Method and apparatus for making tamales

A method and apparatus for making a food product such as tamales is provided in which a template for forming the shape of the tamale dough is provided together with a forming tool for anchoring down the tamale wrapper and leveling and pressing dough or masa into a predetermined shape for making tamales. The novel template apparatus is placed over a corn husk to flatten and anchor the corn husk before adding the dough composition and forming the dough composition into the template apparatus. The template apparatus is then removed from the formed dough and the remaining ingredients are added and the tamale is rolled with the corn husk for freezing, shipment or cooking. The novel method and apparatus includes the step of utilizing a special dough composition having a predetermined density for flowing into the tamale template opening. The preferred dough composition has a density in the range of about 1.10 to about 1.12 grams per cubic centimeter. The dough composition is designed to cooperate with the novel apparatus and method for making tamales. The method and apparatus allows tamales to be made easily, quickly and uniformly by the utilization of the novel template and forming tool apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for making food products 
such as tamales. More particularly the invention pertains to a template 
apparatus for forming and shaping the tamale masa type dough together with 
a spreading tool for evenly and uniformly spreading the dough within the 
template and removing excess dough along with dough or masa compositions 
for use with the present method and apparatus. The dough compositions 
utilized in accordance with the present method have a controlled bulk 
density to assist in the rapid and uniform formation of food products. The 
novel method and tamale apparatus include the utilization of a template of 
a predetermined thickness which anchors a corn husk down in a planer 
format and exposes an area of the corn husk to allow masa or a dough 
composition to be added to the corn husk and spread with the spreading 
tool of the novel apparatus. The invention contemplates the utilization of 
a dough composition of a controlled consistency in combination with the 
template and a scraper tool to form the dough composition into a 
predetermined shape before the removal of the template and the addition of 
the remaining tamale ingredients. The tamale is subsequently wrapped in 
the corn husk followed by cooking, freezing or packaging of the tamale to 
provide a food product of a more uniform shape and consistency and better 
taste when dough compositions are utilized in accordance with the 
invention. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A number of methods are available in the prior art for making tamales as 
Well as various tamale making devices all of which have heretofore to a 
great extent relied upon the skill of the food preparer. The basic 
rudimentary methods and procedures for making tamales have been around for 
centuries and generally consist of utilizing corn husks as the outermost 
wrapper for a layer of dough which may be flour or corn and which is 
smeared inside the corn husk. The dough is then covered with meat, 
potatoes, salsa and other desired filler ingredients for tamales. The corn 
husk as is known by those skilled in the art is of a tubular configuration 
which seeks to return to its tubular shaped configuration and which must 
be flattened or carefully held while dough is added to the tamale wrapper 
before placing optional filler ingredients and sauces on the dough and 
then wrapping the dough and optional filler ingredients inside the corn 
husk. 
The prior art methods have not controlled the consistency of the dough in 
the formation of tamales but instead have utilized doughs or masas of 
varying consistencies as may be made by the person preparing the tamale. 
These doughs of varying consistencies have generally been placed by hand 
onto the corn husk for the subsequent addition of the tamale core filler 
materials such as meats, vegetables, chili sauce, salsa and the like. 
The prior art methods and apparatus have heretofore not controlled the 
consistency of the dough in relation to a tamale apparatus and have not 
been designed to provide uniform and easily made tamales required for 
current restaurants and fast food preparation restaurants since prior art 
methods have been labor intensive and primarily rely upon the skill of the 
tamale maker to make the dough of a particular consistency and properly 
size and shape the dough and wrap the tamale in the corn husk. 
In order to provide a more uniform and consistent tamale food product 
various forms of tamale making devices have been proposed such as have 
been described in Rodriguez U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,670. In Rodriguez U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,687,670 a tamale making method and apparatus is provided for 
layering the tamale on foils, filter papers and the like and then 
employing movable frames to spread the food materials over the filter 
paper or foils that are placed on a support. A frame template is swung 
over the base and a quantity of masa or dough is spread within the 
confines of the template followed by a layer of chili sauce, tamale core 
food and other optional ingredients are added before the frame is raised 
to an open position and the foil sheet is rolled over the layers of masa 
and tamale core food mixture. 
