Awards presented to best teams in local tamale competition
Thirteen teams participated in the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Texas Tamale Championship during this year’s Mingle and Jingle event, serving up plates of tamales to the judges and members of the community.
Early Saturday, Nov. 22, the contestants, judges and Chamber staff/volunteers gathered on the street east of the courthouse for the competition. Contestants could pre-make the masa and stuffing and corn shucks could be brought in pre-soaked; but, the tamales were assembled and steamed on-site. The judging was based on four criteria: aroma, taste, texture and overall presentation.
The winners of the contest were:
- First Place – Esmeralda’s Tamales from Graham
- Second Place – Team Feo from Cisco
- Third Place – Bubba Q from Eastland
- Best Table — El Pico de Gallo from Albany
The teams competing included:
Esmeralda’s Tamales from Graham
Team Feo from Cisco
Bubba Q from Eastland
El Pico de Gallo from Albany
Masa-Rita’s de Zacatecas from Cleburne
Tamales de Guero from Cleburne
GORDO from Stephenville
Scilla’s Homemade Tamales from Grand Prairie
Cooking for a Cause from Stamford
Juanito’s from Dublin
Elisa’s Tamales from Mingus
Burralleez from Ferris
Mi Casa from Albany
The Chamber of Commerce staff say they’re already planning next year’s tamale competition.
Maylun VanWinkle, executive director of the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce, left, presented the first place award in the 2025 Texas Tamale Championship cookoff to Esmeralda’s Tamales from Graham. (Photo by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan)
Maylun VanWinkle, executive director of the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce, left, presented the second place award in the 2025 Texas Tamale Championship cookoff to Team Feo from Cisco. (Photo by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan)
Maylun VanWinkle, executive director of the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce, left, presented the third place award in the 2025 Texas Tamale Championship cookoff to Bubba Q from Eastland. (Photo by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan)
Maylun VanWinkle, executive director of the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce, left, presented the 2025 Texas Tamale Championship’s Best Table award to El Pico de Gallo from Albany. (Photo by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: The contestants in the 2025 Texas Tamale Championship in downtown Breckenridge decorated their tables for the competition. The Best Table award was given to the team El Pico de Gallo from Albany, pictured above. (Photo by Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan)
