Homemade Flour Tortillas Recipe

Homemade Flour Tortillas

I don’t made flour tortillas from scratch very often because they take a little time, but every time I do (and I did yesterday) I vow never, ever to buy tortillas in the store again. Flour tortillas are high on the list of things that just don’t translate well to mass-production/supermarket fare, and while larger urban areas do have specialty markets that offer fresh tortillas for sale, I don’t happen to live near one. The tortillas in my store are lifeless, wrapped in plastic, and were probably churned out when Grover Cleveland was president.
Okay, so that’s probably not the case. I’m sure they’re as fresh as mass-produced supermarket tortillas can be, which pretty much means there’s just no comparison. Once you’ve tried homemade flour tortillas—either at an authentic Mexican restaurant or at home—it’s really hard to regard the storebought tortillas as anything but inferior.

Try these sometime! They’re a real treat, and after you get through the first handful, they’re a cinch to make. Note that I use lard in my recipe (it’s sold in supermarkets next to the Crisco), but you can use Crisco if the word “lard” makes you want to hurl.

But they’re better with lard.

This, my dear friends, is a tub of lard.

This is lard. I’m just going to say it, then you can decide whether or not you want to be friends with me: I’m sorta of the mind that if you’re going to cook with some form of solidified fat, you might as well go for it and use lard.
Unless you’re married to a cardiologist.

Here’s what you need to make the tortillas.

Lard. Lard, lard, lard. If you say it enough, you’ll desensitize yourself to the whole thing. Lard.

Baking powder.

Kosher salt. (You can use regular salt, too.)

Into a bowl, combine flour with the baking powder and salt.

Stir the mixture together…

Then drop spoonfuls of lard into the bowl.

Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to combine the flour mixture with the lard.

Keep going until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Next, pour in hot (not boiling; just hot) water.

Stir it until it all comes together…

Then knead it 30 to 40 times, or until the dough comes together, becomes a little less sticky, and is more of a cohesive ball. (This takes a couple of minutes.) I use this big wooden bowl so I can just knead it in the bowl without messing up my counter.
And no, that isn’t my hand. That is the hand from the alien in the movie “Signs.” He’s alive, well, and stopped by to help me make flour tortillas yesterday.
I’ll tell him you said hello.

After kneading, cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rest for a little while. At least an hour or so. You can also use a dish towel.
Or a kitchen towel.
Or a bar towel.
Just don’t use a beach towel, or your tortillas will taste of Coppertone.
When it’s time to roll out the tortillas, begin by pinching off ping pong (or slightly smaller) sized pieces of dough. Roll them into balls, cover with a towel (see possible towels you can use in the list above) and let them sit for about 20 to 30 minutes. Letting them rest like this will make it easier to roll out the tortillas.
Now. I need to talk to you for a second.
The first few tortillas you roll out and brown will make you crazy and you’ll immediately think you’re a failure and that all you’re going to wind up with are a bunch of flat, tough pancakes. You’ll tell yourself you should just run to the supermarket and buy the mass-produced ones because even they will be better than the ones you’re churning out.
But wait. Give yourself some time. It just takes a tiny bit of practice!
I need to talk to you for another second.
I roll out my tortillas very, very thin. Probably too thin. But it’s the way I like them.

First, here’s just a standard thickness. Roll it out so it’s in a rough circle (do NOT worry about rolling out a perfect orb; asymmetrical tortillas mean delicious tortillas!)…

Then throw the tortilla on a griddle over medium-high heat. The key is to “cook” them (brown them) so that they’re no longer raw and slightly golden…but NOT crisp. This is part of the learning curve that’ll make you doubt yourself at the beginning. (While we’re on the subject, this was the first tortilla I browned. It was clear to me immediately that my griddle was not hot enough; the brown parts should be dark brown, not light golden.) As you cook the tortillas, remove them and stack them up under a tea towel.
Or dish towel.
Or kitchen towel.
Or…sorry.

Now I want to show you how thin I like to roll mine out. I did these on my stainless countertop so I could demonstrate how thin they are—notice the gray cast that’s visible through the dough.

Swing away, Merrill. Merrill…swing away. If you haven’t seen “Signs” you’ll have no idea what I just said.

But watch what happens as soon as you throw it on the hot griddle.

It sort of shrinks up into its intended shape.

Keep going till the dough’s all gone, keeping the hot tortillas covered up with a towel. (This will allow excess steam/moisture to escape while still allowing tortillas to remain moist.)

You can serve these immediately (I’ll show you what I did with them tomorrow), or you can allow them to cool, then wrap in plastic and store until you need them. Wrap the in foil and warm in the oven when you’re ready to use them, or you can freshen them up in the microwave (or on the griddle for a few seconds), too. Most of all, have patience with yourself. Expect to foul up a few of them, and just keep practicing. You’ll absolutely love the results. (I just ate one for breakfast with several slices of ripe avocado, and I’m not sure I’ve ever felt such happiness.)
To summarize, keep these tips in mind:
* Make sure the water you pour in is very warm.
* Allow the dough to rest, both after kneading and after forming into balls.
* Roll out very thin.
* Get the heat right on your stove: Too hot, and the tortilla will burn in spots. Not hot enough, and the tortilla will begin to crisp before you can get it to brown. I get my stove between medium and medium high heat; that seems to do the trick.
* Use a dark griddle or cast iron skillet to brown the tortillas.
* Cook just long enough to lightly brown the tortilla in spots; don’t cook too long or tortillas will crisp. You want them to be soft and pliable when you serve them.
* Finally: Have fun! And enjoy them. They’re absolutely scrumptious.
Here’s the printable!

Recipe: Homemade Flour Tortillas

Prep Time: 1 Hour30 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 10 Minutes  |  Difficulty: Intermediate  |  Servings: 16

 

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/2 cup Lard Or Vegetable Shortening
• 2 Tablespoons (additional) Lard Or Vegetable Shortening
• 1 cup Hot Water

Preparation Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large wooden bowl. Stir together.
Add spoonfuls of lard or shortening (use 1/2 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons), then use a pastry cutter to combine the ingredients. Cut mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Slowly pour in hot water, stirring to bring mixture together. Lightly knead dough 30 to 40 times, or until it becomes a cohesive ball of dough and is less sticky. Cover with a tea towel and allow dough to rest for at least an hour.
Roll into ping pong size balls, place on a tray, cover with a tea towel, and allow to rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.
When you're ready to make the tortillas, head a dark or cast iron griddle to medium/medium-high heat. One by one, roll out balls of dough until very, very thin. Throw tortillas (one by one) onto the griddle. Cook on each side for 20 to 30 seconds, removing while tortillas are still soft but slightly brown in spots. Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a container. To warm, nuke tortillas in the microwave, or wrap in foil and warm in the oven.
Helpful tips:
* Make sure the water you pour in is very warm.
* Allow the dough to rest, both after kneading and after forming into balls.
* Roll out very thin.
* Get the heat right on your stove: Too hot, and the tortilla will burn in spots. Not hot enough, and the tortilla will begin to crisp before you can get it to brown. I get my stove between medium and medium high heat; that seems to do the trick.
* Use a dark griddle or cast iron skillet to brown the tortillas.
* Cook just long enough to lightly brown the tortilla in spots; don't cook too long or tortillas will crisp. You want them to be soft and pliable when you serve them.
* Finally: Have fun! And enjoy them. They're absolutely scrumptious

Source: thepioneerwoman.com