Beef Tamales from Northern Mexico

Beef tamales from Northern Mexico became popular because they were perfectly suited to the region’s climate, culture, and way of life. Northern Mexico has long been renowned for its cattle ranching, resulting in beef being more abundant than other meats. 

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Families developed hearty fillings using slow-cooked beef, dried chiles, and spices that could be prepared in large batches and shared during gatherings. Wrapped in corn husks and steamed, tamales were practical, portable, and filling, which was ideal for ranch workers, travelers, and long days in the fields.

Their popularity grew even more as Northern Mexican communities migrated north and shared their food traditions across the border. Beef tamales became a staple at celebrations, holidays, and family events, symbolizing comfort, heritage, and togetherness. 

As Mexican cuisine gained wider recognition, these rich, savory tamales stood out for their bold flavors and satisfying texture, which became a tradition for Christmas.

I had the pleasure of having this wonderful woman teach me how to make this tamales recipe with such a delicious flavor for the holiday season. Now let's get started!

What You Need

Meat

• 4 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
• salt
• 12 cups water
• ½ white onion
• 3 garlic head
• 1 teaspoon cumiin
• 3 bay leaves

Red Sauce

• 12 guajillo chiles, seeded, stemmed
• ½ white onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• To taste kosher salt

Masa-Dough

• 6 cups instant corn masa harina
• 3 teaspoon salt
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup pork lard
• 4 cups warm chicken broth

Additional

• 1½ lbs corn husks, about 30
• Pork lard, as needed
• salt, as needed

Making the Best Beef Tamales

This is a team effort. I recommend at least 2 people to do this as it took us 5 hours to make from start to finish.

1. Cook the Beef 

• Place beef into a crockpot along with salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin seeds.
• Add beef broth, cook until fork-tender. Remove the beef, shred it, and reserve the beef broth.

2. Make the Red Chile Sauce

• Where gloves to do this to avoid the heat of the chile ancho.
• Remove stems and seeds from chile ancho peppers.
• Soak them in hot water until they are softened, replacing the water as needed with fresh hot water.
• Transfer chiles to a food processor with garlic, spices, and a drizzle of olive oil. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the red chile sauce through a strainer and then into a large skillet, and simmer gently.
• Optional: add green chiles for an extra kick.
• Stir shredded beef into the sauce and remove from the heat.

3. Prepare the Masa

• In a bowl, mix masa harina with baking powder and salt (this masa harina is also known as masa flour.
• In a stand mixer, beat the fat until fluffy at room temperature.
• Gradually add the dry mixture, alternating with warm beef broth​ and lard.
• Adjust texture with small splashes of cold water if needed.

4. Prepare the Corn Husks

• Soak and place corn husks in hot water until pliable.
• Drain and cover with a damp paper towel to keep them soft.

5. Assemble the Tamales

• Lay one damp corn husk flat.
• Spread masa evenly across the center.
• Add beef filling, fold sides inward, and roll tightly. Repeat until the meat is done.
• Wrap with parchment paper and lay upright with the opening facing up.

6. Steam the Tamales

• Line the bottom of a steamer pot with extra husks or a lift for the pot
• Stand tamales upright in the steamer pot, open ends facing up.
• Cover with husks and a lid. Steam until the masa pulls away cleanly from the husk. Ours took about 1 hour.

7. Serve

• Let tamales rest briefly before serving. Sprinkle with green salsa and top with cheese.

More Mexican Recipes to Enjoy

These are truly the best beef tamales and are loved by beef-loving Texans, which is the home of this mom, who taught me more than making tamales. We laughed and gossiped and then laughed some more. Because, as she said to me," It's not just about making the tamale, it is about the gathering with people you love." And that, my friends, is what cooking is all about.

America has the most diverse cuisines in the world and people. A true melting pot of culinary delight, and these Northern Mexican Tamales are a perfect example of the culinary diversity. 

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I hope you enjoyed our journey today with a Mexican influence. Until next time, my beautiful friends, as my quest for the perfect bite continues. As they say in Mexico ¡Buen provecho!