How to Reheat Tamales
An expert in Mexican cuisine explains the best ways.
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Tamales are a staple of Mexican cuisine and preparing tamales and eating tamales is a Christmas tradition throughout Mesoamerica. Tamales are made with corn dough (masa), often with various fillings, wrapped in a corn husk and steamed. They’re especially delicious when they’re eaten hot and freshly prepared but they also freeze well. To learn more about how to reheat tamales, we consulted Barbara Sibley, CEO and chef-owner of Mexican restaurants La Palapa and La Palapa Taco Bar, and creative director of Holiday Cocktail Lounge in New York City.
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How to Reheat Tamales
There are several ways to reheat tamales, depending on your needs, including microwaving, steaming or baking.
The Best Way to Reheat a Single Cooked Tamale: Microwaving
The best way to reheat an individual tamale is in the microwave. Wrap the tamale in a wet paper towel, place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
The Best Way to Reheat Multiple Cooked Tamales: Steaming
The best way to reheat several tamales at a time is by steaming, in a stock pot with a steamer basket or in a tamalera.
“In Mexico, a tamalera is used both to make and reheat tamales. A tamalera is a large stock pot that has an opening at the bottom to refill with water throughout the initial steaming, or if you are keeping tamales warm and continually opening and closing the pot,” Sibley explains. “It has a steamer basket and usually has a divider that divides the pot into three so tamales are placed vertically and supported inside the pot.”
If you don’t have a tamalera, you can use a stock pot with a steamer basket. Sibley says that tamales should be placed standing up with the opening at the top to vent and expand, so choose a stock pot that has sides at least as tall as the tamales are long. If you don’t have a steamer basket, Sibley suggests adding crumpled aluminum foil to the bottom of the pot to create a platform so the tamales are not directly in the hot water.
“In either case, pour about one inch of water into the bottom and cover securely with a lid or foil. Place on medium heat and steam for about ten minutes,” Sibley says. “Remove one tamal with tongs and open gently to check temperature. If it is not hot enough, refold and replace it in the steamer for another 5 minutes.”
Other Ways to Reheat Cooked Tamales
Additional methods for reheating cooked tamales include wrapping tamales in plastic film and heating in the microwave.
Tamales can also be reheated on a sheet pan, sprinkled with water, covered with foil and placed in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes.
“In both these cases tamales can dry out,” Sibley cautions. “It is important to keep the balance of moisture so that the corn husks remail moist throughout. If the corn husk dries out your tamal will most probably be dry.”
The Best Way to Reheat Frozen Tamales
The best way to reheat frozen tamales is to first let them defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then choose your preferred method of microwaving or steaming the tamales, as outlined above.
If you’re not able to thaw your cooked tamales overnight in the refrigerator, the next best thing is to reheat them from frozen in the microwave two at a time.
“Wrap the frozen tamales loosely with a paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds then remove from the microwave, lightly wet the paper towel by running briefly through water and then return tamales to the microwave one or two at a time to reheat for another 30 seconds,” Sibley says. “Test by gently opening one tamal and cutting open to see if it has warmed through.” Remember that microwaves vary so it’s best to test as you go along and adjust the timing depending on your microwave.
How Long do Tamales Last In the Fridge?
Tamales last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. The best way to store tamales in the fridge is in an airtight container.
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