When do I freeze tamales?

Question

I don't want to be ridiculous but I'm uncertain at what point I can freeze tamales. Do I steam them and then freeze or do I assemble and then freeze? I would like to make a large batch and freeze since they are time consuming. Also, when they come out of the freezer then what? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I would steam them, let them cool, then freeze them. If you buy them in large quantites from a vendor or from a fund raiser or something, they come already steamed.

As for prep, I would think the microwave is the best answer, as that ought to keep them nice and moist while they are cooking. Steaming them again would probably work, but might take a while. And while I haven't tried it, I suspect an oven might dry them out too much.

Answer 2

I would take the same tack as enchiladas; assemble then freeze. Use a solid bag and a heated water bath to warm filing, then steam to get tamales where you want them with respect to the shell.