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What Is The Best Way To Reheat Tamales At Home?

Tamales are a delicious Mexican dish that consists of cornmeal dough wrapped around meat or vegetables.

They are typically served during special occasions such as weddings and birthdays.

Tamales are traditionally cooked over a fire, but they can also be baked in an oven.

If you want to reheat them, you should place them in a pan and cover them with foil.

What Is The Best Way To Reheat Tamales At Home?

Then, heat them slowly until they reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This way, they won’t burn.

If you don’t have a barbecue grill, you could just use your regular stove-top. You will need to cook them for about 20 minutes on each side.

You can also bake the tamales in the oven. Preheat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook them for 30 minutes per side.

Tamales can be eaten cold or hot. If you’re reheating them, try using a microwave oven.

Or, you could heat them in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.

If you’d prefer to keep them warm, wrap them in foil and place them in a slow cooker.

Slow cookers are perfect because they maintain a consistent temperature while allowing you to get other things done at the same time.

Reheating Tamales In Your Microwave

Tamales are delicious Mexican snacks made from corn masa dough wrapped around a filling.

If you’re looking for a quick snack, then you’ll love using the microwave to heat up your favorite tamale recipe.

Tamales are not recommended when cooking in an oven because the dough tends to burn easily.

However, if you’re in a rush, the microwave works well enough to get you through dinner.

The best thing about microwaving tamales is that you can handle them with ease since they are so soft.

You should also be careful when handling them, though, as they tend to burst apart easily.

Tamales should be defrosted first if they haven’t been previously thawed.

To defrost them, place them in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight.

Once defrosted, unwrap them and wrap each individual tamale in damp paper towels to prevent dryness.

Then place them on a microwave-safe dish and cook on high for 2–3 minutes.

Microwaving can be dangerous if you don’t follow the instructions properly. Heat no more than two at once.

Make sure your microwave oven is clean before heating anything.

You may need to turn it down to low heat if you’re using an older model.

Don’t leave any food inside longer than 30 minutes. And always check the temperature of the food after cooking.

Reheating Tamales In Your Oven

If you have a bit of extra time, you could also try microwaving them instead.

Microwave heating works well for reheating tamales because it brings out the flavors and gives them a nice texture.

However, if you don’t have a microwave, then oven reheating is a great alternative.

You will need tin foil, a baking sheet, and an oven thermometer.

Heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Place tamales on top of the foil.

Make sure there is enough space between the tamales, so they won’t touch. Bake for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and turn over the tamales using tongs.

Bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and check that the tamales are heated all the way through.

If not, put them back in the oven until they are done. You may need to experiment with the timing to get the perfect texture.

Reheating Tamales In Your Steamer

What Is The Best Way To Reheat Tamales At Home?

Tamales need to be cooked in a steamer because they get soggy otherwise.

Tamales are traditionally wrapped in corn husks, but paper works just fine.

You should place the tamale in a basket lined with aluminum foil to prevent the tamales from touching the water.

Leaving the tamales in a skin keeps them from getting soggy. Reheat the tamales in a microwave or oven.

Cutting them in half helps speed up the cooking process.

What you will need: A steamer. Some hot water. Your tongs. 

Pour about 1/4 cup of water into the bottom of the steamer. Put the tamales on top of the water.

Cover them with the lid. Turn the heat down to low and allow the tamales to steam for about 10 to 15 minutes.

If you’re using frozen tamales, just add another 1/4 cup of hot water to the bottom of the steaming container and let them steam for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.

Use a tong to remove hot tamales off the stove and serve them.

Without A Steamer

Tamales can also be cooked in a pressure cooker. Make sure to wrap the tamale leaves around the filling tightly before putting them inside the pressure cooker.

Cook the tamales at 15 PSI for 45 minutes. 

If you like, you can put the tamales directly onto a baking sheet and bake them at 350 °F for 10 to 12 minutes per side.

Recipe Card With Instructions

Prep Time: 2 Minutes  Active Time: 1 Minute  Total Time: 3 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Quick Answer: Microwaving is the best way to heat up your tamale. If you’re in a hurry, then it’s probably the fastest way to get them ready. However, they won’t be crispy like when baked, and there is the possibility that they could become a bit dry. But if you follow the proper instructions, this method is perfect for those in a rush. Be careful handling them if you plan to microwave them; these delicious little packages tend to be extremely moist, so they’ll produce a lot of steam.

Tamales are a delicious Mexican dish made of corn masa wrapped around meat or cheese filling.

We recommend using a damp paper towel to wrap the tamales in because it keeps them moist while cooking.

When you’re ready to eat, place the tamales on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the tamales for about 1 minute per side.

You’ll notice that they will start to steam and get soft. Let them cool down completely before eating.

Frozen tamales should be allowed to defrost at room temperature before microwaving.

Materials

  • Plate
  • Knife And Fork
  • Paper Towels
  • Tamales

Tools

  • Microwave
  • Tea Towel

Instructions

1) Tamales are a delicious Mexican dish made of corn masa wrapped around meat or cheese filling. We recommend using a damp paper towel to wrap the tamales in because it keeps them moist while cooking.

2) Remove any wrapping around the tamales. Then wrap each individual tamale in damp paper towels to keep them from drying out.

3) When you’re ready to eat, place the tamales on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the tamales for about 1 minute per side. You’ll notice that they will start to steam and get soft.

4) Let them cool down completely before eating. Frozen tamales should be allowed to defrost at room temperature before microwaving.

5) Microwaves cook food quickly and efficiently. Heat no more than two at once, and rotate them during cooking. Use a dishcloth to remove any excess moisture before placing back on the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Best Tips For Reheating Your Frozen Tamales?

Tamales are usually made from corn flour masa. If you leave them in the fridge for a while, they become stale.

To avoid getting moldy, you should cook them fresh, cool them quickly, and freeze what isn’t immediately eaten.

Freezing also reduces the risk of freezer burn, which occurs when foods exposed to cold temperatures lose moisture and dry out.

Tamales are best reheated using a microwave oven.

You should wrap them in either husks or aluminum foil, depending on what you’re using to cook them.

If you’re cooking them with cornmeal, you’ll want to wrap them in husks, since they absorb moisture from the steam produced during cooking.

If you’re cooking with masa harina, you’ll want to use aluminum foil because it doesn’t hold water.

What-Is-The-Best-Way-To-Reheat-Tamales-At-Home

How To Reheat Tamales At Home

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

The best way to reheat your tamales at home is in the oven. Just line a baking sheet with tin foil, put your tamales on the tray and put them into the oven for a few minutes.

Materials

  • Tamales

Tools

  • Aluminum foil
  • Baking sheet
  • Tongs
  • Oven

Instructions

  1. Line the baking sheet with tin foil: For the best result, line your baking sheet with some aluminum foil.
  2. Place the tamales on the foil: Put your tamales on top of the tin foil. Make sure that there is some space between each, so they don't touch each other.
  3. Put tamales into preheated oven: You will need to preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Then place the baking sheet with the tamales inside the oven.
  4. Bake the tamales: Bake the tamales for 15 minutes. Then, remove the baking sheet, use the tongs to turn the tamales over, and replace the baking sheet back into the oven. Allow the tamales to bake for at least 5 more minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve: Once the tamales are fully baked, remove them from the oven. They are ready to be served immediately.
Jess Smith
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