How To Reheat Homemade Tamales

Reheat Homemade Tamales

Knowing how to reheat homemade tamales is very important especially considering how hard they are to make. They require a lot of skills and time and it would be such a bummer to have to throw away leftover tamales especially after putting so much work into them. There are 5 easy methods that you can make use off when reheating your homemade tamales. For the best results always follow the step by step instructions they will help you to preserve the texture and flavour of the tamales.

Contents

Reheat homemade tamales using a steamer

NB: this is the standard method of reheating homemade tamales such that you preserve their texture and flavour.

Step 1

Set up your steamer and fill it with a ¼ cup of water which will help with the steaming process. Turn the steamer on to medium heat.

Step 2

Take the homemade tamales and place them inside the steamer with the exposed area facing upwards. Be careful not to overcrowd the tamales in the steamer. If you want to reheat a large number of tamales then try to do it in batches.

Step 3

Steam the homemade tamales for 15 to 20 minutes. However, if the tamales were stored in the freezer then add an extra 10 minutes so that they can reheat properly.

Step 4

When the timer of the steamer goes off, take a thermometer and use it to read the internal temperature of the homemade tamales. The internal temperature should read 165F. Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer using tongs to avoid burning yourself.

Reheat homemade tamales using a double boiler

NB: this is a hack that you can use when you do not have a steamer.

Step 1

Take the big pot of the double boiler and put a little bit of water inside. Place it on a stove that is switched on to medium heat and bring it to a boil.

Step 2

When the water has boiled put the smaller pot on top and add the homemade tamales with the open end up. Cover them and leave them to reheat for 3 to 4 minutes. When you take them off they should have an internal temperature which is above 165F.

Reheat homemade tamales using an oven

NB: if you do not have a steamer this is the next best alternative. It will give your homemade tamales a crispy outside.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325F. Then take the homemade tamales out of the refrigerator or freezer. Wrap each tamale using foil paper. Make sure you cover the entire tamale so that heat can be trapped inside.

Step 2

Take an oven safe dish and place the wrapped homemade tamales inside. Make sure that you do not overcrowd them so that they can reheat evenly.

Step 3

Place the tamales in the oven and leave them to reheat for 20 minutes. When they are halfway through the stipulated time flip them so that the other sides can also warm up. If the tamales were in the freeze extend the reheating time with 10 minutes so that they can really warm up.

Step 4

When the time has passed remove the tamales from the oven and carefully unwrap then such that the foil paper doesn’t burn you. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the homemade tamales to see if they have reheated all the way through.

Reheat homemade tamales using a microwave

NB: this is the most convenient method to use as it is faster and very easy to use. So always use the microwave if you are in a hurry. However, if you want to use the microwave to reheat frozen tamales make sure you thaw them for the entire night in the refrigerator. This will help them to reheat easily.

Step 1

Place the homemade tamales on a microwave safe plate that is big enough to accommodate all of them. Wet a paper towel and wrap the tamales 1 by 1. However, if it’s too much work for you simply wet 1 paper towel and use it to cover the whole plate.

Step 2

Place the homemade tamales inside the microwave and allow them to reheat for 30 seconds. When the 30 seconds time mark is over, flip the tamales and allow them to reheat for another 30 seconds. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the temperature of the homemade tamales.

Step 3

When the homemade tamales have reheated take them out of the microwave and remove the paper towels. Allow them to cool down for a few minutes then you can serve them.

Reheat homemade tamales using a slow cooker

NB: this method takes a long time to reheat the homemade tamales so make sure you use this method when you have a lot of time to spare.

Step 1

Setup the slow cooker which is also known as a crock-pot to high heat. Remove the homemade tamales from the refrigerator and place them inside the slow cooker with the open end facing upwards. Place them one at a time so that they don’t end up over crowded. Sprinkle the tamales with a little bit of water.

Step 2

Cover the slow cooker and let the homemade tamales reheat for an hour. When they are halfway through the reheating time check them to see if they are reheating the right way. If you are not impressed with the way they are warming up try rearranging them. This will help them to warm up all the way through.

Step 3

When the slow cooker switches off, check on the homemade tamales to see if the internal temperature is 165F. To do this, make use of the thermometer.

How to store leftover homemade tamales

If you have leftover tamales make sure you let them cool down completely before wrapping them, use plastic wrap or foil paper to wrap the homemade tamales so that moisture doesn’t enter. When you have done that transfer them into airtight containers for extra protection. Label the containers with the date in which you have placed the tamales in the freezer. Frozen homemade tamales can last up to 6 months in the freezer.

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