Back to Recipe

Tamale Pie

Here's how you make Tamale Pie
Pause Continue Reading
  • Servings: 7
  • Prep: 20m
  • Cook: 40m
  • The following recipe serves 7 people.

Ingredients

The ingredients are:
  • Chili Filling:
  • 1 pound ground beef, lean
  • 1/2 pound lean pork sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, divided
  • 1 large fresh poblano pepper, diced
  • 1 medium diced onion
  • 2 garlic cloves (pressed)
  • 1 chipotle chile, in adobo seasoning (diced and seeded, adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin powder (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon ground ancho chili (adjust to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa (I use Hershey's Dark cocoa)
  • 12 ounces beer, dark (or broth, (Use as needed)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 1 lime, juce of
  • Tamale Dough:
  • 8-10 dried corn husks (optional)
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 cups cornmeal or 2 cups masa harina
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 cup canned low sodium chicken broth or 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 4 cups baby frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 3/4 cups packed coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Garnish:
  • Sour cream
We recommend you get your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Once you're ready, here are the steps to making this delicious recipe

How to Make

  • Step 1: PREPARE CHILI: In a large pot brown ground beef, sausage, onion and garlic, breaking meat into small pieces. Drain of excess grease. Add poblano pepper and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1 cup beer and one can of black beans. Add ground cumin, chili powders, chipoltes, adobe sauce, oregeano, and cocoa.

  • Step 2: Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to a simmer and cook for 35 - 45 minutes, adding more beer or broth as needed (keep in mind that the mashed black beans will be added as a thickner).

  • Step 3: Drain the remaining can of beans and lightly mash. To thicken, add the crushed black beans and adjust spices and liquid as needed.

  • Step 4: Bring to a simmer again for 5 minutes; squeeze in juice of one lime before assembling pie.

  • Step 5: Tamale Dough: Place corn husk in large bowl and fill with warm water. Weight husks down with saucer and soak until soft, about 2 hours.

  • Step 6: If using cornmeal, place in food processor (or blender) and process until fine, 3 or 4 minutes. In food processor, blend cornmeal/Masa Harina, butter, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt until coarse meal forms. Add broth and blend in (mixture will be crumbly). Transfer masa mixture to large bowl.

  • Step 7: In food processor blend 2 1/2 cups corn, 1 cup cheese, baking powder, black pepper and 1 1/4 teaspoon salt until coarse puree forms. Stir puree into masa mixture until blended. Add the rest of the corn (1 1/2 cups) to masa mixture.

  • Step 8: Assemble: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If using corn husk; Remove from water, pat dry and line 9 x 11 shallow dish, overlapping to avoid leakage. Spray corn husk or baking dish (if not using husk).

  • Step 9: Spread half of cornmeal mixture on the husk or bottom of the dish.

  • Step 10: Spread warm chili on top of the cornmeal.

  • Step 11: Evenly spread the remaining cornmeal mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

  • Step 12: Loosely cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and return to oven and bake additional 25 minuters or until the cornmeal is firm and the chili bubbly. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.


We hope you enjoy this recipe!

This page is built for your convenience in the kitchen.

If you want helpful tools, tips and recipes from our community of real cooks, please consider signing up.

Oh... And one more thing... We also have some pretty wild forums.