The Devil and Hot Tamales
“Hot Tamales and they’re red hot, yes she got‘em for sale.” These are the opening lyrics of Mississippi blues man Robert Johnson’s song They’re Red Hot. Though Johnson’s suggestive lyrics are referring to his appetite for something other than food, his reference to hot tamales is a tribute to the deep history and prominent place of hot tamales in Mississippi’s food culture. This song also shows that tamales were a common part of life in rural Mississippi during Johnson’s lifetime around the 1920’s.
Just as Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop song “Salt Peanuts” was inspired by the melodic cry from a peanut vendor, Johnson’s song They’re Red Hot may also have evolved from a tamale seller’s singsong sales-pitch. During Johnson’s time, hot tamales would have been sold on dusty Mississippi streets and fields to feed the hungry cotton workers. As Johnson’s lyrics say, “Two for a nickel or four for a dime” could buy a quick, nourishing, cheap, and tasty lunch.
It is not certain as to how hot tamales came to Mississippi but it is apparent that they have been in the region since the early 20th century. Tamales may have come from Mexican migrant workers who were brought to Mississippi to work the cotton fields. The recipe might also have arrived with American soldiers returning from the Mexican American War. It is also possible that the tradition goes back much further; deriving from the Native Americans of this region whose agriculture was based in maize–essential for making tamales!
Although the origins of hot tamales in Mississippi is unclear, the enduring popularity of tamales is clearly due to the abundance of two inexpensive ingredients that are common in this region—cornmeal and pork. Also, hot tamales are an extremely functional meal for workers. Tamales are portable and easy to store, they are hearty and sustaining, and after tasting one bite it plain to see why the flavor of Mississippi tamales remains a local favorite to this day.
Amanda and I tried our first southern tamales at Fat Momma’s Mexican Restaurant in Natchez, Mississippi. The tamales here were fairly small in size, but they were plentifully stacked and served steaming hot. Steam filled the air with the distinct, musky aroma of the corn husks that the tamales were steamed in—an intoxicating aroma of anticipation for the tamales to come.
Our standard-issue sporks easily cut through the firm-but-tender tamales to reveal the red-hot pork meat within. The pork was finely shredded and smoky from paprika with a great cayenne flavor and spice. The cornmeal exterior was moist and tender while still maintaining a firm texture and a good bite. The steamed cornmeal also had a slight sweetness from the corn, a porky richness from lard, and the smell of the steamed corn husks seemed to swirl around the tamales as we ate– elevating the meal with their magical scent.
Legend says that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil down in Mississippi to play the guitar well The fact that the tamales here are “red hot” makes me wonder if some old cook may have done the same to get that tamale recipe. Someone may as well have sold their soul because the hot tamales in Mississippi are so good it’s a sin!