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tamale balls

(21 ratings)
slawson avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Stacey Lawson
@slawson
New Orleans, LA

Whenever we have a get together, I am asked to bring tamale balls. Here in New Orleans, hot tamales are a delicacy. Tamale balls are very spicy and a very delicious cousin to the hot tamale. They make a great appetizer, but you can also put a few on a roll and sprinkle with some shredded cheddar cheese for a very spicy, but delicious, sandwich.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

What a tasty appetizer! These spicy little meatballs are very interesting. Full of Mexican spices, the added corn meal really gives them the flavor and texture of tamales. While these meatballs cook, they soak up the flavors of the sauce. Serve them alone or on a bun as Stacy suggests. We could see serving these tamale balls with Mexican rice too.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(21 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 25 Min
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For tamale balls

  • TAMALE BALLS
  • 1 1/2 lb
    ground beef
  • 1 1/2 lb
    ground pork
  • 1 1/2 c
    cornmeal
  • 3/4 c
    apple juice
  • 1/2 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 3 tsp
    chili powder
  • 2 tsp
    cumin
  • 2 tsp
    salt
  • 2 tsp
    cayenne pepper
  • 2 tsp
    Cajun seasoning
  • SAUCE
  • 60 oz
    V8 Juice
  • 2 tsp
    chili powder
  • 2 tsp
    cumin
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1 tsp
    cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp
    Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tsp
    sugar

How To Make tamale balls

Test Kitchen Tips
These do take a little bit of babysitting. Make sure to stir every so often and we added a little water while the sauce cooked down. The recipe makes a lot, so we divided the sauce and meatballs between two pots to cook.
  • Combining tamale ball ingredients in a bowl.
    1
    To make the tamale balls, combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  • Forming meat into balls.
    2
    Form into 1" balls and set aside.
  • Sauce ingredients adding to a large pot.
    3
    To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a large pot.
  • Tamale balls added to sauce to cook.
    4
    Add the formed balls to the sauce and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the tamale balls are fully cooked. The balls will increase in size due to the cornmeal and become like a tamale.
  • Three Tamale Balls on a small plate.
    5
    Slow Cooker Directions: Follow steps one and two. Combine sauce in a large slow cooker and add the formed balls. Cook on high for five to six hours, or until tamale balls are fully cooked.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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