamales all the juices and drippings you reserved during the preparation process… and simmer everything on low for about 45 minutes.
• When you're ready to eat, serve them piping hot.

ONE-BITE TAMALES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Mix cornmeal, flour, 3/4 cup V8 juice, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and cayenne. Add sausage; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls., Place meatballs on a greased rack in a 15x10-in. pan. Bake until cooked through, 20-25 minutes., Meanwhile, in a 4-qt. slow cooker, mix remaining V8 juice, chili powder, cumin and salt. Gently stir in meatballs. Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 3-4 hours. Serve with tortilla chip scoops.

MEXICALI TAMALE BALLS (MEXICAN MEATBALLS IN SAUCE)

Steps:

• Combine all meatball ingredients.
• Shape into marble sized balls; set aside.
• In a blender, combine all sauce ingredients and blend for about 2 seconds; then heat the sauce in a heavy pot.
• Gently fold in the meatballs and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and sauce thickens to desired consistency.
• Serve in a chafing dish with colorful picks.