The Absolute Best Store-Bought Tamale Brand Nails Both Convenience And Flavor - Tasting Table

"Though delicious, tamales are difficult to make perfectly at home. Luckily, we've found the perfect alternative to making them yourself. After carefully taste-testing and ranking seven store-bought tamale brands, Tasting Table confirmed that the best brand for flavorful tamales is Tucson Tamale. These delicious, savory tamales are made using an old family recipe and all-natural ingredients. Our taste tester tried five varieties of Tucson Tamales: green chile and cheese, green chile, pork and cheese, green chile chicken, and black bean and corn."

"They found that the chicken and pork were perfectly seasoned, and that the black bean and corn tamale contained whole beans and corn without relying on pureed ingredients. They also noted that each tamale contained a generous layer of masa alongside its fillings. Despite being store-bought and reheated, the tamales remained moist. In fact, each tamale could be microwaved right in the package in just three minutes for optimal serving temperature."

"Tucson Tamales are sold online nationwide by parent company Tucson Foods, and you can find them in certain retail stores across the country, including Kroger and Whole Foods. The company also operates a local market and restaurant in Tucson, Arizona. The restaurant has a 4.3 star rating on Google, with one customer saying, "We stopped here on our tamale tour, throughout the southwest and had such a delicious lunch. The beef tamales were divine!""

Tucson Tamale ranked best among seven store-bought tamale brands in a comparative taste evaluation. Five varieties — green chile and cheese, green chile, pork and cheese, green chile chicken, and black bean and corn — performed well, with chicken and pork noted as perfectly seasoned and the black bean and corn containing whole beans and corn. Each tamale featured a generous layer of masa and remained moist after reheating. Tamales can be microwaved in their package for three minutes. Products are sold nationwide online by parent company Tucson Foods, available in select retailers such as Kroger and Whole Foods, and supported by a Tucson market and restaurant founded in 2008 by Todd and Sherry Martin.

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