How to Make Tamales in an Instant Pot
Tamales are an iconic and delicious Mexican dish created from masa dough stuffed with various fillings such as beef, chicken, pork, vegetables, or cheese. Making authentic tamales usually takes an entire day of work and can be intimidating to many home cooks. However, with an Instant Pot, tamales can now be made much faster and many people find the process to be easier. Here is a step-by-step guide to making delicious tamales in an Instant Pot.
Gathering the Ingredients and Supplies
Start off by gathering all of the ingredients and supplies needed to make the tamales. Here is a basic list of what you’ll need:
- Ingredients: masa, lard, salt, baking powder, water, and your preferred filling
- Supplies: large bowl, spoon, tamale holders or parchment paper, Instant Pot, cooking thermometer(optional)
Preparing the Masa
In a large bowl, mix together masa, lard, salt, and baking powder until a dough is created. Depending on the temperature of the lard, use either hot or cold water to dissolve the ingredients. Knead the dough for several minutes or until the dough is soft and pliable.
Filling and Assembling Tamales
Now comes the fun part of rolling the tamales. Grab a large spoonful of the dough and place it in the middle of the tamale holder or parchment paper. Using the back of the spoon, spread the mixture out forming a rectangular shape. Add a spoonful of your favorite filling to the center of the masa and fold two sides of the holder or parchment paper over the filling. Fold the sides of the holder over until the tamale is formed and secured. Continue this until all of the masa and filling is used up.
Cooking Tamales in the Instant Pot
Place the tamales into the Instant Pot in a single layer. Make sure not to crowd the tamales as they need space to expand. Pour 1 cup of water down the side of the Instant Pot and place the lid on top. Secure the lid and set the pressure to high for 12 minutes. The timer will beep when the tamales are finished. Check the temperature of the tamales with a cooking thermometer to ensure they are cooked through; they should reach between 160 and 165ºF. Once cooked through, carefully take the tamales out of the Instant Pot and enjoy!
That’s it! Making tamales in an Instant Pot is both fast and easy. Tamales are the perfect handheld dinner to serve for family and friends. Enjoy!