Unlike the invention Rodriguez U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,670 does not employ a 
masa or dough of a controlled consistency as a basis for creating tamales 
of a uniform consistency. Rodriguez U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,670 furthermore 
does not employ a scraper tool, a template specifically designed to shape 
the tamale dough into a particular shape and thickness before the removal 
of the template and the addition of the tamale core mixture ingredients. 
Rodriguez U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,670 unlike the invention does not utilize 
the template to establish a uniform thickness of the tamale dough for the 
formation of the tamale nor does Rodriguez U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,670 utilize 
a special dough consistency composition material for the formation of 
tamales. 
Valdastri, U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,993 pertains to a method and apparatus for 
making ravioli in which a layer of dough is placed over a template, 
filling is added and a top layer of dough is placed over the apparatus 
before a roller or scraper type device is utilized to cut the ravioli from 
the individual forming elements in the ravioli apparatus template. 
Valdastri and Rodriguez U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,687,670 unlike the invention does 
not provide a template for forming the thickness of the dough nor does it 
provide a method fop providing a uniform consistency of the dough as a 
means for providing a more uniform end product. Both Rodriguez U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,687,670 and Valdastri U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,993 do not recognize the 
importance of the consistency of the masa in assisting in the formation of 
a uniform tamale product. In Valdastri U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,993 like 
Rodriguez the thickness of the dough depends upon the skill of the 
operator in rolling and forming the masa or dough before it is layered on 
the template. The invention in contrast controls not only the size, shape 
and thickness but also the consistency of the dough or masa to provide a 
more uniform product that is desired for restaurant and fast food 
operations which prefer not to rely on the skill of the food preparer. 
Various other prior art including Gotti, U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,822 and Van 
Horn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,091 provide various types of apparatus for 
providing shells or templates for making food pastries. These apparatus 
and devices including the Van Horn U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,091 do not 
specifically address the problem of controlling the consistency of the 
dough and the anchoring of the layers to prevent the lateral movement of 
the components in relation to a corn or tamale wrapper which corn wrapper 
also exhibits a tendency to roll. These characteristics of tamale food 
products requires an apparatus for maintaining the dough in relation to 
the wrapping material and controlling the thickness and consistency of the 
dough material to provide a more uniform tamale which can be utilized in 
high speed tamale making operations which provide a more uniform tamale 
product. The prior art apparatus and methods have not been specifically 
designed to control the thickness of the dough and the positioning of the 
dough with respect to a tamale corn husk or wrapper which traditionally 
seeks to return to its circular configuration. As a result many prior art 
methods and apparatus have substituted papers and foils for corn husks as 
a means for avoiding the problem of corn husk rolling at the sacrifice of 
tamales with natural corn husks which are of a preferred taste. The prior 
art has also not provided a dough composition of controlled consistency 
that is particularly amenable to the novel tamale maker apparatus for 
providing a uniform and consistent tamale product. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The method and apparatus for making tamales in accordance with the 
invention specifically controls the thickness and consistency of the dough 
material by utilizing a template spreading or scraper tool and dough or 
masa composition of controlled density to provide a high speed operation 
capable of making tamales of a uniform consistency. The tamale apparatus 
of the invention contemplates the utilization of a substantially 
rectangular template of about 8 inches by 10 inches and having a thickness 
of from about 1/16 to 3/8 of an inch (0.15 cm to 0.95 cm) and preferably 
2/16 of an inch. 
