Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Surly Horns

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Featured Replies

2 minutes ago, Underdog said:

There is one place nearby that does a good job but they were $20 bucks a dozen a few years ago.

Those are Austin prices.

Little old Mexican lady was set up on the side of the road this morning on North Lamar, north of Kramer, selling tamales. The sun wasn't even up. I should have stopped and gave them a shot. Going back in the morning.

15 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Those are Austin prices.

Past or present? 

1 hour ago, luke duke said:

Thanks for sharing the name of the place in Richardson.

 

1 hour ago, luke duke said:

Thanks for sharing the name of the place in Richardson.

Well since you asked twice...

Tamaleria Nuevo Leon

Corner of Jupiter and Buckingham next to Albertsons

wait at the walmart on yale for the girl selling them out of her trunk

On 12/11/2020 at 11:36 AM, NoRagrets said:

Where can I get the best tamales in San Antonio?

i used to like Tellez but got some a few weeks ago and they were salty as fuck. couldn't even eat them. they actually caused me to go get a covid test because i thought my taste must be off if they were so salty, but i came back negative. but typically they are very good.

but since Delia's came to town, i am all about Delia's. at first sight, they looked a little too perfect. like they are machine made where they have the perfect pocket of meat on each one. but they are awesome. they are the only ones i always use their salsa, green or red, both good.

5 hours ago, elfenix said:

wait at the walmart on yale for the girl selling them out of her trunk

Eww...

 

Any spots in Houston? Pico’s and Pappasito’s are sold out. 
Goode Co. Cantina on I-10 has some.

For those in the East Texas area, The Tamale House on US 69 & FM 706 outside of Lufkin has the best pork tamales this South Texas boy has ever had.  

We have been getting ours from Alamo Tamales on Berry in Houston for over a decade now. During that time they built a big new facility next to the old converted hovel but the tamales are just as good. 

Of course they were $9.99/dz back then and $15.99/dz now, but they're still just as good. That's for pork. Beef are $1 more. 

27 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:
6 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:
Any spots in Houston? Pico’s and Pappasito’s are sold out. 

Goode Co. Cantina on I-10 has some.

Little Pappasito’s bailed me out. But I like both places. 

9 hours ago, Deej said:

Eww...

 

chrome_JZqk3Acjml.png.feb87fca08ff536794c8896a9ac720c2.png

4 hours ago, elfenix said:

chrome_JZqk3Acjml.png.feb87fca08ff536794c8896a9ac720c2.png

I’ll buy them as long as she’s not pulling this out of her “trunk”.

I make 50-60 dozen. Only pork. Hombro. Traditional. 5 different chiles in the meat. Masa only bought on the side door from the factory. Cash only.  
Give most away. Keep 8-10 to snack on for two weeks. 
The amount of Manteca needed to mix is impressive. Cholesterol checks are mandatory. 

On 12/23/2021 at 9:37 AM, po elvis said:

 salty as fuck. couldn't even eat them. they actually caused me to go get a covid test 

Cracking Up Lol GIF

  • Popular Post

Always used to help my grandmother wrap tamales this time of year, but never did them all on my own till last weekend.  Made ‘em with what was left of a brisket I had smoked a few days before.  Masa was a tad too dry (MOAR Manteca!!!), but other than that a solid first solo tamalada…

3237B828-2CAF-4689-A47B-7F88923B1E94.jpeg

EF082FD3-E6FE-4954-9367-897616561B6D.jpeg

Edited by Cajun

In DFW great tamales are found at Tommy Tamale in Grapevine, Marguez Bakery in Arlington, Esperanza’s in Grapevine, and Hot Damn Tamales in Ft Worth.

Surprisingly some of the best tamales are found in the Mississippi Delta, brought by Mexican railway workers and cotton pickers and adapted quickly by blacks and then sold by Sicialian grocers. They usually have more spice. You find them in high end steakhouses like Does to diners ands barbecue joints.

it’s probably to late for you do-it-yourselfers but bookmark this timesaver technique for next year

 

Edited by TonyTexas

This will probably be my last year doing Pappasito’s tamales. They use a pulled pork filling and the texture just isn’t right. 

