If you’re a fan of authentic Mexican cuisine, you’ve probably had the pleasure of eating a delicious tamale before. Tamales are a symbolic Mexican street food that tends to be a staple in many households, especially around holidays like Christmas and Independence Day. Like many classic foods, tamales are a very simplistic dish that can be made by anyone.

At Texas Lone Star Tamales, we’re passionate about making authentic Mexican tamales that can be shipped directly to your doorstep. We make all of our delicious tamales in a USDA-inspected facility, and we can ship them anywhere in the United States. From pork tamales to beef and vegetarian tamales, you’ll love what we have to offer.

The Unique Anatomy of a Tamale

You’ll be excited to know that tamales come in an array of variations. Between the various dough flavorings, fillings, and regional styles, there’s always something for everybody. Let’s take a look at some common ingredients that can be found in tamales.

Masa

Did you know that traditional Mexican and Central American food would be nowhere without masa? Masa, translates into “dough,” and without it there would be no tortillas, tamales, gorditas, and sopes, just to name a few.

Masa harina is a type of flour that can be used to make masa dough. This very soft flour is made from finely ground hominy or dried corn kennels that have been cooked and soaked in limewater. And no, we don’t mean water that is flavored with lime juice. Limewater is a diluted solution of calcium hydroxide.

In its simplest form, masa is a dough that is made from mixing masa harina with water. If you visit a local Mexican supermarket, you may see masa harina on the shelf being sold as “instant.” This means that all you have to do is add water to get instant masa. Like most flour, masa harina is best kept in a sealed bag or container at room temperature.

The most common kind of masa harina is white. As you may have been able to guess, this masa is made from dried white corn, but you can also find it made from yellow corn as well. While there is a slight difference in flavor between the two flours, both can be used to make corn tortillas and tamales.

Tamale Fillings

No matter what kind of meat, vegetables, or seasoning you love, you’ll be pleased to know that tamales can come with a variety of fillings. Is your daughter a vegetarian? No problem. There are hundreds of vegetarian tamale recipes available. Does your husband love spicy food? Consider mixing beef with fresh jalapenos for a spicy and hearty tamale dish.

At Texas Lone Star Tamales, we love tamales so much, we’ve created our own delicious recipes that can be delivered directly to your home or office. Some of our most popular tamales are:

• Gourmet Pork Tamales 
• Gourmet Barbeque Tamales 
• Gourmet Jalapeno & Four Cheese Tamales
• Sweet Chocolate Tamales

If you’re shopping for authentic and delicious tamales online, be sure to shop Texas Lone Star Tamales.