Comments on: Warming Tortillas

Question: Warming Tortillas

Alex Marshall — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:53:23 -0800

Does anyone know of an easy, quick method for heating up refrigerated corn tortillas? I love corn tortillas, and have found some great ones here in Brooklyn that I buy for a buck a package. (I like to eat tortillas and scrambled eggs for breakfast.) But I have had difficulty coming up with some way to warm corn tortillas both effectively and quickly. One way I have tried is to do each one on a hot iron skillet without grease. This works well, but takes a lot of time, about a minute or two per tortilla. I have tried heating them in a toaster oven, but this dries them out. A microwave makes them kind of chewy. My sense is that some method involving steam might work, but I haven't found it. Any ideas anyone? I'm sure that there exists an easy, simple method somewhere.

By: handee

handee — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:55:50 -0800

what about wrap in tea-towel, put in warm oven for a bit? or tinfoil?

By: goatdog

goatdog — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:57:15 -0800

I put my gas burner on low and lay the tortillas on top of it for a few seconds on each side.

By: saladin

saladin — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:57:27 -0800

I always pop them in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, wrapped on both sides in a wet (not soaking, but definitely translucent) paper towel. They come out warm with no unpleasant chewiness every time. Good luck!

By: robocop is bleeding

robocop is bleeding — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 07:59:06 -0800

A steam iron? That'd be kinda close to the steam heat they use in the local taco stands to heat the tortilla. I dunno if they make food-grade irons, though.

By: boomchicka

boomchicka — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:03:15 -0800

I do exactly what saladin does, and no chewiness. If yours still get chewy in the microwave, I'm sure the hot towel method would work in the oven, although you might want to cover the towel in foil so it doesn't burn as it dries out.

Barring that, maybe put them in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water, put the lid on, and let the steam do its work.

By: carter

carter — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:09:22 -0800

Have you tried preheating a frying pan, putting the tortilla in with no grease, and *putting the lid on*? It should be quicker than a minute. You could do a few at the same time and save them in a tortilla warmer.

By: andrew cooke

andrew cooke — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:09:40 -0800

we have a thing like a metal plate, with holes in, that sits on top of a gas burner and can be used to lower/even the heat (eg when simmering rice) or for toatsing/warming bread and tortillas.

By: sohcahtoa

sohcahtoa — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:11:20 -0800

I used the goatdog method when I had a gas stovetop. Five to ten seconds per side is all it takes. Use tongs. "Goatdog Method"

By: silusGROK

silusGROK — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:11:53 -0800

Akin to goatdog's comment, I turn my electric coil stove top on HIGH, and within seconds they're hot enough to drag the tortillas across.

By: carter

carter — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:19:13 -0800

P.S. - Or, use the tortilla warmer for microwaving. Don't know what this does for chewiness, though. If I was at home, I'd experiment right now!

By: LionIndex

LionIndex — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:20:25 -0800

I use the saladin method, with the additional step of putting them on a plate, then covering them with another plate--basically a makeshift tortilla warmer.

By: FlamingBore

FlamingBore — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:29:09 -0800

another goatdog method user here.

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:30:58 -0800

I wrap mine in foil and pop them in the toaster oven. They come out steaming.

By: fixedgear

fixedgear — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:37:33 -0800

I put my gas burner on low and lay the tortillas on top of it for a few seconds on each side.

Yes.

By: googly

googly — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:39:48 -0800

I use the googly method. I place the tortilla(s) in my trusty bamboo steamer, put the cover on it, and place it over whatever it is that I am cooking for 30 seconds or so. If I am feeling very lazy, I just lay the tortilla right on top of what I am cooking. In either case, the moisture from the other food warms and softens the tortilla. Might not work so well with eggs, though.

By: grateful

grateful — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:45:11 -0800

Ditto saladin

By: Goofyy

Goofyy — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 09:01:53 -0800

Saladin does it the way I learned from a Mexican friend in LA, except maybe the flame is higher. Tongs optional for me.

Otherwise I prefer to brown them in oil. Tasty! Sprinkle with a bit of Lawrey's Seasoned Salt.

By: stefanie

stefanie — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 09:33:13 -0800

Saladin and googly both have it right (I steam my tortillas on top of my eggs all the time)

My only other recommendation is to leave your tortillas at room temperature. They'll taste better and won't take so long to heat.

By: Juicylicious

Juicylicious — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 09:47:26 -0800

Us Mexicans use comals to cook and reheat our tortillas, both corn and flour. Microwave? Tea Towel? Toaster oven? Steam? Mi abuelita is rolling over in her grave.

By: gyc

gyc — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 09:54:21 -0800

My mom steams it inside a rice cooker and it's always come out pretty well.

By: riffola

riffola — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 10:09:18 -0800

I'd use a tava (Indian skillet-pan-plate, on which we make rotis, parathas, theplas, etc) to heat 'em up quickly.

By: reflecked

reflecked — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 10:24:04 -0800

I DO use a steam iron.. as user robocopisbleeding suggests, and it works a treat. I travel a lot, and live in a company-rented apartment for a few months at a time. I don't carry a lot of kitchen equipment, so the iron was a compromise. Without steam, you can make toast.. that's better than turning on a 220V oven for a couple of pieces of bread.

The advantage over other steamer methods is the pressure you put on it.

Get a used steam iron from the Sally Anne, scrub it well, and don't use it for clothes.

By: Alex Marshall

Alex Marshall — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 10:27:01 -0800

These are great suggestions! I'm going to try a few and get back with people about what I think is the best.

By: majick

majick — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:32:54 -0800

I second just putting the tortilla directly on the burner. You can set it on the grill above the flame for a few seconds, flip it, give it a few more seconds, and be done. Great results. Even better results if you very lightly moisten the tortilla before applying a flame.

This is even something you can do with an electric burner, if that's all you have.

Apart from a good honest Lodge cast iron pan, which as with applying heat to just about all food is obviously the best method, you will find no superior way to heat refrigerated tortillas. Steam is fine for fresh tortillas, but the store-bought kind come out pretty badly.

By: deborah

deborah — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 11:46:06 -0800

I've used the electric stove coil method with flour tortillas (to make breakfast tacos) and it works well. Tongs mandatory.

By: mr_roboto

mr_roboto — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 12:06:07 -0800

One way I have tried is to do each one on a hot iron skillet without grease. This works well, but takes a lot of time, about a minute or two per tortilla.

I don't understand this. The skillet should be HOT: max out your burner. It should take about 10-20 seconds per side to heat up each tortilla. With store-bought tortillas, you should be able to feel when each one is done, as they will go from being stiff and crumbly to being limp and pliable. Once you get good at it, you shouldn't need tongs: a light touch and quick fingers will keep you from getting burned. As each tortilla is finished, stack it on a plate, and cover the growing pile with a towel (paper or cloth). The heat of the newly warmed tortillas will keep the entire pile warm.

By: tinamonster

tinamonster — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 13:21:07 -0800

Goatdog way. No tongs. I have quick fingers.

By: omidius

omidius — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 15:08:38 -0800

GOATDOG!

By: metaculpa

metaculpa — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 15:13:02 -0800

Goatdog. All about goatdog.

By: Penks

Penks — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 16:59:05 -0800

I also recommend goatdog's method.

I usually have the flame higher and let the edges burn a bit, especially if I'm having eggs. They taste much better this way.

By: atchafalaya

atchafalaya — Wed, 16 Mar 2005 17:22:01 -0800

I put a piece of aluminum foil on top of the electric coil to keep the tortilla from sticking, and flip.

By: goatdog

goatdog — Tue, 29 Mar 2005 11:50:22 -0800

Damn. I feel loved!