On 12/22/2021 at 6:33 PM, Underdog said:

Delia’s is worth it imo.  Of course I’m stuck in tamale hell here in upstate ny.  There is one place nearby that does a good job but they were $20 bucks a dozen a few years ago. 

Mexican food hell here in Pennsylvania … Wegmans carries Texas Tamale Company and they’re good in a pinch, especially up here. 

Many Mexicans try and sell anything/everything on Facebook Marketplace...just sayin.

Edited by RollLeft

Mexican food hell here in Pennsylvania … Wegmans carries Texas Tamale Company and they’re good in a pinch, especially up here. 

Get ‘em mail order from hot damn tamales
On 12/22/2021 at 1:40 PM, Wally Pryor said:

Anyone tried the Delicious Tamales on Oltorf?

Good flavor, not great. Tiny.  Quite pricey.

On 12/22/2021 at 6:16 PM, Hermanator said:

 

Well since you asked twice...

Tamaleria Nuevo Leon

Corner of Jupiter and Buckingham next to Albertsons

Decided to try these. Just regular pork. 
Damn good. 

22 hours ago, Texzilla58 said:

In DFW great tamales are found at Tommy Tamale in Grapevine, Marguez Bakery in Arlington, Esperanza’s in Grapevine, and Hot Damn Tamales in Ft Worth.

Surprisingly some of the best tamales are found in the Mississippi Delta, brought by Mexican railway workers and cotton pickers and adapted quickly by blacks and then sold by Sicialian grocers. They usually have more spice. You find them in high end steakhouses like Does to diners ands barbecue joints.

Yeah, I’ve had the tamales at Doe’s in Little Rock & MS (can’t remember the town).  They were an interesting surprise find for this San Antonio hombre.  But, “the best”?  Small, skinny tamales wrapped in paper & served in a miniature bucket in the Deep South is most assuredly novel, but they are a long f’n way from being anywhere near “best” status.  They were on par with some fresh Hill Country Fair HEB pick up & Gos and they looked like something found in the evidence room for drug mules busted at an aeropuerto in Peru.

For reference…

 

A2D0181E-21EF-4C77-87BA-D9A8E9F6295D.jpeg

Edited by Cajun

Now the Portethouse Platter with fried dinner rolls at the Doe’s in Fayetteville?

That a whole nuther gotdamned story!

HEB’s Mi Comida brand actually used to be pretty decent. We got them again this year, and they were totally different, and pretty meh.

So, back to hunt for a better source. Sigh.

46 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

HEB’s Mi Comida brand actually used to be pretty decent. We got them again this year, and they were totally different, and pretty meh.

So, back to hunt for a better source. Sigh.


delia’s in San Antonio 

1 minute ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Bill Miller's has good tamales....     So I've been told.


hits close to home, picked up a 2x potato and sausage, bean / sausage / cheese and a large unsweet tea yesteday from bill millers 5 points 

Edited by tx 3 putt

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

HEB’s Mi Comida brand actually used to be pretty decent. We got them again this year, and they were totally different, and pretty meh.

So, back to hunt for a better source. Sigh.

Central Market.  Hot & ready to go, just like SouthAustin’s mom…

954A36AF-ED1E-4C92-A40A-4C3437FA3C2F.jpeg

35 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

Bill Miller's has good tamales....     So I've been told.

Nope.  Tried them a few years ago.  They're...ok.

10 minutes ago, Cajun said:

Central Market.  Hot & ready to go, just like SouthAustin’s mom…

954A36AF-ED1E-4C92-A40A-4C3437FA3C2F.jpeg

Nope.  Too big, too much masa.  We like the traditional small tamales -- the sort of thing you put three to a plate.  Those CM ones are giants, two is a big plate.

We used to love these:

6a296488deb99867d1855de37f12ce0e.jpeg

But you can't find them anymore.  And the place in Houston with that name isn't the same place.

43 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Nope.  Tried them a few years ago.  They're...ok.

