Mexican home cook here. Your video is excellent and explains everything very well. Rick Bayless is the best English speaking resource for this. Here are some tips I have gathered in my tortilla making practice that hopefully are helpful 1. I highly recommend resting the dough first and then portioning. That allows you to make any adjustments to water to the whole batch after resting. I always end up having to add at least some after the rest. It also allows me to test one tortilla in my press to ensure it doesn't stick to the plastic. Once I know the dough is good, I can portion the rest while the pan/grill is preheating. 2. It is easier to leave the plastic as one sheet connected at one end like a book. That way you can peel one end off, lift everything up off of the press, invert the tortilla onto the palm of your other hand, and then peel the plastic off of the tortilla leaving it in your open palm. Plastic grocery bags also work great. You may have to test a few different kinds before you find the right one that won't stick 3. Traditionally, a cast iron pan called a comal is used for tortillas. They have always produced superior tortillas for me but that may be all in my head as no one in my family would think of using anything else. 4. Another Rick Bayless corn tortilla video skips the step where you flip the tortilla and cook the second side on the low heat pan - you simply lift the tortilla off of the low heat pan and flip it raw side down onto the hot pan. This technique works just as well in my opinion and saves time. 5. You can simply press the entire tortilla flat with the bottom of the spatula once to get the puff. If you follow my step 4, you only need to press when flipping the low-heat cooked side of the tortilla (the side that was up as the raw side was cooking on the hot pan) over. (This technique is also from Rick Bayless) 6. You will typically find two different grinds of masa harina: one that is for tamales which is labelled as such and one for tortillas which often isn't labelled as anything but "masa harina." The only difference is the coarseness of the grind. If you like your tortillas to be smoother, use the masa for tortillas. If you like them with a little more grit, use masa for tamales. They will taste the same. The difference will be in mouthfeel 7. Most tortillas I have had do not have salt in them. The dough doesn't need it really. I sometimes make it with salt and sometimes without and I have a hard time telling the difference. The filling for the tortilla is often plenty salted enough that you don't notice anyway Also, a minor nitpick: the letter 'h' is silent in Spanish so it is pronounced 'ah-REE-na' not "HA-REE-na" Again, you do outstanding work. This video is wonderful. I am very happy to see my culture's food getting the analysis and explanation that you so thoughtfully give to every video you make

@helenrennie

7 ай бұрын

Wow! This is the most helpful comment I've gotten in a long time. I love your idea of resting the dough and then making adjustments before portioning. I think I was making SO many tortillas while practicing that I got used to the exact amount of water that worked well for me, so there was no risk in portioning right away, but that's probably a risky thing to do.

@ctsilva45

7 ай бұрын

@@helenrennie I am honored that my comment has been deemed helpful enough to be pinned.

@GrantStreetGarden

7 ай бұрын

Great video, it is so helpful, I have been making my own tortillas just recently, but they are inconsistent. ctsliva45, thank you for those details. I look forward to making my next batch of homemade tortillas!!

@julietuttle1608

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for your helpful,info, too!

@iridescentdragonfly1839

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing all your wisdom.

I really appreciate the level of detail Helen provides in all her videos and this one is no exception

I grew up on the Mexican border and i still didn't know any of this. I always thought i was just no good at making tortillas. You've both inspired and motivated me to try again-- the right way.

@marlengood1972

6 ай бұрын

Well, she might be more lost than you.

This is the most comprehensive tutorial I have seen on KZread. I have spent a lot of time looking for techniques and instructions and this is the best one so far. This video addresses a lot of the issues I suspected I was running into but didn't understand why I was messing it up.

I feel so lucky to live in the timeline where this lady is doing her thing.

Awww thank you Helen for saying hello!!! I’m honored! I’ve never used the two pan method, but I will definitely try it!! As always, your explanation was thorough and clear. It’s amazing to see indigenous women in Guatemala making tortillas by clapping their hands and cooking them in a big comal, but, for the rest of us, we need a little bit of help with the methods you take the time to research and practice! I don’t know if you tried freezing them but, after they’re cooled down, I put them in a freezer bag. They don’t stick to each other and we can get as many as we need out of the bag when we want. We warm them up a little bit in the microwave and finish them in a toaster over. Thank you for making this wonderful video (in time for Hispanic Heritage Month!) I can’t wait for the carnitas video! I’m sure they will be deliciosas!!!!

@samuraibat1916

7 ай бұрын

You're the goat for getting Helen into doing this. Helen never fails to have useful information. LFG

@trackie1957

6 ай бұрын

I learned how to make tortillas by slapping back and forth between my hands when I was twelve years old. I got fairly consistent puffing, too. Now that I’m in my late sixties, I can’t do it so I use the underside of a dinner plate to press them, followed with a rolling pin. As always, I learned something useful from Helen!

I’m sure every single person who follows Helen and closely knows this is exactly why we all love you so much, your attention to detail surpasses pretty much any other KZread channel in terms of cooking. I learned so much as you explain why and not just how.