The tamale dough template has an upper flat surface constructed from a 
material having a relatively low coefficient of friction of less than 1 
and preferably 0.1 to 0.01 such as to allow the forming or spreading tool 
to move readily and easily across the surface of the template. The 
spreading tool may be a roller but is preferably a wiper or scraper tool 
of a substantially rectangular configuration similarly made of a material 
of a low coefficient of friction such as high or medium density 
polyethylene or polypropylene so that the spreading tool can glide aver 
the surface of the template and cooperate with the consistency of the 
dough to provide a uniform thickness to the dough while depositing the 
dough into the tamale template. The spreading tool is of sufficient width 
to allow the support of the ends by the template and in the preferred 
application is between four inches to eight inches side and includes a 
hand grip means configuration to assist in the manual movement of the 
scraper tool over the upper surface of the template. 
The template opening may be of various shapes and configurations to shape 
the dough base in various predetermined geometrical configurations which 
can assist in the formation and subsequent wrapping of the tamale. The 
spreader tool may include various ergonomic features to assist in the 
utilization of the spreader tool as it is drawn across the surface of the 
tamale template. The spreader tool is of a width sufficient to accommodate 
the size and configuration of the opening in the tamale template. The 
forming edge of the spreader tool similarly may be tapered to an edge or 
be of a flat rectangular configuration to assist in the spreading and 
removal of excess dough from the tamale template. 
The novel method includes control of the density of the dough or masa 
composition by the control of the fluid ingredients to a predetermined 
fluidity of the dough to assist it into flowing into the opening in the 
template while cooperating with the edge of the scraper tool so that 
excess dough can be removed from the tamale template. Typically prior art 
dough compositions for tamales are not controlled but instead depend upon 
the masa preparer and generally range from about 1.08 to 1.14 grams per 
cubic centimeter at 21 degrees C. The controlled dough composition of the 
invention adjusts the density of the dough to about 1.10 to 1.12 and 
preferably 1.11 grams per cubic centimeter at 21 degrees C. 
The method of the invention contemplates the elimination of the cumbersome 
methods of the prior art in holding a corn shuck in one hand and then 
spreading or smearing corn dough with the other hand in an inconsistent 
manner as has been done in the prior art. The prior art procedures 
resulted in tamales of different sizes, thicknesses and uniformity which 
are eliminated by the utilization of the novel tamale apparatus and method 
of the invention. The shape and thickness of the masa is controlled by the 
tamale template to control the thickness of the dough. The tamale template 
is placed over a corn shuck, filter paper or other substrate to anchor the 
substrate in place. 
In the preferred application of the invention the template is placed over a 
corn shuck to hold the corn shuck in a flat configuration for the addition 
of the dough composition of controlled consistency or density so that the 
masa or dough will flow into the opening of the template by the 
utilization of the spreader tool to provide a uniform size, width and 
shape of the tamale. 
The invention unlike the prior art controls not only the density of the 
dough but also the thickness of the dough while holding the outer wrapper 
of the tamale in a flat configuration while the dough is being shaped and 
evenly distributed in a uniform thickness by the utilization of the 
spreader tool and the thickness of the tamale template. The template is of 
a controlled thickness of about 1/16 of an inch to 3/8 of an inch to 
control the thickness of the dough and assist in the formation of the 
tamale utilizing the spreading tool and dough of controlled bulk density. 
Thereafter the tamale template is removed and the weight of the dough 
maintains the corn shuck in its flat configuration while other ingredients 
such as salsa, filler and other desired components are added to the dough 
before the dough is wrapped or rolled into the tamale. The tamale may 
thereafter be cooked and sold or frozen and packaged for future sale or 
consumption. 
