Cowboy Hot Tamale Pie

Tamale pie is the cowboy’s answer to wanting tamales without spending all day rolling corn husks.

A thick cornmeal mush lines the bottom and edges of a baking dish, creating a sturdy golden crust for the chili-seasoned ground beef filling loaded with tomatoes, corn, and black olives.

Forty minutes in the oven sets everything up, then a blanket of shredded cheddar goes on top for a final five-minute melt that ties the whole thing together.

It’s the kind of one-dish supper that feeds six with zero leftovers and zero complaints.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the cornmeal constantly while it thickens. Lumpy mush makes for a lumpy crust, and nobody’s happy about that.
• Grease the baking dish well. Cornmeal mush sticks like cement if you skip this step, and serving turns into a wrestling match.
• Drain the corn and olives thoroughly so the filling doesn’t get watery during baking. Excess liquid makes the cornmeal crust soggy.
• Add the cheese in the last 5 minutes only. Cheddar baked for 40 minutes turns rubbery and oily. A quick melt is all it needs.