In North Texas, tamales are more than a holiday treat — they’re part of the region’s Tex‑Mex food heritage and reflect how Mexican and Texas barbecue traditions interweave. Unlike strictly regional Mexican tamales, the local style often embraces smoky, beef-forward, and inventive fillings alongside the classic pork and chicken, and you can find them in everything from neighborhood kitchens to specialty restaurants and tamale makers.
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Chef-Pitmaster Damian Avila will be sharing his special take on a beloved Christmas tradition for Crossbuck’s pre-order menu—tamales. Known for their rich, flavorful taste, tamales have been a festive staple for generations in Mexico. This delectable new option is a perfect fusion of Avila’s Mexican roots with Texas-style barbecue, each one hand rolled and filled with perfectly seasoned, smoked and sauced brisket, then paired with a vibrant green chili tomatillo sauce that adds a zesty kick.
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In Texas, it’s not the holidays without tamales! The long-standing tradition of gathering to make the delicious masa treat filled with variations of veggies, meats and cheeses is a quintessential celebration. If you’re running short on time this year, let the culinary team at El Fenix bring a fiesta of flavor to your table!
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by Ella Pritchard
When I went into Cantina Laredo, I kept seeing “Modern Mexican” everywhere, so when I interviewed Rambo Saucedo, the chef teaching the lesson in tamales, I asked what he thought that meant. He said it means that they keep the flavors of the past, the traditional dishes and add a little more. It was my first time at Cantina Laredo and I went to their tamale-making class, but after being there and interacting with the staff, I will be back.
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As the holidays continue and we ready for the new year, many will offer blessings for our heart and hearth.And nothing blesses my hearth more than a few dozen tamales lovingly hand-made in homes or selected from a steaming basket that an experienced tamale-maker offers as she passes from office to office. For those who do not possess the skills nor the energy to craft their own tamales, DFW is rich with eager cooks willing to share their bounty.
Local chef Stephan Pyles co-authored a book on tamales and makes literally thousands of them for the holiday season. Says Pyles, “West Texas has heavy southern and Hispanic influences and one of my favorite early memories is my discovery of tamales. I was most intrigued by the fact that they came in their own special ‘gift-wrapping.’ That early fascination was enough inspiration for me to compose an entire book on the subject.”
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There’s still time to dazzle your friends and family with this holiday season’s tastiest gift. Order the Ultimate Texas Treats gift box from Assembly and the Texas Food & Wine Alliance (TFWA) before 3 pm, Monday, December 21 for pre-Christmas delivery anywhere in Texas.
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by Steven Doyle
In a time when women were kept at home and away from the workplace Maria Luna, who at the time was a single parent, rose from the kitchen to create her mark on Dallas history with Luna’s Tortilla Factory. A strong and devoted woman Luna gathered local women to crush her nixtamal , or corn that would become masa. Once gathered from Luna had the masa formed into tortillas and tamales which became a business that is now 95 years old and run by her son and grandson, both named Fernando.
Maria Luna ran her business, originally located on McKinney Avenue near downtown on a block that Luna purchased in 1938 for about $50,000 and shared with the original El Fenix. There the family worked, living above the tortilla factory. This meant dedication. Maria never turned away a stranger in need of fresh tortillas regardless of the hour. The building has since been remodeled to accommodate Meso Maya, and is considered a historical landmark. Continue reading
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Tamales can be traced back to as early as 7000 B.C. in Pre-Columbian history, when the Aztec women were taken along in battle as cooks for the army. They made the masa for the tortillas, stews, drinks, etc. But as the warring tribes of the Aztec, Mayan, and Inca cultures grew, there was a need to have a more portable yet sustainable food and the tamales could be made ahead of time, packed and warmed as needed. This requirement demanded the creativity of the women and the tamale was born. Continue reading
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