Turkey Tamales
Turn leftover Thanksgiving turkey into flavorful Turkey Tamales with homemade pibil sauce. Easy to freeze and perfect for the holidays!
Servings: 20
Calories: 163kcal
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 10 guajillo chiles
- 4 cup water
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup lime juice
- 1 onion rough chopped
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 bar achiote
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 cup water
For the Masa:
- ⅔ cups lard (or shortening)
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1¾ cups hot chicken broth (or hot water)
For the Tamales:
- 6 cups cooked turkey diced
- 30 corn husks (you'll need about 30 since some are not always usable)
- water enough to fill the steamer
Instructions
To make the sauce:
- Remove stems and cut lengthwise on all the chiles.
- Remove the seeds and any veins.
- Place in a pot. Cover with 4 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil. Turn heat off.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes, until pliable.
- Discard the water.
- Add the rehydrated chile and the remaining sauce ingredients.
- Blend until smooth.
- Strain the sauce. Set aside.
- Reserve 1 cup of the sauce for serving in the fridge.
For the Corn Husks:
- Separate the husks.
- Remove any debris like hair or dirt.
- Place in a large container.
- Cover with hot water.
- Add a heavy object over the husks so they can be submerged in water.
- This will take a minimum 30 minutes.
How to Make Masa for Tamales:
- Mix the masa harina, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
- Whip up the lard (or shortening) until it's smooth.
- Slowly add the masa harina mixture and broth with the lard.
- Alternate between the masa harina and broth until there are no more ingredients.
- Scrape down the walls of the bowl periodically.
- The masa should be smooth and creamy.
For the Filling:
- Add diced turkey and sauce to a large pot.
- Mix to combine.
- Cook for 15 minutes.
- Let cool before assembling tamales.
How to Assemble Tamales:
- Shake off any excess water from the corn husks.
- Smear a thin layer of masa on the husk.
- Use your best judgement on how much filling to add.
- Fold one side of the corn husk in.
- Fold the other side of husk in.
- Fold the pointy top inward.
- Place upright with the open side up while assembling the rest of the tamales.
- Add water to the steamer.
- Arrange the uncooked tamales inside the steamer with the open side up.
- Cover with the lid.
- Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Wrap and serve with reserved pibil sauce and pickled onions.
Notes
You should end up with 20 to 25 tamales, depending on the size of the corn husks.
Pibil sauce lasts up to 6 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
Swap out options: Instead of leftover turkey, use chicken or pork.
The tamales are done when the corn masa peels away from the corn husks easily.
Pro Tip: If the tamales are not ready after 2 hours, turn off the heat and let them sit in the steamer for an hour.
Nutrition
Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 539IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg