Since the corn husk or banana leaf wrapping can be used in place of a plate, tamales are not only delicious but also entertaining to eat and a great dish to serve for a big family gathering.
You’ll need to know how to reheat tamales quickly and without losing their freshness if you made a large batch to freeze or simply bought them frozen.
In order to reheat frozen tamales, the best method is to steam them for 20 to 30 minutes. Additionally, you can reheat them in the stovetop or oven. Although possible, it is not advised to use other techniques like boiling or using a microwave.
In the following article, we cover every method of reheating frozen tamales, from the best to the least advised ones.
Frozen Tamales in an Instant
My Fagor electric pressure cooker or the Instant Pot are my go-to methods for thawing frozen tamales. It is quick and easy. Best of all, the tamales stay moist.
Pros
One-half to one dozen tamales can easily fit in an Instant Pot (depending on the size of the Instant Pot).
Quick method. It takes about the same time as steaming the tamales.
Hands-free. Just turn on the Instant Pot and you are done. No need to adjust the temperature.
The “Keep Warm” function on the Instant Pot keeps the tamales warm until serving time.
Tamales are moist and are evenly cooked, even when the pot is full.
Cons
You need a steamer basket insert with your Instant Pot.
You cannot check the water level when the Instant Pot is pressurized. Water could evaporate before the tamales have finished cooking. Be careful not to burn the pot.
Directions
Remove all plastic packaging from the tamales but keep the corn husks intact while they cook.
Pour ½ to 1 cup of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot. The amount of water depends on the size of your Instant Pot. Water should not come to the top of the trivet when inserted. Water should never touch the tamales. Be aware of the water level when the steamer basket is inserted in the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
Place tamales upright in a circle, with the open end of the corn husk facing up. Lean the tamales against each other to stay upright. If necessary, place a ball of aluminum foil or a small ramekin (or other heat-proof container) in the middle of the upright tamales to help them stand up.
Close the lid and set the cook time to 15 minutes for frozen tamales and 5 minutes for thawed tamales. If you are in a hurry, you can quick release the pressure, but a natural pressure release is best.
When the tamales are done, the Instant Pot will automatically keep them warm until time to eat.
Bake a Smaller Batch in the Toaster Oven
If you only have a few frozen tamales to bake, think about using a toaster oven. A toaster oven won’t heat up your kitchen, even though many of them are not as efficient as a regular oven.
Pros
Bake a few tamales without heating the kitchen.
Cons
Tamales may not be as moist as steaming.
Extra prep time to wrap tamales in foil.
It can take a long time to cook. Depending on the toaster oven efficiency, it can take up to 45 minutes to cook a tamale from frozen.
Directions
Pre-heat the toaster oven to 325° F.
Remove all plastic packaging from the tamales but keep the corn husks intact while they cook.
Double wrap the tamales in aluminum foil.
Place the tamales in the toaster oven.
Cook for 25 minutes. Flip the tamales over and cook for an additional 20 minutes. If necessary, flip over again and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
I once experimented with cooking my tamale on my panini grill just to test the theory. Surprisingly, I loved it. The tamale cooked quickly and maintained a good amount of moisture.
The tamale did not get squashed by the grill as I had anticipated. The tamale held its shape perfectly.
Pros
Took the same length of time as steaming.
Masa stayed moist.
Good for cooking one or two tamales at a time.
Cons
Not hands-free. Flip the tamale over halfway through cooking.
Directions
Heat the panini griddle on medium high heat.
Remove any plastic packaging from the tamales but keep the corn husks intact while they cook.
Place the tamale in the griddle and close the lid.
Cook for 10 minutes. Open the griddle and flip the tamale open. Close the lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.
How to Steam Tamales with a Tamalera Steamer
These Mexican delicacies, are traditionally steamed in a steaming pot called a tamalera. You can purchase them at your local Mexican or Hispanic food store, or of course Amazon.
In order to steam tamales in a tamalera, it must first be filled with warm water to the level indicated by the pot’s maximum water level. The raw tamales are then placed on top of the corn husks after the steamer shelf has been set up and the corn husks have been arranged around it.
Once the tamales are arranged, you can cover them with extra corn husks or aluminum foil and poke a small hole in it before covering the tamalera steamer with its lid and cooking the tamales on the stove.
The water must be brought to a boil and the flame must be set to a high setting. After about 15 minutes, the heat is reduced to a low setting, and the tamales are left to steam.
A tamalera steamer pot will take anywhere between an hour and two hours to steam. How many tamales are inside your tamalera pot and its size will have a significant impact on this.
After about an hour you can start checking for doneness. More tips on that below.
Don’t own a tamalera pot? Continue readying.
What is a good way to steam tamales without a “tamale steamer?”
