VENEZUELAN STYLE VENISON TAMALES

This venison tamale recipe is one of my favorite things I that I make all year. They are soft, rich, full of flavor, and perfect for a cool fall or winter meal.

Ahhh.... the tamale! You either love them or don't. And I’d be willing to bet that if you don't care for them, you first tried them at a chain restaurant. And I also bet they were sitting in a steam table for hours until being plopped onto your plate with the texture of your dry play-dough. A tamale that has been properly cared for should be moist, fluffy and give you warm chills down your spine as you eat them.

There are records of tamales dating back to 1492 when Spaniards came across them in Cuba on Columbus’s first voyage. So to say the least, tamales have a deep history and some even say the idea of tamales even predates the making of pottery.

That said, there are many variations of tamales, and I plan to cover each one over time. But today, I’m going with a Venezuelan-style tamale that utilizes precooked corn flour (I prefer the P.A.N brand, which can be bought on Amazon).

This dough is enriched with roasted acorn squash, which gives the tamales a great wintertime flavor. Braised Venison neck, shank, or front shoulder are ideal for this recipe.

Cooks Note:

These tamales will require a steamer setup. I will post a few different options in a future tamale post.

Looking for more venison recipes? These are a few of my favorites:

Venison Chops

Venison Breakfast Sausage

Venison Snack Sticks

Lastly, if you try this venison tamale recipe, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you've made.

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VENISON TAMALES

Serves: 3 to 4

Prep Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 2 to 4 hours

Author: Larry White

INGREDIENTS

For the braised venison

• 12 - large tomatillos (husks removed and boiled for 5 minutes)

• 1 cup - crushed tomatoes

• 8 - garlic cloves

• 2 teaspoon - salt

• 1/2 teaspoon - black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon - dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon - ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon - achiote paste

• 1/4 cup - white vinegar

• 1.5 pounds - boneless venison shoulder, shank or boneless neck (cut into two inch cubes)

• 2 tablespoons - corn oil (any high smoke point oil will work)

For the acorn squash

• 1 small acorn squash (peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces)

• 1 tablespoon - light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon - kosher salt

For the masa

• 1 3/4 pounds precooked cornmeal (P.A.N brand is best)

• 1.5 cups melted lard (mild olive oil or grass-fed butter works as well)'

• 6 cups chicken or venison stock

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• Banana leaves or corn husks (for assembling the tamales)

  
  

  Butchers twine for securing the tamale ends.

Directions

1. Combine all of the adobo ingredients (except the venison) into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Pour over the venison and let marinate for 2 to 8 hours.
   

2. For the squash. Place the squash, salt and sugar in a pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until just fork tender (about 15 minutes). Puree the squash and set aside to cool.
   

3. For the venison. Remove the venison from the adobo (do not discard the adobo). Dry the venison off as best as you can with paper towels. Heat a pot over medium-high heat, add the venison, and brown on all sides. Lower the heat to medium-low, and add the reserved adobo to the pot of venison. Simmer for around 2 to 3 hours or until the meat is tender. Shred the meat and let it rest in the adobo.
   

4. For the masa. Place the cornflour in a large bowl. Add the lard and knead until it is a smooth dough. Add the broth one cup at a time, kneading with each addition of stock. Add the pumpkin puree, salt, and sugar and knead until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for a few minutes before assembling the tamales.
   

5. Assembling the tamales. Starting with about an 8" x 6" wrapper (banana leaf or corn husk). Place about 1/3 cup of the masa mixture in the center of the wrapper. Spread the masa out into about a 3"x5" rectangle. Place a good pinch of the venison down the center of this masa mixture. Carefully fold the masa/wrap around the venison into a "burrito Shape". Fold each open end of the wrapper towards the center of the tamale and secure each end with the butcher's twine.
   

6. Cooking the tamales. With your steamer ready to go, nestle the tamales vertically alongside one another in the steamer basket. Cover and cook gently for 1 to 1.5 hours. If you're worried about overcooking them, check them around 45 minutes into the cooking process. If the wrapper peels away clean, you are good to go. Serve with the warm reserved adobo and venison mixture on top.