Are The Texas Tamales Sold At Costco The Same As Mexican Tamales?

Nowadays, describing food as "authentic" is seen as a bit old-fashioned. Cultural cuisines contain multitudes: Chop suey isn't "inauthentic" Chinese food, it's an icon of Chinese American cuisine. Still, sometimes you're left to wonder if you're getting the real deal. 

Texas Tamale Company's tamales get rave reviews from Texas Monthly and The TODAY Show. They're an easy option compared to the labor-intensive option of making tamales from scratch, too. But are the Houston-based brand's tamales — sold at Costco, Kroger, and, of course, HEB — anything like the ones you'd find in Mexico? 

The answer lies in the ingredient list. Texas Tamale Company's tamales are missing lard, a traditional ingredient in Mexican tamales. Lard, or rendered pig fat, helps add flavor and texture to the masa, or dough. The company uses soybean oil instead. 

Technically, tamales don't have to have lard. Historians believe that ancient Aztecs ate a relatively low-fat diet, which extended to their fat-free tamales. Aztecs favored lean meats, and they didn't have the tools necessary to extract large quantities of oil from plants. It wasn't until the arrival of Spanish colonists (and the pigs they brought with them) that lard became a tamale staple.

Why skip the lard? Maybe the Texas Tamale Company wanted to cater to health-conscious customers. Maybe they wanted to produce products that vegetarians could eat. Or maybe soybean oil was simply the cheapest option. No matter the reason, a little soybean oil isn't necessarily a bad thing — though it might come at the expense of taste and texture. Despite current backlash against seed oils, soybean oil is a relatively healthy option. Most experts agree that plant oils are a better option than animal fats like lard, though a little lard won't hurt you. It can still be part of a healthy, balanced diet, so don't ditch your favorite mom-and-pop tamale shop in favor of mass-produced fare simply for fear of lard. (And always avoid buying tamales in a can.)

Traditionally, tamales are steamed — a process that can take over an hour. Tamales from Texas Tamale Company are pre-cooked, though, so you'll just need to reheat them. Still, a little steam is the best way to do it. According to the company's cooking instructions, the best way to reheat them is in a steamer. They recommend placing the tamales open end up and steaming for 15 to 20 minutes. No steamer? Wrap them in a wet paper towel and microwave them for 2 to 3 minutes. Since Texas Tamale Company's tamales are smaller than standard Mexican tamales, they'll reheat quickly.