Tamales are wonderful, tasty little treats that are a holiday tradition for many families. However, many people complain that they have trouble reheating leftover tamales. If you’ve struggled with reheating your tamales, we’ve done the research for you and found the best 3 methods for reheating tamales.

Microwave

Yes. You can reheat tamales using a microwave. Many people have tried reheating tamales in a microwave, but are usually left with dried-out, hardened tamales that lack the original texture and flavors. To prevent this, there is a special technique that must be used when reheating tamales in a microwave oven.

To reheat tamales using a microwave oven, you must first wrap them in a paper towel that has been dampened with about 2-3 tablespoons of water. Place the wrapped tamales on the center of a microwavable plate and heat on full power for about 15 seconds. For some microwaves this may be enough to heat the tamales to perfection. If not, remove the paper towel, turn the tamale over and complete the process above using a freshly dampened paper towel.

Oven

Reheating tamales in an oven is one of the best ways to enjoy hot leftover tamales that are still rich in flavor. The only drawback with this method is that it is more time consuming. To reheat tamales in an oven, you’ll simply need aluminum foil, butter, and an oven safe dish.

To begin this method, preheat your oven to 420 degrees and remove the husks from the tamales. Coat the bottom of your dish with a thin layer of butter before putting in the tamales. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. After this time, remove the foil and return the dish to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, or until the outer surface of the tamales are crispy and golden brown.

Stovetop Range

For many, using the stovetop to reheat tamales is the preferred method. To reheat tamales on the stove, simply remove the husks and place the tamales in a pan with a spoonful of water and a teaspoon of your favorite cooking oil. Set the stove to medium heat and cover the pan with a lid. Let the tamales cook for about 5-10 minutes. Be sure to flip the tamales over every 2-3 minutes for even heating. Your tamales are ready to be served when the outer surface is brown and crisp.

The three reheating methods described above allow you to enjoy leftover tamales that are hot, moist and full of flavor. Now that you know the secrets to reheating tamales, you can enjoy these tasty treats all year round with little to no fuss at all.