Tamale (Leftover Brisket) Pie

Ever heard of a tamale pie or a cornbread pie? If you live north of the American border, it turns out, a cornbread crust cooked on top of typical tamale fillings makes a tamale pie (also known as cornbread pie). But don’t get distracted, leftover brisket still shines in this dish!

Tamales are pronounced tuh-maa-lee. I love love love tamales and enjoy these authentic masa rolls when I travel south. I love the real deal – these are most often handmade!! Tamales have masa (corn based dough) that enfolds a filling like cheese, beef, pork, all steamed in a corn husk. In fact, tamale is derived from the Aztec word, tamalii, meaning “wrapped food.” Wrap me in this comfort food goodness!

This recipe has easily been added to my “make again” list. Tamale Pie is clearly a comfort food and using leftover brisket or other meats is a huge bonus to this clever dish. The tamale flavors come through and are balanced with the fresh sweet corn and cornbread topping. Ready to cook this?

Tamale (Leftover Brisket) Pie

Tamale Pie is a clear comfort food using leftover meat that showcases meaty flavors balanced with a sweet cornbread topping.

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Ingredients

  

Tamale Filling

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt to taste
• 3 cups 1-1.5 lbs leftover cooked brisket (or other leftover meat) chopped into 1/2 “cubes
• 1 19 oz or 561mL can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 ½ cups canned diced tomatoes, drained of liquid 1/2 can of 796mL or ½ can of 27oz
• 1 poblano pepper roasted (roasted hot, skinned and seeds removed) and minced
• 1/3 ear 1/3 cup of corn, kernels cut off the cob
• ¼ cup mozzarella shredded cheese
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Cornbread Crust

• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 ear (or 2/3 cup) fresh corn kernels cut off the cob
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ teaspoons salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup 1% milk or buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar if 1% milk used
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons salted butter melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons salted butter melted to brush onto finished cornbread, optional

Instructions

 

Tamale Filling

• Preheat oven to 450F degrees
• In a 12” oven safe skillet, heat oil in the skillet on the stovetop. Add onion, garlic chili powder, salt and cook until onion softened.
• Add brisket, black beans, canned tomatoes, poblano pepper and corn to the skillet and cook for 2-4 minutes until mixture is cohesive.
• Turn heat off. Stir in mozzarella and parmesan cheese with brisket bean filling.
• Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Cornbread Crust

• In a small bowl, mix 1% milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes. Alternatively, buttermilk can be set aside in the small bowl.
• Mix egg into the milk/ buttermilk mixture.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, corn, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
• Pour egg and milk mixture into the dry ingredients.
• Pour melted butter into the bowl of cornbread ingredients.
• Stir cornbread mixture until just combined.
• Drop spoonfuls of cornbread batter onto the tamale filling and spread into an even layer across the skillet.
• Place skillet into hot oven for 15 minutes or longer until a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
• Using potholders to remove the full skillet from the oven.
• Brush melted butter onto the cornbread crust. Serve.

Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Skillet Tamale Pie