Order your Christmas Tamales NOW!

HI,

It is less than 3 weeks until Christmas, your local Mexican restaurants, taquerias and street vendors are taking orders for Christmas.

Last year I did a small survey of Mexican restaurants on Christmas Eve. While they were bustling with people picking up their orders. I learned they had stopped taking orders 10 days earlier or more because they had reached capacity. Those pursuing tamales after that time period have an uphill battle to find choice tamales.

If tamales are in your dreams for Christmas, then please order them now!

Regards,

Does anybody have any recs. on where I can palce an order for some top notch tamal's? Right now my go to spot is La Cebbolita on Ashland, but I am always on the lookout for stand outs and I thought this year I would put some people on them and bring a few different places offerings to a xmas eve party. Which leaves me looking for another spot or person you may know that slangs some grade A sh*t. Thanks.

Personally, my favorite tamales are sold at Junior's (it is a little corner store) on the SE corner of Augusta and Rockwell.
Every Saturday (I've gotten some on a Sunday morning as well) he gets a big cooler full of 6-packs of tamales, "Pollo o Cerdo, Verde o Rojo".
They are fantastic, and a bit saucier than most I have gotten from vendors. The green also has a good bit of a kick.
These tamales would often be a great dish to have for our summer BBQs. My neighbor would always grab 6-8 bags and they would go on the grill to reheat them. There is not much better than a hot tamale off a grill
Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:My neighbor would always grab 6-8 bags and they would go on the grill to reheat them. There is not much better than a hot tamale off a grill

Jamie,

Great idea! I bet they'd be good reheated on a smoker as well.

Enjoy,
Gary

Yeah, the grill is the best method of reheating them I have found, and I am sure a smoker would provide a great result as well. Just toss them on husks and all till heated through. Best thing is that the grill not only gets them nice and hot, but also keeps them nice and tender. Sometimes I think they are even better than when they first left the cooler!

Jamie

Hi,

Just a friendly reminder to order those Christmas tamales now or forever hold your peace.

Regards,

HI,

Something I learned from interacting here: people order their tamales early for Christmas. It may be the better sources are already tapped out, but maybe not.

Regards,

I have thought about making them. So the hunt is on unless someone knows a great vegetarian vendor.

Los Tamales Oaxaqueno
782 W Oakton
Des Plaines
1-847--357-1644
Best I have ever had!
Whipped Masa wrapped in banana leaves and the foil.
They come only with chicken in Verde or Rojas.
I order ahead, pick them up and freeze.
Simply steam for 45 minutes.-Richard

What's the pricing on those tamales budrichard?? Thanks for the heads up.

pairs4life wrote:I have thought about making them. So the hunt is on unless someone knows a great vegetarian vendor.

Lotta work. They are not HARD to make at all. It's just a lot of work. I usually make a weekend of it. Filling day one (but that's for meat,) then masa, construction and steaming day 2. The more you make, the more worthwhile it seems to be. For vegetarian, tamales, you'd wanna make sure the vendor's masa doesn't contain animal fat or broth from animal parts. Lard and broth are very common in the dough recipes. Most of your standard tamale places will have bean tamales, and also cheese and pepper versions, but the dough might have animal remnants. Worth asking the vendor if you are strict like that.

I'm planning on making some next week - been a few years.

I usually buy from a tiny Mexican market in my hood, they are usually worth the price when they are on sale.
I used to be a big fan of La Casa Del Pueblo on 18th in Pilsen or Little Village. Gotta get there early for the full selection.
Tamale Hut Cafe has a very good product, but premium prices.
El Milagro is usually a favorite in Pilsen as well, but I've always preferred La Casa Del Pueblo's.

I'd suggest making them - you'll discover a whole new appreciation for the ones you can buy, plus, you can make them how you like.

HonestMan wrote:What's the pricing on those tamales budrichard?? Thanks for the heads up.

About $2/per but they are way biiger than the average corn husked tamale.
I order a dozen of each for pickup not cooked and just freeze.
The other menu items are not to be dismissed also.
Since we live in Wisconsin I get to that area about once every couple of months.
No alcohol BTW.-Richard

how would one cook a uncooked, frozen tamale, just put them in a large tin, cover with foil and heat? Sorry for all of the questions, I'm thinking of picking up a few dozen for a New Years Eve party...

HonestMan wrote:how would one cook a uncooked, frozen tamale, just put them in a large tin, cover with foil and heat? Sorry for all of the questions, I'm thinking of picking up a few dozen for a New Years Eve party...

Steam heat. Jazz hands everybody!

If you're planning on bringing them to a party, I'd probably suggest buying them cooked--I think its much easier to reheat than cook from scratch, particularly if you're going to someone else's house...

HonestMan wrote:how would one cook a uncooked, frozen tamale, just put them in a large tin, cover with foil and heat? Sorry for all of the questions, I'm thinking of picking up a few dozen for a New Years Eve party...

"Simply steam heat for 45 minutes"

When I order, I tell them, I am going to freeze and heat.
They are not hot when I get them.
Whether fully cooked or not, I don;t really know.
But it works.-Richard

I have my own weird system for re-heating frozen, or originally cooking fresh, tamales. I make a very light masa roux with lard, and then add a thin enchilada sauce--I prefer Las Palmas--and a bit of chicken stock to make a very thin gravy. Then I simmer the tamales in this gravy, gently, until done. Probably not at all kosher, but that's the way we did it in the Central Valley when I was growing up.

Geo