Skillet Tamale Pie
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Tamale Filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, minced2 tablespoons chili powder Salt 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)1 pound ground sirloin (lean)1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, drained3 ounces (85 grams) cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves Ground black pepperCornbread Topping
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3¾ ounces/106 grams)¾ cup yellow cornmeal (3¾ ounces/106 grams)3 tablespoons sugar ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ cup buttermilk 1 large egg 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooledInstructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- For the tamale filling: Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the ground sirloin, beans, and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir the cheddar and cilantro into the filling and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until uniform. Stir in the butter until just combined.
- Dollop the cornbread batter evenly over the filling and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cornbread is cooked through in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.
Yield
Serves 4Ingredients
Tamale Filling
Cornbread Topping
Ingredients
Tamale Filling
Cornbread Topping
Ingredients
Tamale Filling
Cornbread Topping
Why This Recipe Works
Tamale pie—lightly seasoned, tomatoey ground beef with cornbread topping—is easy to make and makes a satisfying supper. But in many recipes, the filling either tastes bland and one-dimensional or turns heavy. As for the cornbread topping, it’s usually from a mix and tastes like it. We wanted a skillet tamale pie with a rich, well-seasoned filling and a cornbread topping with real corn flavor.
For the beef, we found 90 percent lean ground sirloin gave us a good balance of richness and flavor. We started by sautéing minced onion and garlic. For seasoning, we used a generous amount of chili powder, which we added to the aromatics in the skillet to “bloom,” or intensify, its flavor. The addition of canned black beans made our pie heartier, and canned diced tomatoes contributed additional flavor and texture. Cheddar cheese stirred into the mixture enriched the filling and also helped thicken it, and some minced fresh cilantro contributed a bright, fresh note. And to finish our pie, we skipped the cornbread mix and instead devised an easy homemade version. We spread the cornbread batter over the filling in the skillet, put the skillet in the oven to bake through, and the result was crunchy, corny topping that perfectly complemented the spicy tamale filling.
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- For the tamale filling: Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the ground sirloin, beans, and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir the cheddar and cilantro into the filling and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the cornbread topping: Meanwhile, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until uniform. Stir in the butter until just combined.
- Dollop the cornbread batter evenly over the filling and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cornbread is cooked through in the center, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
More Like This
Keep Exploring
0 Comments