Grain-free paleo tamales in the pressure cooker

A while back I did a month of paleo recipes, and made these grain-free paleo tamales. For those of you who haven’t read this blog in a while, I had to go on a modified paleo diet last year after my diagnosis of Meniere’s disease and migraines. It’s been a big adjustment; the good news is that the diet and lifestyle changes have worked well for me and I have only 1-3 migraine attacks per month (vs. the 3-5 per week when I was first diagnosed, along with a daily headache). My severe Meniere’s symptoms have not recurred, and a recent test of my inner ear structures showed that there is no permanent damage.

To help others, I wrote a book about the entire process, starting with a gradual 8-week shift onto the new eating plan, then six months working on lifestyle adjustments. The book includes 75 recipes that are anti-inflammatory, low in sugar and salt, and free of the known migraine triggers. No person is triggered by all the foods on the list, but many people with migraine disease do have at least one food trigger, in addition to lifestyle triggers. came out in 2017 and the full-color cookbook will be out in Spring, 2022.

This grain-free tamale recipe isn’t in either book. While I love the heartiness of tamales, I try to eat as little corn as possible and as few servings of grains as I can manage. I’m not completely grain-free, but I’ve cut way back. So I’ve always wondered… could I make tamales without corn?

I did a test last week, making just two tamales at first. The texture wasn’t quite right, so I tweaked the “masa” and made another batch, this time making the full recipe. I had delicious seasoned shredded beef provided by Del Real Foods, so I didn’t have to make the filling. Using a pressure cooker, the tamales take only 20 minutes to cook (after 20 minutes or so to come up to full pressure). It took me about 45 minutes to form the tamales themselves. Plan on an hour if it’s your first time. One eight-ounce package of corn husks is enough for two batches or a double recipe. I made the tamales small, appetizer sized. If you want them larger, look at the photos on Ani’s post to see how to double up the husks for larger tamales; this recipe should make 15-20 bigger ones.

I based my recipe on my friend Ani’s recipe for pork tamales, who has been making tamales her whole life. Be sure to check out her post for additional tips, ideas for fillings, and a mole sauce that sounds amazing.

Required FTC disclosure: Del Real Foods provided five of their paleo-friendly items for me to taste-test. I was not paid to write this post nor did they send samples expecting me to use them in a recipe. We’ll be giving away a Del Real Picnic Pack featuring these five items (and more) on April 24th.

Suitable for:

low-sodium, migraine, gluten-free, reduced-sugar, low carb, grain-free, and paleo diets

Not for:

vegan or vegetarian diets

You might also like:

Pork tamales from Confessions of a Foodie
Beef paleo tamales from Paleo Cupboard
Chicken paleo tamales (using spaghetti squash in the masa) from Everyday Paleo

Grain-free tamales

These paleo tamales are not authentic, but really hit the spot if you are going grain-free!

3.98 from 68 votes

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Passive time 1 day d 3 hours hrs

Total Time 1 day d 4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Latin America, Mexican

Servings 30 tamales

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 36 corn husks (dried) soaked overnight (start with boiling water)
• 5.1 ounces coconut flour (1-1/3 cups)
• 4.25 ounces almond flour or toasted sunflower seed flour (1 cup)
• 3.2 ounces tapioca flour (3/4 cup)
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder preferably California chile powder
• 2 tsp baking soda (sodium-free) or 1 tsp regular baking POWDER
• 1-1/2 tsp cumin (dried)
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt finely ground after measuring (omit for low-sodium version)
• 8 ounces lard or rendered high-quality bacon fat (1 cup)
• 1-1/4 cups chicken stock (low-sodium) warm
• 8-16 ounces filling (1-2 cups) such as pulled pork, shredded beef or chicken, cheese and or vegetables

Instructions

 

• Be sure to SOAK the corn husks overnight, or 2-3 hours in boiling water. Cut 30 lengths of kitchen string (8" long) so those are ready before you begin. Put the corn husks to soak in water overnight in a large container. Place a weight (such as another bowl) on top so they are completely immersed. If possible stir them around once or twice to make sure all the husks get fully soaked
• Whisk together all the dry ingredients (coconut flour through sea salt). Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat the lard or bacon fat for one minute using an electric mixer at medium speed. It should be light, airy and fluffy. Using a stand mixer is preferred to a hand mixer because you can get more air incorporated into the mixture.
  
• Add one-third each of the flour mixture and broth. Beat at medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides, and adding flour and broth in thirds until dough is smooth like whipped butter. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
• Place 1 cup water in the bottom of your pressure cooker, then add your steamer basket. Make sure the water is BELOW the bottom of the steamer basket.
• To make each tamale: take one large corn husk, shake the water off, then spread a thin layer of tamale mixture (about 2 tablespoons) in a small rectangle (no more than 1/4" thick). Place a small amount of filling down the middle, then fold over to seal inside. Place a small amount of filling down the middle. This can be meat, cheese, thinly sliced vegetables, salsa, etc. Just make sure you don’t put too much filling in.
  
• Fold one half of the husk towards you and press down, to seal the filling inside.
  
• Open the husk and repeat with the other side.
  
• Fold over the narrower end, then roll up the husk and tie firmly with the string. If you like, fold in both ends (the wider end is thicker and less likely to cooperate) and roll like a burrito. Tie firmly closed with the kitchen string.
  
• Repeat until all the “masa” is gone or you run out of something else. Stack the tamales inside the steamer basket. If they have an open end, put that end facing up.
  
• Secure the lid of the pressure cooker. Set on Pressure Cook (high) for 20 minutes. Once it goes off, turn off heat and use natural pressure release. Let sit for 2 hours. Open the lid and enjoy your tamales!

Notes

Stovetop instructions:

For regular pots, fill with 1-2 cups of water, bring to a boil and add the steamer basket. The water needs to be below the steamer basket. Turn down the heat so it’s actively steaming but not any higher than that (you don't want the water to boil off). Cover and  cook for up to two hours until tamales are done. Let cool in the pan to firm up.