Once you make flour tortillas from scratch, the store-bought ones stop making sense. The difference is not subtle. Fresh tortillas are soft, slightly chewy, with a faint char from a hot skillet, and they smell like actual bread. The ingredient list is almost comically simple: flour, fat, salt, water. That is it. The real skill is in resting the dough and rolling it thin enough, both of which are easy once you know what to look for. These are worth the extra twenty minutes, every time.
Lard gives you the most traditional flavor and the softest texture, but butter works well if that is what you have. The twenty-minute dough rest is essential. Skip it and the gluten stays tight, which means the dough springs back every time you try to roll it out. After resting, each ball rolls out easily into a thin round that puffs on a hot dry skillet in under a minute per side. Stack them in a clean towel as they come off the heat so the steam keeps them pliable. These freeze well for up to two months, so making a double batch is always a smart move.
Mix and Knead Briefly
Whisk together flour and salt. Add lard or butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand with no large lumps. Pour in warm water and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead for two to three minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky.
Rest the Dough
Divide the dough into eight equal pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Place on a plate, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for at least twenty minutes. This rest period relaxes the gluten so the tortillas roll out thin and stay thin instead of springing back. Don’t skip this step.
Roll Thin and Cook Hot
On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin round about seven to eight inches in diameter. Roll from the center outward and rotate the dough frequently for an even circle. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for thirty to forty-five seconds on the first side until bubbles form and brown spots appear. Flip and cook twenty to thirty seconds more. Stack in a towel to keep warm and soft.
Basic: Lard Flour Tortillas with a 20-Minute Rest
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 tortillas
Description
Soft, pliable, lightly charred homemade flour tortillas that are incomparably better than anything from a package. Once you taste the difference, store-bought tortillas feel like cardboard. This is a simple dough of flour, fat, salt, and water — the magic is in the technique and the heat.
Ingredients
Units
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (55g) lard, vegetable shortening, or softened unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup warm water (110F)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the lard or butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand with no large lumps.
- Pour in the warm water and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Place on a plate, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for at least 20 minutes. This rest is essential — it relaxes the gluten so the tortillas roll out easily.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin round about 7-8 inches in diameter. Roll from the center outward, rotating the dough frequently for an even circle.
- Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for 30-45 seconds on the first side until bubbles form and brown spots appear on the bottom.
- Flip and cook for another 20-30 seconds. The tortilla may puff up — that means you’re doing it right. Remove to a towel-lined plate or tortilla warmer and keep covered.
Notes
- Let the dough rest for the full 20 minutes. Without it the gluten stays tight and the dough springs back as you try to roll it thin.
- Lard gives the most authentic flavor and texture. Butter works too, for a different result.
- Stack the cooked tortillas in a towel. The trapped steam keeps them soft and pliable.
- They keep in a zip-top bag at room temperature for 2 days, or frozen for 2 months. Reheat in a dry hot skillet.
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Protein: 3 g
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my tortilla dough keep springing back when I try to roll it?
The gluten is too tight. Make sure you let the dough balls rest for a full twenty minutes after shaping them. If they still spring back, let them rest another five to ten minutes.
Can I use butter instead of lard or shortening?
Yes. Butter produces a slightly different but delicious flavor and texture. The tortillas will be a bit more tender and less stretchy. Use softened butter and proceed with the recipe as written.
How do I keep tortillas soft after cooking?
Stack them in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer immediately after cooking. The trapped steam keeps them soft and pliable. Tortillas that sit uncovered on the counter will dry out and stiffen quickly.
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The post Basic: Lard Flour Tortillas with a 20-Minute Rest appeared first on Honest Cooking and Travel.
