Wrapped and steamed in leaves, tamales are a beautiful and delicious special occasion or holiday dish. In this video, you’ll learn how to make tamales... See more from scratch. Tamales arrive like a gift in a corn husk or banana leaf; maybe that’s why they’re a Christmas tradition. You’ll learn all about traditional tamale fillings, like braised pork and beef, and get a glimpse of the endless variations, such as chicken, roasted vegetables, cheese, beans, or seafood. To get started, you’ll learn how to slow cook your meat with traditional seasonings and spices. You’ll see how to prepare the husks to make them pliable, then you’ll learn how to make the tamale masa, the cornmeal mixture that’s essential to making tamales. Then learn how to wrap up your tamales, combining the filling and the masa dough. Make a lot of tamales and freeze them; we'll show you how to wrap them up for storage. Find top-rated tamale recipes.