The invention controls the thickness of the tamale dough by a combination 
of the novel apparatus and scraper tool in combination with the control of 
the consistency or density of the dough or masa to provide tamales of a 
more uniform characteristic and consistency than heretofore available. The 
combination of the novel method and dough composition eliminates much of 
the skilled work required to prepare tamales. In addition the construction 
of the apparatus of the invention allows virtually anyone to make uniform 
tamales in mass quantities for restaurant and large scale operations. For 
large scale operations it is contemplated that templates having numerous 
tamale openings may be utilized to be placed over a number of individual 
corn husks. A larger spreader tool such as a roller or wiper blade capable 
of extending the full width of the template may be utilized to prepare a 
number of tamales in a single operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to FIGS. 1-7 the preferred embodiment of the tamale making 
apparatus 20 is illustrated which includes a template 22 having an opening 
24 of a desired configuration for forming the tamale dough. A spreader 26 
is included for levelling dough into opening 24 to form the dough portion 
of a tamale. Spreader 26 includes a finger grip means 28 for providing a 
more sure grip on tamale spreader 26 as it moves across the upper surface 
30 of the tamale template 22. The tamale template 22 as well as spreader 
26 are preferably made from a sheet of plastic or other material having a 
low coefficient of friction such as a high density polypropylene or 
polyethylene or some other material that provides a low coefficient 
friction for movement of the tamale spreader 26 across the upper surface 
30 of tamale template 22. 
Tamale spreader 26 includes a flat surface 32 which when drawn across the 
upper surface 30 of template 22 is designed to force tamale dough into 
opening 24 by the use of levelling edge 34 of flat surface 32 and to 
conform the dough to the desired shape of the opening. Spreader 26 can be 
of any configuration and could be a roller, rolling pin or a wiper blade 
to spread dough into opening 24. In the preferred embodiment a spreader 26 
is preferred to force dough into opening 24 of template 22. Typically 
spreader 26 is also made of high density polyethylene or polypropylene and 
is 3/16 of an inch thick at flat surface 32 and provides two edges 34 at 
right angles to surface 32. Spreader 26 is about 6 3/4 inches wide when 
template opening 24 is about 5 inches wide so that spreader 26 does not 
enter into opening 24 but instead is supported by the opposite corners 50 
and 52 and by surface 30 of template 22. 
Template 22 is preferably about 10 inches long by 8 inches wide and 
provides an opening of about 51/2 inches in diameter. The size of opening 
24 however can be larger or smaller ranging from 2 inches by 2 inches all 
the way up to 6 1/2 inches by 9 inches. The 5 inch size opening 24 is 
preferable since most corn husks in which tamales are wrapped provide a 
circular opening about 5 inches in diameter. The thickness of the tamale 
template 22 is also important since the thickness of the template 
cooperates with the density of the masa to control the thickness of the 
tamale dough. The thickness of the tamale maker template 22 is about 1/16 
to 3/8 inch. The sides of opening 24 taper inwardly and preferably taper 
inwardly at an angle of from about 5 to 45 degrees and preferably about 20 
degrees inwardly from the upper surface 30 toward the bottom side 36 of 
the template 22. The 20 degree taper at taper 38 assists in the spreading 
of the dough between the tamale corn husk and the template 22 and the 
subsequent removal of the template from the dough. 
Tamale template 22 is designed to lay on top of and anchor a corn husk 40 
or a foil or a paper tamale wrapper which is placed upon a table 42. The 
template 22 assists in the flattening of the corn husk or wrapper 40 while 
masa or dough 44 is spread utilizing spreader 26 into opening 24. The 
utilization of spreader 26 forces the masa or dough down onto corn husk 40 
and into the tapered edge 38. Thereafter the weight of the masa or dough 
44 holds the corn husk in a flat configuration while the other chili 
ingredients 46 and optional vegetable or meat fillers 48 are added to the 
tamale. The template 22 is then preferably removed from corn husk. 40 
before the addition of the sauces and optional fillers 48 in making the 
tamale. Thereafter, the corn husk or wrapper is wrapped around the tamale 
before it is cooked or frozen for subsequent distribution. 
