How To Prepare The Corn Husks When Making Tamales

Simmering meats, seasoned stuffing, and homemade corn masa — tamales represent a true Mesoamerican culinary tradition. Often, corn husks are the preferred vessel for wrapping and steaming tamales, but there are some tricks to preparing them. Jorge Guzmán, a James Beard Award finalist, chef, and owner of Petite León and Chilango in Minneapolis, knows a thing or two about making authentic tamales. Raised in Yucatán, Mexico, he spoke exclusively with Food Republic about tips for making tamales.

"I use boiling water and a plate to keep [the corn husks] submerged and allow them to soften [for] at least 30 minutes," said Guzmán. After they've soaked, pull them out of the water and dry them with a towel to make sure they aren't dripping wet.

Banana or plantain leaves can also be used for wrapping tamales. "For banana leaves[,] make sure to wipe them clean and run them though [an] open flame to toast [them] quickly," Guzmán shared — this aids in their "pliability."  Fresh, bright green leaves are more flexible, but only last for about a week when refrigerated. Dried banana leaves last longer and can be stored for several months in a sealed container before use.

Corn husks provide that key ingredient to cook your tamales to perfection. They wrap the filling, and allow the tamales to cook evenly through steaming. In a basic tamales recipe, the corn husks retain moisture inside the tamales.

When shopping for corn husks, make sure to look for completely sealed bags with no holes. Otherwise, moisture can settle in and cause the husks to mold. Don't remove them from the packaging until you are ready to soak them for cooking.

For even better tamales, make sure to clean the corn husks first. Before soaking them, improve their textural quality and appearance by removing excess corn silk hairs or dirt. If you buy corn on the cob with the husk, boiling the corn with the husks first can help remove the corn silk more easily. 

Corn husks come in different sizes. Use the larger, similar-sized corn husk pieces that can evenly wrap the tamales filling. As for the smaller pieces, instead of throwing them out, set them aside; you can use them later on to tie the tamales into neat packages.