Some tamales are made of a paste of freshly ground corn, while others are made from nixtamalized and dried corn that's then mixed into a dough. Most Mexican tamales contain a savory filling of meat or vegetables, but sweet tamales filled with dried fruit are also popular, and some tamales do not contain filling at all.

If you're not going to serve your tamales right away, you should refrigerate them, preferably in some airtight container or sealable plastic bag. If you want to freeze them for long term storage, use vacuum sealer bags. This will prevent them from freezer burn.