Skillet Tamale Pie
from America's Test Kitchens, Season 7: Faster Family Favorites

FMM: We made this and thought it okay. It tasted good, but wasn't anything special. I love Tex-Mex and thought I would fall in love with it. King Arthur Flour's topping (in the side bar) might be better. I would add more Mexican spices to the filling also.

There are a lot of recipes on the Internet for Tamale Pie. It seems to have a long history and boxed cornmeal bread recipes is often used. Many recipes add corn to the beef mixture. They also often add cheese to the cornbread as in King Arthur Flour's recipe in the sidebar, or add cheese to the top 5 or 10 minutes before it is done.

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.

Parsley can be substituted for the cilantro, if desired.

Tamale Filling
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 tbsp chili powder
Salt
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 lb ground sirloin (lean)
1 (15.5-ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2 ounces) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
Ground black pepper

[The filling lacks flavor: Add: 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon cumin and 3/4 cup corn (optional)]

Cornbread Topping
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 oz.)
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal (3 3/4 ounces)
3 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For Serving:
sour cream
thin sliced green onions
cilantro
avocado, etc.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 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 with a dollop of sour cream and some diced green onion, or sprig of cilantro.

Serves 4

 

 

Tamale
2 tablespoons (25g) olive oil
1 pound ground chicken, turkey, or beef
1 cup (142g) onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon table salt
pepper or cayenne pepper, to taste
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (14.5 ounces) black or dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Topping
1 cup (120g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup (103g) whole cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons (57g) butter
1 large egg
1 small (8 ounces) can creamed corn
1/2 cup (113g) buttermilk
1 cup (113g) grated cheese, optional
*Use pepper jack, Monterey jack, or cheddar cheese, depending on your taste.