Making Tortillas at Home

[heidih]

Here is a quick video clip of a local place that makes incredible flour tortillas in dining space- heavenly withaa coursely chopped avocadoo and queso frsco "dip" they bring as appetizer.

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/casablanca-restaurant-venice?select_video=_7sVDba_OjJnDUQu0d5-yA

[TicTac]

We now make corn tortillas about once a week at home.  We ended up buying a tortilla press from Mexico (via Amazon) after trying to do it by hand many times.  It is just so much easier and efficient with a press.  Especially when you have to make 20-30 of them at a time.

 

I have tried putting salt into the masa mix, but have yet to attempt experiments with lard.  I have seem on various Mexican cooking documentaries ladies making corn ones by hand and them rising (a bit) - curious if that is because they are not pressing them, or they are adding some other element.

 

Either way, home made tortillas can't be beat!

 

 

[weinoo]

7 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

I've used the recipe for Tía Carmen's Flour Tortillas in Josef Centeno's Amá and like the way they come out, though I need to work on getting them properly round 🙃

 

Ingredients are:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 T lard or bacon fat

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 cup whole milk, warmed

 

This recipe sounds interesting. Less fat than I used (though I think the use of bacon fat should be saved for carbonara, if I want to call my flour tortillas authentic), and milk, which also will act as a tenderizer I believe. The baking soda is the interesting add-on. Though it's really not like a pizza dough, which is yeast risen.

[weinoo]

2 hours ago, Anna N said:

K. Thanks but I thought @weinoosaid he was rolling them out.

 

Indeed - everything I've read about them suggests that's the way to do it. A fairly hot comal to flop them onto - lacking a comal, my 11-inch cast iron served its purpose. 

 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

A 2nd generation Mexican woman gave me the following recipe and instruction.    1 cup flour, two tablespoons fresh lard or shortening, shower of salt, enough hot water to bind.   LET REST, COVERED, AN HOUR.    Roll out on very lightly floured board.    Turn dough frequently to encourage a circle.    Grill in an UNGREASED cast iron pan.    Keep warm under a towel.  

 

Works pretty well.

[jimb0]

i made a bunch of hummus, guac, pico, etc. this week and decided to roll out some flurr totillers to go with

 

 

didn't have lard on hand so i just used butter (hence they're yeller tortillers) and it seems to have worked out fine. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Just a thought, for those of us who don't normally stock lard, one can always save a small jar of drippings from pork roasts and such.    Best best lard I can source comes from a butchershop that makes and sells carnitas!   

[jimb0]

1 hour ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Just a thought, for those of us who don't normally stock lard, one can always save a small jar of drippings from pork roasts and such.    Best best lard I can source comes from a butchershop that makes and sells carnitas!   

 

as i rolled them out i gave some thought to what a flour quesadilla might be like with the tortillas made with bacon grease.....

[weinoo]

I figured I'd spend some time cursing in the kitchen yesterday...

 

 

So I played around with corn tortillas, the 3-ingredient aggravator.

 

As I was making them, I was texting with a friend who spends a fair amount of time in Mexico. She advised me to use more water than I think, or what appears to be, necessary. These were from dried masa harina (Bob's). 

 

Another bread that I imagine gets easier to do if one were to make them daily. I had a bit of a trouble with the griddle and getting the temp perfect.Significant Eater enjoyed them - along with huevos rancheros for breakfast; both Hatch red chili and Hatch green chili were involved.

[jimb0]

420 eat tacos every day

 

recently got in a big bunch of chiles and since this bag of masa harina has been sitting on the shelf for...some time, now, i decided to make some tortillas. masa, water, pinch of salt. prolly had the skillet up a tetch high.

 

[donk79]

54 minutes ago, jimb0 said:

420 eat tacos every day

 

recently got in a big bunch of chiles and since this bag of masa harina has been sitting on the shelf for...some time, now, i decided to make some tortillas. masa, water, pinch of salt. prolly had the skillet up a tetch high.

 

I guess you are saying that wasn't blue corn then?

[jimb0]

42 minutes ago, donk79 said:

I guess you are saying that wasn't blue corn then?

 

haaa. it was.

[heidih]

51 minutes ago, jimb0 said:

 

haaa. it was.

It is striking. I remember the first time I saw a street vendor making them A bit of a dramatic neck swivel and a what?

[dtremit]

I have heard of people pre-shaping flour tortillas with a press — just using it to transform the ball into a disc that is then rolled to an appropriate thinness.

 

There are also heated presses for making flour tortillas — my understanding is you don't cook the tortilla on them, the heat is just enough to soften and set the dough. But I think these are more typically restaurant apparatuses. 

