There is no doubt that tamales are a delicious dish. But they’re also a labor of love, and, perhaps more importantly, a labor of… well, labor. From preparing the corn husks to hydrating and whipping the masa and assembling each one with precision, the whole process is rather extensive. Sometimes, it’s nice to be able to go out and buy this fare by the case, and that can only mean one thing: a trip to Costco. The retailer sells a specific type of pre-assembled tamales in bulk — but before buying them, you should know what exactly a South Texas tamale is.
The important thing to understand is that Texas-style tamales tend to be smaller than their Mexican counterparts, often ranging between 1.5 ounces and 2.5 ounces. This can be disappointing if you’re not prepared for the sizable difference. The reviews on Costco’s website for Texas Tamale Co. Pork Tamales, which include six packs of 12 tamales for $89.99, reveal this dissatisfaction. The product holds a rating of 3.9 stars, with the average weighed down by complaints about size, as well as customers who expected shredded pork and were disappointed with the ground pork that the product utilizes.
However, when it comes to the taste itself, the reviews are largely positive. “Small in size but big in flavor,” one review reads. “Texas Tamales have the perfect masa thickness along with the right amount of very tasty, tender meat filling,” says another. As long as you know what you’re in for, this Costco option is ideal for serving tamales to a crowd without all the extra elbow grease.
How to prepare these Texas-style tamales
The company behind Costco’s tamales, which can also be found made with beef, hatch green chile, and chicken, is the Texas Tamale Company. This Houston-based brand has sold the delightful eats since 1985, starting as a tamale street cart selling a family recipe, and later expanding into a fully fledged restaurant in 1993. In addition to Costco, the delicious tamales can also be found at Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Albertsons, and many more locations around the country. The Texas Tamale Company also offers unique flavors like spinach tamales, black bean tamales, and a variety of salsas, per the company website.
There are two different ways that the Texas Tamale Company recommends preparing your meal. You can heat up to 12 tamales in the microwave at once; just wrap them in damp paper towel and zap them for two to three minutes. You can also steam them on the stovetop, which is a more traditional preparation method. This takes longer (between 15 and 20 minutes according to the product’s directions), but allows for even, thorough heat to penetrate every inch of the masa. And no, you don’t need a steamer basket – simply place a ball of foil in the middle of a pot and lean the tamales against each other with the open side of the corn husk wrapper facing up.
Whether you’re eating tamales on Día de Los Muertos or preparing them for a family dinner, you’re also going to want some garnishes. Texas Tamale Company suggests Mexican crema, which would pair wonderfully with a homemade chipotle salsa.
