make my own tortillas

I learned to make tortillas in Guatemals by hand. I can hardly say i’ve mastered it but it was great to try during my week stay to hand form tortillas and cook them over a wood file. Now to try at home….

I made nixtamal corn tortillas and they were amazing! I wrote about it here and followed Alton Brown’s recipe. I’d like to make flour tortillas next following Cam’s recipe below.

While completing an extended work assignment in Joliet, IL Ihad the chance to try real Mexican tacos on homemade tortillas. Since then my husband and I have learned to made some of the fillings (el pastor, lengue, chorizo etc) but we are still using store bought tortillas.

I didn’t have this goal on here for too long until I set out and actually accomplished it. Living in Canada now, coming from Texas, it’s hard to find a REALLY good tortilla. Though I did find a brand in the store that I really like. Still homemade, Taco Cabana style just can’t be beat. I got all the ingredients I needed and a rolling pin. I wanted to get a cast iron skillet to cook them on, but I couldn’t find a good one, and the only one I did find wouldn’t fit on the stupid electric burners on my stove, I miss my gas stove.
Well, anyway I found a recipe online and got started. I am so proud of myself, they taste just like the ones at Taco Cabana and Chuy’s restaurants in Austin. The first two were too thick though, but the last four were perfect even on just a regular pan. I want to get one of those tortilla warmers now cause you can bet I’ll be making these all the time. I am now going to make some for all my Canadian friends, show them how it’s supposed to be done.

OH TORTILLAS I LOVE YOU!

I’ve pretty much mastered the flour tortilla this summer. Now I’m fine-tuning the recipe. In the last batch I used 1 5/8 oz of lard, 6 oz of white flour, and 3 oz of whole-wheat flour. Good stuff, though I think I can push the whole-wheat fraction a little higher.

to come back and declare this done. Comal is fairly well seasoned, and now I can free the pressed tortilla without ripping it (most of the time) by peeling the wax paper off one side, then flipping it and peeling up the other side. Definitely worthwhile if you don’t live near any decent sources.

I’m starting out with just the Maseca instant stuff ‘til I get the hang of it. My very first press was overenthusiastic, too thin to peel off in one piece with limited skill. The rest were a tad too thick in compensation, but not bad for a first attempt. Seemed to guess pretty well on the heat (cast iron on gas burner set just short of max), though I’m going to season the comal a bit better before my next try.

First attempt today with Bob’s Red Mill masa harina. Verdict: meh. I think it’d help to have an expert tortilla-maker at my side; I’m pretty sure there’s a knack to this. Next time I’ll try a hotter griddle.

The tortilla press wound up in the cabinet the mice got into, and we haven’t had the heart to use it since.