andrejthechef
ArgentinaBowlLunch

Tamales Salteños

Corn dough wrapped around a seasoned meat filling, tied in corn husks and simmered until firm. A Salta specialty, close kin to empanadas.

prep
1 h
cook
1 h 30 min
total
2 h 30 min
serves
8
level
hard
Tamales Salteños, a dish from Salta

Tamales salteños come from Salta, in Argentina's northwest, and the filling, slow-cooked meat with onion and warm spice, will look familiar to anyone who has made empanadas. The corn dough wrapping and the long simmer are what set the two apart.

Getting the husks properly soft before you wrap anything in them matters more than it looks like it should. A husk that is only damp rather than fully pliable tears at the fold and lets filling escape into the pot.

Part of our 20 best Argentine recipes list.

method

  1. Beat the lard until light and fluffy, then work in the masa harina, salt and warm stock a little at a time, until you have a soft, spreadable dough, similar to a thick paste.

  2. For the filling, mix the shredded beef with the cooked onion, paprika and cumin. Stir in the chopped egg and olives if using.

  3. Lay a softened corn husk flat and spread a layer of the masa dough across the center, leaving a border.

  4. Spoon a portion of the filling down the middle of the dough.

  5. Fold the sides of the husk over to enclose the filling completely in the dough, then fold the ends up and tie securely with kitchen twine or strips of husk at both ends.

  6. Stand the tamales upright in a large pot with a steamer rack, or lay them in simmering water, and cook for 70 to 90 minutes, topping up the water as needed, until the masa is firm and fully set.

  7. Let them rest for 10 minutes before untying and serving.

chef's tips

  • Tamales salteños and empanadas share a filling style, cooked meat with onion and warm spice, but the corn dough wrapping and long simmer give tamales a completely different, firmer texture.
  • Soak the dried husks until genuinely pliable, not just damp. A stiff husk tears and lets the filling leak into the cooking water.
  • The dough should spread like a thick, soft paste, not pour. If it is too wet, it will not hold its shape inside the husk.
  • These freeze very well once cooked, tied and cooled, and reheat by steaming again for about 15 minutes.