Referring now to FIGS. 13-18 various other shapes are illustrated for the 
opening 24 of template 22 for making tamales. The difference between the 
various templates as illustrated in FIGS. 13-18 reside in the differences 
in the shape of opening 24 such that in FIG. 13 opening 24 is of a 
circular configuration and FIG. 14 has an opening 24 of a generally 
rectangular configuration, FIG. 15 has an opening 24 of a generally oblong 
configuration, FIG. 16 has an opening 24 of a generally octagonal 
configuration, FIG. 17 has an opening 24 of a generally rectangular 
configuration and FIG. 18 has an opening 24 of a generally rectangular 
configuration with points 54 which assist in the folding of the tamale in 
the corn husk 40 for wrapping the tamale once the ingredients have been 
added to the tamale. These configurations as well as other configurations 
such as triangular configurations may be utilized in accordance with the 
invention. 
Referring now to FIG. 19 a modified tamale maker 70 is illustrated 
including a plurality of openings 72 for forming 6 tamales at the same 
time. As indicated in FIG. 12 template 70 is also of the preferred 
thickness of between 1/16 to 3/8 inch. Tamale template 70 is used where a 
foil or other wrapper is used in place of a corn husk or the corn husk is 
flattened and maintained in the six discrete positions so that the 
template can be placed over all six corn husks simultaneously. Template 70 
is also preferably constructed of a clear plastic so that template 70 can 
be visually positioned with respect to each of the corn husks or wrappers 
of the tamale. The tamale maker template 70 includes a modified spreader 
76 which is wide to bridge the multiple tamale pattern openings and spread 
the dough within each of the openings 72 as it is drawn across the surface 
74 of template 70. Spreader 76 similarly is made of a plastic material 
such as high density polyethylene or polypropylene and includes a nonslip 
handle 78 for gripping the surface of the spreader 76. The nonslip 
gripping handle 78 may include ribs or grooves disposed on the surface of 
the spreader 76. 
Referring to FIGS. 8-12 the method of the present invention is illustrated 
in which the tamale maker template 22 is employed for the purpose of 
anchoring the corn husk or tamale wrapper and positioning the tamale corn 
husk or wrapper in relation to the tamale template. Once the tamale 
template fixes and anchors the corn husk on a flat support surface dough 
or masa can be picked up with spreader 26 and spread across the surface of 
the template (FIG. 9 and 10) to fill in the template opening. 
Once the masa has been spread into the template opening the weight of the 
dough is sufficient to hold down the tamale corn husk so that the template 
22 can be removed (FIG. 11) before optional sauces and filler ingredients 
are added. Alternatively the optional sauces and filler ingredients can be 
added with or without the template in position. The tapered angle 38 on 
the template (FIG. 7) which tapers inwardly assists in the removal of the 
tamale template from the surrounding masa and optional tamale fillers. 
Once the template is removed the tamale is then wrapped (FIG. 12) prior to 
cooking or freezing and further food distribution. 
The tamale maker and method of the invention allows for the rapid and even 
duplication of tamales of a uniform size, shape and appearance. The 
uniformity of tamales assists in the wrapping of the tamale which may 
further be assisted in the provision of points or ridges to assist in the 
folding and wrapping of the tamale. The method of the invention is further 
improved by the utilization of masa compositions of a particular density 
specifically designed to cooperate with the novel tamale apparatus and 
method. The dough compositions which may be flour based or corn based or a 
combination thereof are formulated to have a bulk density of from about 
1.10 to 1.12 grams per cubic centimeter at 21 degrees Centigrade. The bulk 
density of the masa in combination with the thickness of template 22 
provide for a uniform tamale that is rolled and cooked or frozen and 
distributed to the consumer. 
The dough compositions of the invention unlike the prior art are of a 
controlled density. Typically prior art masa dough compositions for 
tamales are not of a controlled density as illustrated in Table 1. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
Bulk Density Bulk Density @ 
Lab Number Sample ID 21 degrees C. 