[Margaret Pilgrim]

A cautionary note regarding various masa and corn products.    Buy close to your needs and watch best-by dates on dried corn products.    In our (recent) experience, they are a favorite host for pantry moths, eggs and larvae, and easily enter your household unnoticed in packaged goods, grains and grain products preferred.    I have tossed some 20 pounds of masa, corn meal and polenta in the last several months.    And I'm not winning.    Once introduced to your larder, they are uncomplaining guests who happily accommodate themselves with what's available after you get rid of the original product they came in in.    

 

We think we are rid of them, only to find we are just between birthings.   This morning, husband announced that he killed 4 before breakfast and is sure we are at the beginning of a new cycle.

 

They prefer whole foods, not white flour, altho they will go for pasta, maybe the egg, and dry cereals.    We have opened brand-new 'Cheerios to have a moth fly out of the sealed plastic inner bag.    They readily chew through plastic.    Our pantry looks like a glass and tin forest.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[jimb0]

corn tortillas are only good the day they’re made. so the leftovers get turned into tostadas

 

 

On 3/20/2021 at 11:37 AM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

A cautionary note regarding various masa and corn products.    Buy close to your needs and watch best-by dates on dried corn products.    In our (recent) experience, they are a favorite host for pantry moths, eggs and larvae, and easily enter your household unnoticed in packaged goods, grains and grain products preferred.    I have tossed some 20 pounds of masa, corn meal and polenta in the last several months.    And I'm not winning.    Once introduced to your larder, they are uncomplaining guests who happily accommodate themselves with what's available after you get rid of the original product they came in in.    

 

We think we are rid of them, only to find we are just between birthings.   This morning, husband announced that he killed 4 before breakfast and is sure we are at the beginning of a new cycle.

 

They prefer whole foods, not white flour, altho they will go for pasta, maybe the egg, and dry cereals.    We have opened brand-new 'Cheerios to have a moth fly out of the sealed plastic inner bag.    They readily chew through plastic.    Our pantry looks like a glass and tin forest.

 

yeah we got hit with them in some old dried chiles. it was awful. took a year to finally be rid of them. i found that the freezer thick ziploc bags were sufficient protection for most bulk items. 

 

there are glue traps you can get and set inside of your cupboards that are like folded pyramids and use a pheromone to attract the moths. these really helped cut down on the numbers. 

 

 

[TicTac]

38 minutes ago, jimb0 said:

corn tortillas are only good the day they’re made. so the leftovers get turned into tostadas

 

 

 

yeah we got hit with them in some old dried chiles. it was awful. took a year to finally be rid of them. i found that the freezer thick ziploc bags were sufficient protection for most bulk items. 

 

there are glue traps you can get and set inside of your cupboards that are like folded pyramids and use a pheromone to attract the moths. these really helped cut down on the numbers. 

 

 

Actually if you add a touch of oil to a hot pan and put the day (or 2) old corn tortillas into said pan, they can come out quite nice.

 

P.S. a bit of char is a good thing on your tortillas!

 

 

 

 

[jimb0]

7 minutes ago, TicTac said:

Actually if you add a touch of oil to a hot pan and put the day (or 2) old corn tortillas into said pan, they can come out quite nice.

 

P.S. a bit of char is a good thing on your tortillas!

 

 

 

 

the flavour is fine but i find they never bend as well so i just like to crisp them up

[heidih]

23 minutes ago, jimb0 said:

the flavour is fine but i find they never bend as well so i just like to crisp them up

But is that.e storage method issue? Your issue is not in my experience.

[jimb0]

1 minute ago, heidih said:

But is that.e storage method issue? Your issue is not in my experience.

it doesn’t matter i find. corn tortillas never bend as well after the first day. that doesn’t mean they don’t bend at all or that they turn to dust or whatever. it’s just a noticeable change. 

[kayb]

Anyone ever assayed migas? Yes, they look like the cat threw up. But they're really good. And a fine use for old tortillas.

 

[lemniscate]

37 minutes ago, kayb said:

Anyone ever assayed migas? Yes, they look like the cat threw up. But they're really good. And a fine use for old tortillas.

 

When I cross the state line, migas becomes my breakfast choice, every place I've ever had them does them a bit different from each other.  In-state is huevos rancheros, same versatility.  I love to be surprised.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On 6/17/2006 at 6:50 AM, mrsadm said:

 

Question for the experts here: does the freshness of the masa harina make a difference? I just wonder how long the bags have sat on the shelf at my grocer's in upstate New York. Is this a factor in the puffing up? (edited to add:) I'm sure the problem is my skill level, but I'd like to blame something else

 

Sorry for the late response.  Some years ago I asked the proprietor of the local Oaxacan restaurant where he obtained his Mexican ingredients.  He told me upstate New York.

 

[curls]

Made a batch of flour tortillas. Used a 50/50 mix of duck fat and Crisco for the fat. Will use half of the tortillas tonight for beef enchiladas. Make make breakfast tacos with the remaining tortillas.