How To Cook Tamales Without A Steamer Basket (Yes, It's Possible)

Making tamales requires a lot of prep work, plenty of helping hands, a big old pot, and some would say, a steamer basket. But perhaps you don't want to buy another item, especially if you only plan to use the steamer insert a few times a year when tamales are on the menu. Pro chef Rick Martinez had some affirming words on the subject. "You don't have to have a steamer basket. We never ever used a steamer basket," he told Food Republic, referring to making tamales with his family when he was growing up.

Martinez is the author of "Mi Cocina," a cookbook that details a wide range of Mexican recipes, and we got his advice on how to pull off a big batch of tamales without using a basket at all. Ultimately, the contraption is just keeping the tamales from touching the water or broth at the bottom of the pot. You can actually accomplish that same thing using corn husks.

If you have ever made tamales before, you know that you often have to cut down the larger pieces of corn husks so they are easier to work with. That means that you end up with a pile of trimmings. "What my parents used to do is you line the bottom of the pan with all the little scraps of corn husks," Martinez explained. When the little packages are arranged vertically, instead of laying flat, the husks keep most of each tamale lifted above of the gently boiling water that steams them.

Some steamer inserts and specialized tamale pots also have a center post or vertical dividers that make it easy to keep the tamales upright, and Rick Martinez also shared advice for how folks can accomplish this at home. All you need is aluminum foil. "Just take a piece of foil and make a ball and put it in the center of the pan, and then stack all the tamales open side up," he explained. Having the folded bottoms of each tamale resting on the extra corn husks, while the open tops are facing up, is "super important," he noted: "Obviously, you don't want the filling to go down into the pot."

A foil ball about three inches in diameter is a good size to aim for, so that a ring of tamales can lean against it without tipping over. Sometimes Martinez even uses a corn cob as the center support, and he has also seen some people opt for a tea cup. "I wouldn't use a china teacup, but just a stupid teacup," he joked. Whether you are making a basic tamale recipe or the chewy, rice-based tamales common in Mexican-Chinese cuisine, there is no need to overthink it. "You just need something to support the tamales to get them to stand up," Martinez said. Use what you have for this staple of delicious homemade Mexican cuisine.