______________________________________ 
57001 (A) Prior Art 1.13 g/cubic cm 
57002 (B) Prior Art 1.08 g/cubic cm 
57003 (C) Prior Art 1.14 g/cubic cm 
57004 (D) Composition 
1.11 g/cubic cm 
of invention 
______________________________________ 
Table 1 illustrates prior art compositions have been made having a bulk 
density as thick as 1.14 grams per cubic centimeter (sample C) and as thin 
as 1.08 grams per cubic centimeter (sample B). Sample C is generally too 
thick and sample B is generally too thin for use with the apparatus of the 
invention. The preferred consistency for masa compositions are from about 
1.10 to 1.12 with the best masa composition represented be sample D which 
is a masa composition prepared in accordance with the invention. The masa 
dough compositions of the invention are similar to the prior art 
compositions except that the water and shortening components are carefully 
controlled to maintain a predetermined density of the masa composition. 
The fluid components of the masa dough is carefully controlled in 
accordance with the present method to provide the necessary fluidity of 
the masa to flow into the opening 24 of template 22. The fluidity of the 
novel dough compositions assist in the preparation of tamale in accordance 
with the invention by providing a more uniform and easier to make tamale 
and a more easily duplicated tamale having a better taste than as 
heretofore available in the prior art as represented by the following 
example of a preferred masa composition of the invention: 
Masa Dough 
1 lb. dry corn mix or tamale dough 
11/4 cup water 
11/4 cup lard 
1/2 cup chili paste 
21/2 tsp. salt 
Knead ingredients until uniform and fluffy. 
A. Place washed corn shuck flat on table. 
B. Now place easy tamale mold flat on shuck. 
C. Holding mold firmly with one hand, use applicator to spread masa dough 
over mold until filled. 
D. Remove mold and apply a heaping tablespoon of meat mix. 
E. Fold shuck and masa from sides over meat, fold bottom and top excess 
shuck over the outside. Makes 18 tamales. Long outside edges of mold 
denote top and bottom. 
The method apparatus and novel compositions of the invention provide 
numerous advantages over the prior art by increasing reproducibility and 
providing high speed automated applications particularly desired in the 
fast food industry. The manufacture of tamales has generally not been 
utilized in fast food restaurants or a number of Mexican restaurants 
because of the amount of hand and manual labor required to make tamales as 
well as requiring considerable skill and experience of the person making 
the tamale. The present invention solves the problem of skilled and 
experienced tamale preparation by the utilization of a template which 
allows a more uniform and more reproducible and uniform tamale to be made 
even by those having no experience in making tamales. 
The invention is particularly applicable to the fast food and restaurant 
industry wherein large numbers of tamales are required and a minimal of 
hand labor and skill is required for the preparation of the tamale. In 
addition the tamale maker of the invention may be-utilized in the 
preparation of frozen food products by the preparation of a tamale food 
product which may be cooked or frozen and sold to the consumer. In 
addition the tamale dough may be separately packaged and sold to the 
consumer with or without the tamale making apparatus as a separate 
packaged item so that tamales can be made by virtually anyone. As can be 
seen the novel apparatus and method makes the making of tamales simple, 
easy and quick so that any person can readily make tamales without 
extensive experience. Not only are the tamales easy to make but they are 
of uniform character and are quickly reproducible utilizing a template 
with one or multiple openings for large scale operations. 
As will be recognized the tamale apparatus of the invention can be modified 
by changing the shape and size of the opening and also the spreader can be 
replaced with wipers, rollers or other types of apparatus for forming the 
masa or dough into the tamale maker pattern. The major features of the 
invention pertain to the thickness of the-tamale maker template in 
combination with the fluidity or density of the dough which allows the 
dough to be evenly spread on a corn shuck or tamale wrapper. The method 
for making tamales as well as the controlled density tamale dough 
compositions can be modified by those skilled in the art for various 
applications for restaurants, large scale operations or in home uses. 
These and other modifications as may be made by those skilled in the art 
are deemed to be within the scope of the following claims.