Turkey Tamale Casserole Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and a large pinch of salt. Saute until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and poblano peppers. Season with black pepper, cumin, and oregano. Cook and stir until peppers start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add chipotles and adobo sauce. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
• Add turkey and half the Cheddar cheese to the pepper mixture. Add enchilada sauce, remaining salt, and chicken broth. Stir mixture and pour it into a 9x12-inch baking dish; place dish over a sheet pan to catch drippings.
• Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, and kosher salt together in a large bowl. Add eggs and milk; whisk into a thin batter. Ladle batter over the turkey mixture. Scatter remaining Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the topping is browned and a toothpick comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Steps:

• For the meat filling:
• Place chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper and turkey legs into a 6-quart pot and add enough water to completely cover the meat, approximately 2 1/2 quarts. Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the meat from the water to a cutting board, and set aside to cool. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot. Once the turkey legs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and shred, discarding any skin or cartilage. Place a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are semi-translucent, approximately 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chili and continue to cook for another minute. Add the meat and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and cook until heated through and the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside until ready to assemble.
• While the meat is cooking, place the husks in a large bowl or container and submerge completely in hot water. Soak the husks until they are soft and pliable, at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours. If you have an electric kettle, place the husks in the kettle, fill with water and turn on. Once the kettle turns off, allow the husks to sit for 1 hour in the hot water.
• Place the masa, salt, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the lard and using your hands, knead together until the lard is well incorporated into the dry mixture. Gradually add enough of the reserved cooking liquid, 2 to 4 cups to create a dough that is like thick mashed potatoes. The dough should be moist but not wet. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside until ready to use.
• To assemble the tamales:
• Remove a corn husk from the water and pat to remove excess water. Working in batches of 6, lay the husks on a towel and spread about 2 tablespoons of the dough in an even layer across the wide end of the husk to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the meat mixture in a line down the center of the dough. Roll the husk so the dough surrounds the meat and fold the bottom under to finish creating the tamale. Repeat until all the husks, dough and filling are used. Tie the tamales, around the center, individually or in groups of 3, with kitchen twine.
• To steam the tamales:
• Place a steamer basket in the bottom of an 11-quart pot and add enough water to come to the bottom of the basket. Stand the tamales close together on their folded ends and lean them in towards the center, away from the sides of the pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Check the water level every 15 to 20 minutes, and add boiling water by pouring down the side of the pot, if necessary. Steam until the dough is firm and pulls away from the husk easily, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve warm. Store leftover tamales, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the freezer, for up to a month. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and steam until heated through.

Steps:

• Crumble turkey into a large skillet over medium high heat and cook until almost all the pink is gone, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add green bell pepper, onion, green chili, tomatillos and cilantro and cook until softened
• Add taco seasoning mix, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer, shutting off burner after 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl beat vegetable shortening on low speed until fluffy.
• In a separate mixing bowl whisk masa harina flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.
• Add chicken broth and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
• Beat flour mixture into vegetable shortening until the dough is combined. It may still have a few lumps, but that's normal.
• In a round casserole dish spread half of the masa harina dough in the bottom.
• Layer turkey filling mixture on top of that and sprinkle with monterey jack cheese.
• Top with remainder of masa harina dough.
• Place casserole dish in 9 x 13 baking dish and fill with water 1/2 way up the casserole dish.
• Cover with foil and bake for 55 minutes.
• Remove foil and turn oven temperature up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 10 minutes until top of crust just starts to turn golden brown.
• Remove from oven and garnish with monterey jack cheese and torn cilantro.

Steps:

• Prepare the corn husks: Place in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and use a plate to submerge husks. Soak 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the masa: In a medium bowl, mix masa with 11/4 cups hot water. Let cool.
• Combine lard and baking powder in a stand mixer and beat for 1 minute, until light. Add salt and masa in 3 additions, beating at medium-low speed. Gradually add 3/4 cup broth while beating on low speed; beat for another minute or two. Taste for salt. Test to see if masa is aerated enough by dropping 1/2 teaspoon into a cup of water; it should float to the top. Batter should be soft but not runny, holding together on a spoon if you tilt the spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Beat masa again for a couple of minutes, adding remaining broth.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until softened and olive green. Drain and place in a blender. Add green chiles, onion, garlic and cilantro sprigs. Blend until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo purée and stir constantly until it thickens and begins to stick to pan, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, add salt to taste and bring to a simmer; let simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in chipotles. Sauce should be creamy and coat the front and back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat. Stir in shredded turkey.
• Make the tamales: Select 16 corn husks; look for large ones that have no tears. Take a few more and tear into 16 1/4-inch-wide strips for tying tamales. Use some of the remaining husks to line a steamer that is at least 6 inches deep (or a pasta pot with an insert); reserve a few husks in case you need to double-wrap tamales. Add just enough water to the pot to miss hitting the bottom of the basket.
• Lay a corn husk in front of you and pat dry. Spread a scant 1/4 cup of the masa into a 4-inch square, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border at pointy tapered end of the husk and a roughly 3/4-inch border on the other sides. Spoon a heaped tablespoon of turkey mixture down the middle of the masa. Pull long edges of husk toward each other and join them so that batter is now wrapped around the filling. Fold the two pinched-together edges over in the same direction and wrap the tamale. If it does not seem well wrapped, wrap in a second husk. Fold pointy end up to enclose the bottom and tie with a strip of husk. The wide top end will be open. Stand tamale up, closed end down, in steamer. Repeat with remaining masa and filling. The tamales should be crowded into the steamer so they remain upright. If they don't, fill spaces with crinkled foil. If tops stick out from top of steamer, trim with scissors.
• Lay unused soaked husks over open tops of tamales. Bring water to a boil, cover pot, reduce heat to medium and steam tamales for 11/2 hours. Meanwhile, bring a kettle of water to a boil to replenish water in bottom of the pot, should it run out (check periodically). Tamales are done when husk comes away easily from the masa; when done, let them sit at least 15 minutes in the pot, uncovered, to firm up. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 3-quart high-sided casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet, saute the beef and onion over medium-high heat until the meat is brown and the onion translucent, about 10 minutes. Then add the beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, bell pepper (if using), chili powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and teaspoon salt. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk and oil until combined. Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined. Spread the meat mixture into the casserole dish and cover with the corn bread topping. The topping will disappear into the meat mixture but will rise during baking and form a layer of corn bread. Bake until the corn bread is brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease an 8x8 glass pan and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat, brown turkey till cooked through and drain.
• Add taco seasoning & water as indicated on seasoning and cook per package directions.
• While the meat is cooking, mix the almond meal, garlic salt, coconut flour & baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Stir melted butter, milk & 2 beaten eggs into the dry ingredients with a wisk until well blended. Set aside.
• Add rotel tomatoes & heat through.
• Remove skillet from the heat and mix in the single beaten egg.
• Spread meat tomatoe mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Spread black beans over the meat mixture.
• Spread with 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese.
• Pour the batter over the cheese and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown on top & a tooth pick comes out clean.
• Serve with your favorite "taco" style garnishes.