This Store-Bought Tamale Brand Is Hands-Down The Worst One

If you're craving a flavorful tamale, your best bet is to either make them yourself or buy them from a restaurant or tamale shop. But if you want a fast, convenient alternative, you can find a range of tamale options in stores from Trader Joe's to Kroger. To find out which ones were worth purchasing, Tasting Table ranked seven store-bought tamale brands. While none came close to an authentic, fresh, handmade tamale, one was hands down the worst of the bunch.

Unsurprisingly, the worst tamale we sampled was the only one that came in a can. Hormel Tamales are available in chicken and chili and beef and chili flavors, and we tried both. The tamales are supposed to be simmered in the sauce until hot, but that makes them turn out wet, with a disappointing texture and watery taste. They were also somewhat oily, which was unpleasant. The texture of the tamales themselves was grainy, and they were wrapped in paper rather than a husk. Overall, they were a major disappointment.

Tamales are one of the world's oldest foods, and there are many different ways to make them as well as different fillings to use. While the best store-bought tamale we taste-tested, from Tucson Tamale, was more authentic than any of the others on our list, the only way to get fresh tamales with perfect flavor and texture is to make them yourself.

Making delicious tamales at home isn't difficult, but it is time-consuming. The first thing you need to do is get high-quality ingredients. Depending on where you live, you can find most of what you need in local grocery stores. If you're in an area without a wide selection of Mexican, Spanish, or Latin American foods, you may need to visit a specialty market or buy ingredients online. While some people dry out fresh corn husks to make their tamales, buying husks from the store is perfectly fine, as is using pre-made masa.

Depending on the type of tamale you're making, you'll also need roasted vegetables like green or red chiles or corn, or slow-cooked meat. For meat-filled tamales like red chile beef or pork, you need a quality red chili powder or paste. Before assembling your tamales, soak your husks in clean water for about an hour. This will make them softer and more pliable for wrapping.

For authentic tamales, you want to roll or wrap them by hand. You need enough filling for the tamales to be flavorful and rich, but not so much that they're hard to wrap or the filling spills out. Two large spoonfuls of masa and one or two small spoonfuls of your filling should be perfect. And finally, while you don't need a tamale pot to steam them, buying one will make it a little easier to cook large batches.