Trader Joe's Trader Jose's Authentic Mexican Style Pork & Red Sauce Tamales

I have been sitting on this review for a while ... but better late than never:

 

When I spotted these Trader Joe's Trader Jose's Authentic Mexican Style Pork & Red Sauce Tamales in the refrigerated section of the store I decided to pick them up. That is, after trying to narrow down my options from the 3 varieties that were available (chicken, vegetable and pork).

Prior to purchasing these the first tamales I really tried are the mini tamales that are sold in the freezer section of Trader Joe's. I quite enjoyed them so I figured a real deal version would only be better. And I was surely right.

I opted to heat these up using the stove-top steaming method. I added water to the bottom of a pan, added in a metal steamer basket and laid the tamales into the pan, covered and let them steam until done. It was truly fool proof and the end result came out quite good.

They were nice and hearty and truly a crowd pleaser.  They had a very mild spice to them which wasn't overwhelming but pleasant. The pork was evident and it wasn't fatty (which is always appreciated). The tamale itself was the perfect texture - soft but still had a little bite to it.

They were so good that I went back to buy more on a few trips but sadly they haven't had them. Which I'm assuming means these were just a seasonal item. It seemed like my store got them in, had them stocked for a week, and never got them again. Which reminds me ... I should probably inquire as to if they're going to be bringing these back next time I pop into the store.

A serving, 1 tamale is 180 calories or 5 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Mini Chicken Tamalitos

There had been a few occasions where while at Trader Joe's I eye some of the dishes in the "Mexican-flare section". Tamales, burritos, enchiladas, chile relleno, etc. I've shied away from some of them for a while just because some are high in calories and just not point comfortable for me. Then one day, I really wanted to give the Trader Joe's Mini Chicken Tamalitos a shot (partly due to a conversation I had with a fellow Instagrammer). So into the cart they went...

The box states the tamales are handmade mini white meat chicken tamales in red sauce.  According to Trader Joe's website: "They’re handmade just for us by a small, Mexican panadería de tamal (that’s tamale bakery), and sized perfectly to enjoy as hors d’oeuvres. Each handmade Tamalito, wrapped in parchment paper, is made using traditional corn masa, stuffed with shredded chicken, cheese, corn, chiles and authentic Mexican seasonings, and finished with a mild red chile sauce. Did we mention they’re made by hand?"

Taking the tamales out of the freezer, there are 2 cooking options - stove top or microwave. Since I wasn't truly in the mood to cook I opted for the microwave version. Simplicity at it's finest! All I had to do was layer the tamales onto a glass dish, add in 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a damp paper towel and wrap the dish up with plastic wrap. A quick trip into the microwave and dinner was done. I did find I had to cook them a little longer because the 4-minutes did not heat all 10 tamales up enough.

Unwrapping them from the parchment paper, I was in for a nice surprise. These tamales are DELICIOUS! The corn masa is a show stealer; it's got a very smooth flavor. The filling is light and brings flavor to the dish. I did find I added a little bit of hot sauce to the top (because that's how I like my tamales) and it was fabulous.

Truthfully, looking at 4 mini tamales on a plate, it does feel slightly as if you're being gypped (I ate them on a small little "dessert plate" to trick my mind). But they are quite satisfying alongside a garden salad.

A serving, 4 tamales, is 300 calories or 8 points plus values.