Can you grill a quesadilla-if so, how?

[Michelemarie]

Has anyone ever grilled a cheese quesadilla and if so how? I have some ginormous flour tortillas I bought for another recipe and thought, what the heck, lets have cheese quesadillas. I want to know if I can put these on the grill. Specific questions I have include:

1. direct or indirect heat and temp (I have a weber gas grill)
2. oil or butter or nothing on the outside of tortilla
3. should use two tortillas put together or one large one folded over
4. should I put them directly on the grate or on a grill pan

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[FryBoy]

I prefer to use a fry pan, but I grill will work.

You want direct heat, but very low. Don't cover the BBQ because the yes will cook very quickly and you need to watch them.

Heat the dry tortilla (don't oil it) until it's softened, then put a little cheese and a little salsa on one side and fold it over; turn it when the side toward the heat begins to brown a bit. Remove it when the second side is a little browned and the cheese has melted.

You can also not fold the tortilla, and instead put a little cheese and salsa on the hole thing, then top it with another tortilla; turn it with a spatula; use a pizza slicer to cut it into wedges.

Don't use too much cheese or you'll have a mess. You can turn it several times until it's done the way you like.

 

[Gretchen]

Or just make a pizza using the tortilla as the crust.Do it on the grill.

 

[Michelemarie]

Thanks for the idea Gretchen, that sounds good. I will try that next time as I wanted to keep a "mexican" theme with the rest of my dinner. Thank you!

Fryboy, you come through again for me, two nights in a row - should I butter or oil the tortillas?

 

[VeraBlue]

I make quesadillas at work all the time. I also have to make about 300 a clip.

I use a 10 inch flour tortilla. I have the option of using a flattop grill or a flame grill. I find my flame grill slats just a bit too far apart for my needs, but can use it if I have to. For a home grill, you can always use one of those grilling pans that have the little holes, giving you the fire taste that is supreme, but giving you the security of not falling in.

Place the tortilla on your work surface. Place about 1/3 c shredded cheese on one half of the shell. At this point, add whatever it is you like. Generally, I'll add sauteed onions, diced, sauteed peppers (green, red, jalepeno), S&P, a spritz of lime juice and some chopped cilantro. Fold it over and give it a little press.

Place it onto the hot grill. I don't add any fat to the tortilla itself, but I do oil the grill. Then, it's just like making a grilled cheese sandwich. Flip it after a moment or two, when it begins to turn a golden brown. Cook for another minute, or till that side is also browned.

Remove to platter and hold for about a minute before slicing into 4 triangles. Serve with your favourites - sour cream, salsa, guacamole.

If you want to make several, keep the cooked ones warm and well wrapped till you cut. Don't cut till you are going to serve.

 

[Michelemarie]

Thanks Vera Blue! I think I am gonna try this. I will probably flip over though because these tortilla's are sooooo big, I am afraid I cannot flip them!

 

[Alix]

I'm a bit late, but I think Vera has got you covered. I've done these at work too just as she describes. I was going to say...

Direct heat
Folded over
Nothing on the outside
Directly on the heat.

LOL

 

[Michelemarie]

Thanks Alix - you always come through!

 

[VeraBlue]

Thanks Vera Blue! I think I am gonna try this. I will probably flip over though because these tortilla's are sooooo big, I am afraid I cannot flip them!

You'll find that once you cook the bottom side, the whole thing gets a bit rigid...certainly rigid enough to do a quick flip. Good luck.

 

[Michelemarie]

I never thought of that! Maybe I will try it both ways -flip and whole. Thanks.

 

[FryBoy]

Thanks for the idea Gretchen, that sounds good. I will try that next time as I wanted to keep a "mexican" theme with the rest of my dinner. Thank you!

Fryboy, you come through again for me, two nights in a row - should I butter or oil the tortillas?

Don't put butter or oil on the tortillas. It's unnecessary and not authenticly Mexican.

 

[FryBoy]

Thanks Vera Blue! I think I am gonna try this. I will probably flip over though because these tortilla's are sooooo big, I am afraid I cannot flip them!

Some of the really authentic Mexican "joints" here in L.A. (which is the 2nd largest Mexican city in the world, after Mexico City), use those giant tortillas (which are intended for burrittos) and fold them in quarters -- but they use a lot of cheese when they do that.

If you grab the middle of the rounded edge of the folded tortilla with a pair of tongs and just pull them over, you won't have any problems.

 

[kitchenelf]

Or just make a pizza using the tortilla as the crust.Do it on the grill.

I do my flour tortilla pizzas in the oven - if you grill in this instance I would use indirect heat. Here's how I make mine:

• Spread lightly with pesto
• fresh spinach and arugala mix (just raw, not cooked)
• chunks of fresh mozzarella (not too big, or you could just thinkly slice)
• fresh roasted red pepper
• very thinly sliced red onion or your favorite onion
• sauteed shrimp (I sautee mine in my good EVOO and cut in half if large shrimp - then drizzle the remainder of the olive oil over the whole "pizza"

Cook at 350 F. for 25 minutes or so.

EXCELLENT meal - IMHO of course.

 

[Michelemarie]

Oh my gosh Kitchenelf - that sounds fantastic!!!! I cut and pasted that recipe for sure - I will try when this spinach scare is over!

As for my grilled quesadillas, they were wonderful. DH and DD really liked them - I did what you all said, no butter or oil, direct heat, right on the grate. They took longer than I thought, about 10 minutes - and that was covered part of the time, but like I said, these tortillas were the biggest things I've ever seen! Thanks for all your help!

 

[cjs]

Another way to 'flip' a quesadilla on the grill if you're working with the unfolded - slide off the grill to a plate, cover with another plate, flip over and slide back on the grill to finish.

But, after flipping a couple you'll probably be a pro enuf not to have to bother with the extra plates. (sometimes I get carried away with my fillings and I HAVE to do the plate method!!)

 

[karadekoolaid]

I make quesadillas at work all the time. I also have to make about 300 a clip.

I use a 10 inch flour tortilla. I have the option of using a flattop grill or a flame grill. I find my flame grill slats just a bit too far apart for my needs, but can use it if I have to. For a home grill, you can always use one of those grilling pans that have the little holes, giving you the fire taste that is supreme, but giving you the security of not falling in.

Place the tortilla on your work surface. Place about 1/3 c shredded cheese on one half of the shell. At this point, add whatever it is you like. Generally, I'll add sauteed onions, diced, sauteed peppers (green, red, jalepeno), S&P, a spritz of lime juice and some chopped cilantro. Fold it over and give it a little press.

Place it onto the hot grill. I don't add any fat to the tortilla itself, but I do oil the grill. Then, it's just like making a grilled cheese sandwich. Flip it after a moment or two, when it begins to turn a golden brown. Cook for another minute, or till that side is also browned.

Remove to platter and hold for about a minute before slicing into 4 triangles. Serve with your favourites - sour cream, salsa, guacamole.

If you want to make several, keep the cooked ones warm and well wrapped till you cut. Don't cut till you are going to serve.

I think I did that exact recipe once, VeraBlue - except I was desperate to use up some ingredients in the fridge. I had about 6 fresh tomatoes and a chunk of Spanish chorizo, so I put the whole caboose in the blender, with a garlic clove or two, and blitzed with a little olive oil. That "Chorizo Paste" was smeared on the burrito before I added all the other bits.