Don’t worry if you made too many tortillas. You can use the leftovers to make totopos for nachos, or strips for a sopa de tortilla, where you also need some stale tortillas for the soup, too. You can also make chilaquiles or pastel azteca with your leftover tortillas, or even use some to make tostadas or as one of your ingredients for a delicious mole.

@naughtyorgneiss

4 ай бұрын

Any recipes for the nachos? That sounds amazing...

I'm Polish and I have recently discovered a good old slavic flatbread called 'podpłomyk'. I prepare it a few times a week and it takes less than 10 minutes to make in total. To think that people used to eat that even a thousand years ago and the recipe still stands is incredible. I'd like to try the corn version too.

@fattypneumonia

7 ай бұрын

would love to know how you make it!

@johnnatili5488

4 ай бұрын

Only a Polock

@dianacavazos6320

2 ай бұрын

Please share the recipe so we can try making it too

@jessicacoates1611

Ай бұрын

Hahaha 😆 😊

I love that you show how to make an assembly line!

Nixtamalized corn is made with lime, not limestone. Limestone is made of calcium carbonate, and if you burn it above 900°C you get a very caustic “unslaked lime” (calcium oxide), and if you add that to water you get a less caustic “slaked lime” (calcium hydroxide), which is what you use to make masa. So it’s sort of made with limestone, but not really. It would be like saying soap is made with wood when it’s really made with ashes. It’s a chemically different material.

@gorhilda3516

6 ай бұрын

Who invited the geek into the channel! 🫣🤣🤓🤓🤓🤓 Awesome! My Dad was a chemist (PharmD). Blew up the lab coat many times with his “experiments” while in college. I was just little but I remember him walking into the house exuberant and a bit crispy around the edges, as he shared the full details of his “test”. Sounded a lot like your explanation. 😆 Thanks for the memory.

@fennecbesixdouze1794

5 ай бұрын

You don't have to use limestone at all to nixtamalize corn, boiling in any sufficiently alkaline solution will do. The native Americans mostly used wood ash (high in calcium carbonate).

@austinowens2061

5 ай бұрын

Having had the conversation about nixtamalized corn with many non-food-geeks, I can say with certainty that she said “limestone” to avoid listeners thinking she meant “lime” the fruit. I have to explain every time and have ended up saying something similar to what she did. The distinction between the fruit and the mineral is much more meaningful for most people than the distinction between two different but related minerals. Helpful for a comment, yes! So thanks for clarifying. But probably not going to be a part of your dinner table conversation when you tell someone you are serving them homemade tortillas.

@Leadership_matters

4 ай бұрын

But if you go to the Mexican market, you need to ask for cal. Or else you might leave with green citrus.

Sometimes we also put lard in tortillas, when I used lard I just use a little bit less water to make up for it. You put it in at room temperature, soft but not melted.

I mostly use tortillas, both flour and corn, instead of bread and have been using Bob's for years. A Mexican friend's grandmother swears that I am part Mexican. There are several very helpful hints in this video, but I really like the idea of using two pans! I have been using a very well seasoned cast iron skillet, but I also have carbon steel Thank you for this video and I will not tell my Mexican friend that my best hints came from my favorite Russian cook!

I didn't want to cut up a plastic bag, so I used parchment paper. It worked great

@johnb2649

7 ай бұрын

Agreed: I purchased 8 inch parchment rounds. They will hold together allowing me to prepare up to 18 tortillas. =Peace=

@kilroyscarnivalfl

7 ай бұрын

I find that the tortillas stick to the plastic too much, but not parchment! Also I can put them on the parchment right in the skillet if they don’t want to separate, and let cook for a few seconds. The steam makes it easy to pull the parchment off.

@annchovy6

6 ай бұрын

I like wax paper

@laurelwyckoff4111

11 күн бұрын

You can buy 8 inch parchment rounds. They fit perfectly in the press.

I use waxed baking paper for the film. I used to get tearing when peeling. My workaround was to remove one paper, throw the tortilla onto the pan (like a pie to the face), then remove the second paper after a few seconds.

I've found that Bob's coarser grind requires a longer rest to fully hydrate. Getting the ratio right makes it the trickiest to get a good puff. Masienda is available at whole foods and Amazon now and is worth a try. The traditional method only involves two flips, side-A 20-30 seconds, Side-B 30-60 seconds, back to side-A for 30ish seconds. It's worth it to try and cook two or three simultaneously. If you're feeding a family and need 20-30 tortillas, it will take an hour to do it one at a time.

This must be one of the most comprehensive guides on making tortillas. Showing the making of tortillas and illustrating very clearly with the different types of corn flours and trouble shooting help. It also shows how to well maintain the finish tortillas. It’s a treasure video on tortillas. This is very helpful indeed. Thank you 😊❤

❤I can't believe how well this method works. I have tried and tried to make tortillas time after time with nothing but failure! It was very easy, and I had them all cooked in no time. Every single one puffed up like a pillow. THERE WASN'T EVEN ONE TORTILLA LEFT! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING!❤

@helenrennie

6 ай бұрын

great job :)

@cindyvibbert2078

6 ай бұрын

I can now do everything in one pan 🎉 AMAZING

Great video. One huge trick to help take tortilla out of plastic after pressing: 1. While still on the press, slowly pull top plastic off and then put plastic layer back on loosely; 2. Flip tortilla still with plastic on both sides and remove the second layer of plastic "slowly"; 3. Place tortilla (plastic free side) in hand and remove already loosened plastic side. Also another tip: I like plastic with print on it because it is a little firmer - the writing side is usually the last side I take off in this process.

