ISO best dang flour tortillas

[LT72884]

I want to learn to make the best dang tortillas ever. Every time i try they turn out dry. I follow all the recipes exactly. I think it might have something to do with me climate. we are 4700 feet above sea level..

any one have a good family recipe or have a recipe for tortillas.

i wish i had cafe rios recpie

[jkath]

First off, which recipe are you using?
And, are you using lard?

[Wart]

Flour or corn?

[Michael in FtW]

Originally Posted by Wart

Flour or corn?

LOL - since the name of the thread is: ISO best dang flour tortillas - I'm guessing flour.

Well, LT - there are several things that can contribute to your problem:

Altitude by itself may not be the problem ... but the humidity in your location can be a factor. But, even down here in the humid flatlands ... some things make a difference.

INGREDIENTS: use all-purpose flour - not bread flour. Strong flours like bread or whole wheat require more liquid in the dough - and even if you are using AP you might want to add 2-3 Tablespoons more water to the recipe to compensate for that the environment is sucking out of the dough.

TECHNIQUE: They need to be cooked quick over a hot griddle - something like a blazing hot cast iron griddle ... not an electric griddle.

STORAGE: If you're not going to serve them immediately after removal from the griddle - you need to store them in a way to retain the heat and moisture - like wraping them up in heavy duty aluminum foil. One trick restaurants use is to store the tortillas in a "steam cabinet" to keep them hot and moist - actually adds some moisture.

RESURRECTION: Depending on how you are using them ... you can take about 4 tortillas and put them between two damp paper towls and run them in the microwave for about 30-seconds and then let them sit for about another 30-60 seconds before you remove them. Another way is to use a splatter screen over a skillet of simmering water.

Hope this gives you some ideas ....

[Wart]

Originally Posted by Michael in FtW

LOL - since the name of the thread is: ISO best dang flour tortillas - I'm guessing flour.

That's what happens when I open a handful of threads in tabs at once, I tend to forget the titles and rely on the body of the post.

[LT72884]

Originally Posted by jkath

First off, which recipe are you using?
And, are you using lard?

the recipe im using is from my cooking class i took a few years ago. Usually when i make them its summer time and its about 100*F outside and like 0% humidity. its all dry heat unless its going to rain. I dont have the recipe any more because i throw it away after getting frustrated when 20 tortillas diddnt make it.

However we do have a swamp cooler but i dont know if that was on or not when i made them.

I did use an electric griddle.

Does crisco count as lard???


AP flour is the white stuff right??

[Wart]

I suspect if you live in a climate where swamp coolers function then yes, that may have something to do with it.

When I lived in Tucson (another land of Swamp Coolers) there was an older woman who made flour tortillas and sold them by the dozen. Best I ever had. They would dry out too. I thought that was the point.

It's been years since I've made tortillas. I lent my South Western Cook Book to someone who lost it. Hate it when that happens. With the web I really don't need one, though.

I use to take raw tortillas and wrap meat in them then deep fry in a skillet, nothing like it.

Anyhow, I suspect what you expect of a fully cooked flour tortilla may be at odds with what they actually are. A really thin piece of dough hitting a hot surface is going to dry out really fast especially in a 0 humidity climate.

Thing of it for me is, I remember that old(er) womans fresh tortillas then look at Gringos idea of tortilla in the box stores and they are NOT the same.