PrintCorn tortillas - what's the secret?
What's the secret to using corn tortillas - as tacos or even as enchiladas - and not having them break apart as soon as you pick them up? We've tried national brands and local brands and can't seem to find a corn tortilla that doesn't crack as soon as you bend them. We typically heat them in the microwave with a damp towel - is that our error? Poor kids had to eat chicken tacos tonight with spoons...
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8 Comments:
I always fry corn tortillas. Get your oil hot and do both sides....briefly for soft shells and longer for crispy ones. Drain on paper towels. You can keep warm in a low oven while cooking a large batch. They do sell tortilla steamers, but I have never used one. When I make enchiladas, I briefly run the tortilla through the hot oil, just enough to soften it. If your oil is hot and you are quick, it will become pliable without being too greasy.
StripeyChef at 10:30PM on 01/24/08
I use the microwave for enchiladas. Nuke just a few at a time so they're pliable, and you can fill them before they start to dry out and crack, with no extra fat (not that enchiladas are low in fat, but it's not an insignificant reduction).
For tacos, I'm not much help. I know my grandma nukes them wrapped in plastic wrap. My mom uses a screw-lid plastic tortilla warmer. I have a warmer, but it doesn't seem to do as good a job. In any event, these tortillas won't stay soft for too long. But this is usually for breakfast tacos or for enjoying with menudo.
When my mom makes chicken tacos she lightly fries the tortilla like StripeyChef, adds the chicken and cheese, if desired, then folds it and briefly fries it on each side. Drain a moment on paper towels, add lettuce and tomato and salsa. They are awesome.
renzata at 11:15PM on 01/24/08
My system is to heat the tortillas on a dry cast iron griddle. It only takes a few seconds per side if you get the griddle temperature right. Then act fast: filling and folding as soon as you can. If the tortillas even think about cooling down, they will get all cardboardy, so I don't give them the chance.
Another thing could be the way you try to pick them up. If you try to fold them too tight, they are going to break no matter how they were prepared. I usually pick them up by opposite edges and then support the bottom so that the weight of the filling doesn't cause an over-fold.
drastic at 8:59AM on 01/25/08
I have stubbornly refused to fry my tortillas for enchiladas because of course I ALWAYS know best. I finally did it this week, and what a difference! They filled beautifully, and were not greasy at all. It's really just a 1/4" of oil in a 8" skillet and a quick dip, or bath, in the oil rather than fully frying....I won't skip that step again!
Cary at 10:37AM on 01/25/08
For tacos, the key is the dry and hot surface, be it griddle or cast iron skillet. Just a quick warming, then wrap them in a towel and put them on the table. This is how it works in mexico. Don't fill the taco before you are eating it though, then it will cool. Also, you can use the tortillas to keep the filling warm by laying a tortilla (or a few) over the toppings while you eat. Keeps both tortilla and filling warm. My fav. trick from mexico...
dagoose at 1:50PM on 01/25/08
Making enchiladas is very simple without breaking the tortilla. I always lay mine in a skillet with hot oil for just a couple seconds on each side, remove and lay them on paper towels to soak out the oil, then I dip them into either red or green enchilada sauce( which has been warmed up) before filling and rolling up. I fill, roll, and place in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, cover with the remaining enchilada sauce, chili, shredded cheese and diced onions, cover and put in the oven. These enchiladas are delicious and you fill them with whatever you want.
susitee at 12:59PM on 01/28/08
The secret is to eat them absolutely fresh. They start to get stale when they are even a day old, and then will start to break. Fresh corn tortillas are one of the things I miss the most from living in the Southwest (much harder to find here in NYC). I also lived in Mexico, where people buy them fresh literally every day from their neighborhood tortilleria. After a day they start to dry out, then it is best to use them in enchiladas, fry them, or use them to make chilaquiles.
KitchenKore at 1:46PM on 01/28/08
From Mexico.
For enchiladas, quickly fry the tortillas (don't get them too crispy).
For tacos you should heat them in a dry pan (no oil), turning them once or twice then wrap them in a cloth so they stay warm. Eat them as soon as possible.
Happy tortilla eating!
velascomike at 5:08PM on 01/28/08