Tamale Gear

My Tamale Friends!

If I could have only one Cooking accessory in my kitchen, it would be my Kitchen Aid Mixer.  It is the ultimate accessory to make easy work of your Tamale Creations, and any other big cooking project. I got mine 15 years ago as a Wedding Gift, and it has performed flawlessly over the last 15 years with pretty heavy daily use.  It can be used to mix the MASA, which is a big job, and with the optional meat grinder listed below, it can also grind the pork and chicken for the tamales for you.  It makes easy work of the biggest jobs.   Unlike other mixers or food processors, the KitchenAid has a BIG POWERFUL motor, that simply can not be slowed down! (Order Now while Amzon is Offering Free Shipping on this Product!)

In 15 years of service, I have never found a case of anything slowing the powerful kitchen aid down.  I simply have never had a kitchen accessory that I have been as pleased with!

The kitchen Aid comes standard with a dough hook, which is the key thing that you need in mixing the MASA.  (Please remember that you can make the Tamales without a mixer by mixing it by hand, but it is easier with the Kitchen Aid.) It also comes with the wire whip, mixing bowl, and standard beater. By Purchasing this mixer here, you can help us keep expanding the free resources on this site.  Thank you for your help.  I assure you that you will love this mixer.  In addition it makes the most perfect wedding or Christmas gift for that special cook.

Now if you really want to make easy work of the big Tamale Day, you can get the meat grinder attachment at left.  It will grind the pork and chicken for use in your tamales.  I use the meat grinder, and find that it really helps you easily get through this part of the job.  It is made by KitchenAid, so you know it has the quality you are looking for.  I use my grinder not only for making tamales, but also making my own hamburger meat.  You can grind up fresh hamburger meat for the best hamburgers you ever tasted.  I like a little courser grind than what they typically provide in the grocery store.  I can assure you that you will get years of enjoyment out of this accessory.

The Tilia Vacuum Sealer

Now, there is going to be one more piece of Tamale Gear that I am going to suggest.  I know that this is expensive, but if you can swing it, you will be glad you got it, and will get years of use out of it. You see, when you make tamales, you make them in big batches and need to freeze some of them to enjoy later.  The problem can be that after time, foods in the freezer can become freezer burned or can take on an off flavor.  The solution is to vacuum seal your tamales and other foods that you want to store for an extended time in the freezer.  I have the Tilia Foodsaver, and can tell you that I have had few kitchen tools that I have gotten more use out of. After making the big batch of tamales, I vacuum seal them using the Tilia foodsaver.  I usually put about half a dozen per bag.  I can then freeze them without fear of them getting freezer burned.  I have routinely left them in the freezer for over a year.  You simply take the tamales out of the freezer, open the re-usable freezer bags, and pop them into the microwave and you have a tamale that tastes as good as the day you first made it!

 

In addition to tamales, the Foodsaver is great for freezing all types of things.  We typically buy foods in bulk to save money, and then freeze in smaller portions with the Foodsaver.  Our Foodsaver has paid for itself many times over by allowing us to buy in bulk, and allowing us to eliminate freezer burn and wasted food.  This has been a workhorse in our kitchen, and we have had it for about 7 years, and it is still going strong.  Tilia makes several different versions of the Foodsaver, but I am glad I got their top of the line model.  It features many bells and whistles that makes it easy to use and gets a perfect seal every time.  I enjoy the fresh taste of foods frozen with the Foodsaver, and I am happy to not be throwing out freezer burned food any more.

Tamale Friends, I offer these items in order to make it easier for you to make tamales.  I hope you do not feel that I am putting the "Hard Sell" on you.  These are items in my kitchen that I have and enjoy, and consider quality products.  My main concern is that you Make Tamales! Please know that if you can not afford, or do not have these accessories, your tamales can come out just as good, and taste just as delicious.   These accessories are not necessary, they are just nice.