Video: The Right Way to Warm Corn Tortillas (2024)

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Video: The Right Way to Warm Corn Tortillas (1)

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

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Updated June 04, 2019

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Video: The Right Way to Warm Corn Tortillas (2)

I've always felt that the tortillas for a taco—just like the crust on a pizza or the bread for a sandwich—are at least as important as what goes inside it. This makes it particularly distressing to see the number of taquerias that simply don't heat their tortillas correctly.

Making great tacos doesn't require you to make your own tortillas (though you can, if you so desire)—just like many sandwich shops get their bread from great bakeries, many great taquerias use tortillas made in local tortilla factories. You do, however, have to know how to heat them right.

The ideal tortilla should be soft, supple and moist with a bare hint of flakiness and some nice brown/charred spots on its surface.

"simply dip the tortilla in water and toss it straight on a hot surface."

How do you accomplish this? Well, first off, as tortillas get old their starches recrystallized, turning them stale. You combat this by heating them in a moist environment. You could set up a steamer, but much faster is to simply dip the tortilla in water and toss it straight on a hot surface. As the surface moisture evaporates, it steams the tortilla until it's soft all the way through. Meanwhile, the hot contact with the pan gives it some nice toasty browned spots.

Finally, stacking the heated tortillas and wrapping them in a towel is an essential final step, allowing them to soften with their own steam until they are perfectly tender.

And please, if your filling is juicy (as it should be), do double stack. Here's a great recipe for carnitas and for tacos de papas.

Watch the video for full instructions.

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Video: The Right Way to Warm Corn Tortillas (2024)

FAQs

Video: The Right Way to Warm Corn Tortillas? ›

Take a tip from Mexican restaurants and steam your tortillas to warm them. They retain their flavor and texture, without getting too soft or too crisp. Steam-warming tortillas is a great way to heat them up before using without adding any extra fat, requiring a gas stove, or getting them too crisp.

How do Mexican restaurants heat corn tortillas? ›

Take a tip from Mexican restaurants and steam your tortillas to warm them. They retain their flavor and texture, without getting too soft or too crisp. Steam-warming tortillas is a great way to heat them up before using without adding any extra fat, requiring a gas stove, or getting them too crisp.

What do Mexicans use to keep tortillas warm? ›

Damp Dish Towel

Take a clean dish towel and get it slightly damp. You'll want to wrap your warmed tortillas in the towel (you can warm in the oven, on a pan, in the microwave) and keep them sealed until you are ready to use.

Why do you dip corn tortillas in water? ›

You could set up a steamer, but much faster is to simply dip the tortilla in water and toss it straight on a hot surface. As the surface moisture evaporates, it steams the tortilla until it's soft all the way through. Meanwhile, the hot contact with the pan gives it some nice toasty browned spots.

How do you warm up tortillas without them getting hard? ›

Oven: Preheat the oven to 250 F/120 C. Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp dish towel and place them in a casserole dish of similar size. Cover the dish with a lid or a piece of aluminum foil placed tightly on the dish. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Why do Mexicans put tortillas in the fridge? ›

Proper storage can significantly extend the lifespan of tortillas and maintain their freshness: Refrigeration: Keeping tortillas in the refrigerator is an effective way to prolong their shelf life. Store them in their original packaging or airtight containers to prevent them from drying out or absorbing odors.

Why do Mexicans use two corn tortillas? ›

But a popular explanation is that the second tortilla can be used to make another taco with any fillings that spill out the side. Other reasons include preventing a tortilla from breaking, or if you have a particularly moist filling, & others do it because corn tortillas are delicious – can't argue with that!

What is the difference between yellow and white corn tortillas? ›

The two most common types of corn tortillas are white and yellow corn tortillas. As their name suggests, the main difference is their color, based on whether they're made with yellow or white corn kernels. Yellow corn tortillas have beta carotene, which gives them a slight edge over white.

What is the best way to use corn tortillas? ›

With corn tortillas you have to always warm them up first so they can fold, otherwise they will break. You can cut them and fry them to make chilaquiles or nachos, frying them adds more flavor, even more if you fry them in lard. You can make tortilla soup, enchiladas, chicken tostada's, tacos...

How to crisp up a corn tortilla? ›

Just place the tortilla between the two paper towels, ensure that it's completely flat, and microwave for 30 seconds. Then flip it over and zap it for another 30 seconds. I usually have to flip and zap about three or four times before my tortillas get crispy, but it really depends on your microwave.

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