Tamalera: traditional steamer pot for cooking tamales

What is it?

The tamalera is the traditional Mexican steamer pot, specifically designed for cooking tamales by steam. It consists of a tall pot, generally of aluminium or enamelled steel, with a rack or false bottom about 5 to 10 cm from the bottom. Below the rack water is placed which, when boiled, generates the steam that cooks the tamales placed vertically on top. The tall and narrow shape is functional: it allows many tamales to be arranged upright and uses all the space. Tamaleras vary in capacity from domestic versions of 8 to 15 litres to large pots of 40 to 80 litres used in tamale shops and at events. A good tamalera is indispensable for making homemade tamales and forms part of the kitchen equipment of many Mexican homes. Candlemas Day (2 February) is the date that brings families together around tamales freshly made in tamaleras.

Origin and history

The steaming of tamales is pre-Hispanic and is documented in codices and chronicles as a Mexica, Mayan, Mixtec and Zapotec tradition. Originally, tamales were cooked in clay pots with a false bottom of leaves or branches, over the three-stone hearth (tenamaxtli). Fray Bernardino de Sahagun describes in the 16th century the multiple types of tamales that the Mexica steamed and their importance at banquets, offerings and everyday life. The transition to metal pots for tamales occurs during the 19th century and consolidates in the 20th century with the mass adoption of aluminium and enamelled steel. Mexican brands such as Vasconia, Cinsa and Ekco have been producing industrial tamaleras since the mid-20th century. Larousse Cocina and the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Mexican Gastronomy document the tamalera as an essential utensil of contemporary Mexican cuisine. In professional tamale shops and Central de Abastos markets, large-format tamaleras are used that produce hundreds of tamales per shift.

Characteristic ingredients

Tamaleras have a specific design for steam cooking: a tall pot 30 to 60 cm high, 25 to 45 cm in diameter, an airtight lid and an internal rack 5 to 10 cm from the bottom. The most common materials are cast aluminium (light, heat-conductive, affordable), enamelled steel (durable, non-oxidising) and stainless steel (premium, long-lasting). The traditional artisanal versions can be of thick clay, especially for Oaxacan tamales cooked in a large pan. Correct use: the bottom is filled with water up to just below the rack (3 to 5 cm); a circle of maize or banana leaves is placed on the rack; the tamales are arranged vertically (with the opening upwards for small tamales or laid down for large ones); they are covered with more leaves to keep moisture; the pot is covered; cooked over medium heat for 1 to 2 hours according to size. A coin at the bottom helps to know if the water has run out: when it stops sounding when jumping, more boiling water needs to be added.

Cultural significance

The tamalera is a fundamental utensil in Mexican homes and forms part of central gastronomic traditions. Candlemas Day (2 February) marks the time of year when millions of families prepare tamales: whoever found the figurine in the rosca de Reyes on 6 January treats people to tamales, and the tamalera is fired up to produce dozens. On Day of the Dead, tamales in tamalera are an offering on altars. At weddings, fifteens, baptisms and various celebrations, tamales are a traditional food and are cooked in large tamaleras. Traditional Mexican cuisine, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, integrates steam cooking in tamalera as a fundamental technique. Street tamale shops and tamale bicycles are a characteristic urban phenomenon, where thousands of tamales prepared in industrial tamaleras feed Mexican breakfasters every morning. The tamalera has been exported with the Mexican diaspora to the United States, Europe and Asia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between tamalera and common steamer?

The tamalera is a specifically tall and narrow pot with an internal rack, designed to accommodate tamales vertically. Common steamers are lower and wider, designed for vegetables or fish in individual baskets. The shape of the tamalera is functional for tamales: it maximises vertical space and keeps moisture concentrated inside.

What does a tamale cooked in a traditional tamalera taste like?

The flavour comes from the tamale itself (masa, filling, wrapper), not from the tamalera. What the correct steam cooking provides is texture: firm but soft masa, with no raw or brittle parts. If overcooked they can become sticky; if undercooked, the masa remains raw. A well-used tamalera produces tamales with the perfect point.

How is a tamalera set up correctly?

The bottom is filled with water up to about 3 to 5 cm below the rack, a clean coin is placed at the bottom (it serves to hear when the water runs out), the rack is covered with maize or banana leaves, the tamales are arranged upright with the opening upwards, they are covered with more leaves and a cloth, the lid is put on and cooked over medium heat between 60 and 90 minutes according to size.

Where does the tamalera come from?

Steam cooking of tamales is originally from Mesoamerica, with pre-Hispanic evidence of more than 2,000 years. The modern metal tamalera became popular in Mexico during the 20th century. Today, tamaleras are manufactured mainly in states such as the State of Mexico, Aguascalientes and Jalisco, where brands such as Vasconia and Cinsa produce for the whole country and the Mexican diaspora abroad.