Nope.  Too big, too much masa.  We like the traditional small tamales -- the sort of thing you put three to a plate.  Those CM ones are giants, two is a big plate.

We used to love these:

6a296488deb99867d1855de37f12ce0e.jpeg

But you can't find them anymore.  And the place in Houston with that name isn't the same place.

Ah, gotcha.  Yeah, the CM ones are like battleships.

14 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

 

We used to love these:

6a296488deb99867d1855de37f12ce0e.jpeg

But you can't find them anymore.  And the place in Houston with that name isn't the same place.

Actually they are the same. Alamo Tamales on Berry offer two styles. Those are the machine made ones. They are much cheaper but vastly inferior to the hand rolled ones I mentioned above. Both are available at the Berry facility. Also, they have beef, bean and jalapeno, etc. We usually just get the pork, but also got a half dozen beef this year. 

Highly recommended. 

This is the way…
926b8077eccb97a76b3d381a317abdf9.jpg
067739a68a61c2d1e6669cdf1c1fee36.jpg

How far in advance should I order Delia's if I want tamales for Christmas next year? 

If you are picking up, plan placing your order right after thanksgiving.

If you are shipping, go ahead and secure a loan from the bank….
59 minutes ago, DoobieWah said:

Actually they are the same. Alamo Tamales on Berry offer two styles. Those are the machine made ones. They are much cheaper but vastly inferior to the hand rolled ones I mentioned above. Both are available at the Berry facility. Also, they have beef, bean and jalapeno, etc. We usually just get the pork, but also got a half dozen beef this year. 

Highly recommended. 

Interesting.  Here's the thing....the "machine made" ones look and taste a whole lot like the small ones we used to make when I was a kid.  I'm curious if the hand made ones are that different.  But, next time I'm in the area, maybe I'll grab a dozen of each for a taste test.

I have this weird thing where I don’t like every tamale to be exactly the same.  Imho part of the tamale recipe magic is that each batch is it’s own little symphony…uh, I mean, Mariachi band.  You get a few skinny guys on horns, a tall guy on the violin, and a couple of short fat guys playing guitaras.

Edited by Cajun

Pretty good for store bought--- Dallas area Costcos have these.  Made in Irving. 

(though they're not as fun as rolling the dice w/ the folks selling out of an Igloo cooler at the 276 crossroads between Lake Tawokoni and Lake Fork.)

Tamales3.jpg.f3c9ab8000a7b4e6defeb05d155f8bac.jpg

 

Pretty good for store bought--- Dallas area Costcos have these.  Made in Irving. 
(though they're not as fun as rolling the dice w/ the folks selling out of an Igloo cooler at the 276 crossroads between Lake Tawokoni and Lake Fork.)
Tamales3.jpg.f3c9ab8000a7b4e6defeb05d155f8bac.jpg
 

I buy these in the smaller packs at Tom Thumb. They are a solid B boiled in the bag.

I'm no tamale aficionado, but on a lark I got 6 dozen from the Belleville meat market on our last order of deer meat for processing. I will report back. 

On 12/22/2021 at 4:30 PM, luke duke said:

Thanks for sharing the name of the place in Richardson.

So I usually get mine from La Popular but it's getting more and more iffy -- picked them up from The Garden Cafe this year.

In any case, I was thinking of going to get mine at La Tamaleria Neuvo Leon in Richardson this year if La Popular effed it up. 

Is that the place in Richardson you are talking about?

On 12/22/2021 at 6:16 PM, Hermanator said:

 

Well since you asked twice...

Tamaleria Nuevo Leon

Corner of Jupiter and Buckingham next to Albertsons

Okay, Gracias.

9 minutes ago, tantric superman said:

So I usually get mine from La Popular but it's getting more and more iffy -- picked them up from The Garden Cafe this year.

In any case, I was thinking of going to get mine at La Tamaleria Neuvo Leon in Richardson this year if La Popular effed it up. 

Is that the place in Richardson you are talking about?

Garland actually. 
 

Picked up a dozen last week and ate some last night. Damn good. Masa had some flavor and pork was good 

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.