@txgirla

4 ай бұрын

the plastic bags from inside cereal boxes are the best for this. They are also great for tenderizing meats with a meat hammer & dont tear.

Tortillas are the best part of any meal. Fill with eggs and bacon for breakfast, chicken and your favorite style coleslaw for lunch.

Fantastic video! Your level of detail is truly unmatched :) Small suggestion, a very light sprinkle of flour to the tortilla press or on the plastic helps prevents sticking and they come off easier.

Helen, thank you for showing this segment on homemade tortillas!!! I make tacos pretty much every week and about once a month I make my own corn tortillas. Your video is a game changer!!! I did not know there was so much that could be done to a tortilla!!! I will be referencing your video for a long time. Mahalo!!!

Hello Helen, if using a dish towel to cover the already made tortillas be aware of the soap you used to wash those dish towels, since the perfumes can transfer to the tortilla itself.... It is been said that if you make a tortilla and it puffs you are ready to marry lol... Mexican saying... bty eating a tortilla recently made with a piece of queso fresco and salsa on top makes the best experience while seating in front of a comal waiting for your taco... my grandmother used to give us the first tortillas of the batch just with salt and rollled up like a thin taco... best memories of abuela... Glad you did a video on tortillas, best regards Helen

For over 30 yrs. I've been using 2 pans for making tortillas. I have 2 old cast iron tortilla presses, and sometimes I add cumin or chile powder to my masa mix BEFORE I add the water.😉😁🌮🌮🌮 I too prefer the yellow masa over the white ...... WAY more flavor! When they were little, my G-daughters called corn tortillas 'Little Pillows'.

@rosaceliamagana674

18 күн бұрын

We call them globos ( balloons ) 🎈

just like mom and grandma used to make... tip for for those of you with young kids, or kids at heart. take a soft cooked tortilla rub some butter (or your favorite fat) on one side, then sprinkle some salt, then roll the tortilla squeezing it tight in your hand so the tortilla shows your finger marks, then promptly give to your kid nice and warm. they will love it. !!

What a helpful video! I especially appreciate the troubleshooting segments covering common pitfalls.

Rick Bayless is definitely the man. His recipes and videos are fantastic. I love how you referenced Playdough consistency 😊

Guided by Huntley Dent’s seminal cookbook, I’ve been making my own corn tortillas for over 35 years, but Helen’s two pan approach is new to me, and the two temperature pans will greatly speed up my process while enhancing the quality of the final product. I won’t be quite as fast as Helen because I like the rustic quality found in rolled tortillas and avoid using a tortilla press.

Awesome video, Helen! I love these in-depth guides with lots of troubleshooting information for every step.

The H is silent. & it’s said like Arena but Ah instead of Uh. ❤️ u so cute! Don’t mean to be rude just happy to share knowledge with you like you share so much good stuff with us.

The way I steam my tortillas is to just wrap them up in clean kitchen towels in stacks of 15 or so, and just wait until the whole stack is about room temp (or still comfortably warm, if serving immediately). It traps in the steam but the capillary action of the fabric of the towels means no dealing with excess moisture. To counteract how the freshest tortillas will be on the top of the stack and will mostly be steaming directly into the towel... once I've got a stack done I just flip it upside down in the towel. It's very easy! I make some deadly carnitas, too, coincidentally! I use an immersion circulator and more or less just follow Kenji Lopez-Alt's directions, usually with just salt and pork shoulder. Then I crisp it under the oven's broiler on High. It's unbelievably delicious.

Yes, a big thank you to n Carol. My kids just got me a tortilla press for my birthday. I haven't used it yet because I didn't know what recipe to try. Now I do!

Thank you so much Helen for your detailed and simple tutorials ❤

I've done this for years and just dealt with occasional "pancake" non-puffers and soggy steamed ones. Then, I didn't realize they need fried again to boost flavor, they were fine as they were. But yours look delicious so I'll try that! Love the slow and detailed approach to your cooking vids.

I've just started making my own tortillas, so this couldn't have come at a better time! Some great tips here; especially like the idea of the double-pan setup. Thanks for the video.

You are so easy to listen to and are the perfect speaker! So pleasant! I make corn tortillas as well, and you are giving me much more helpful info than I imagined! This is genius! I r3 entry tried the new King Arthur masa Harina and really love it, but I’m buying Bob’s next time because I love yellow corn and yiur look great! Thank you! You need your own cooking show!

Thank you so much for this video! I have been struggling forever to make good tortillas and this video was the trick. From the measurements to the methods everything in this video helped me make great tortillas and I can’t wait to make them again!

Thank you!!!! I’ve been searching for a really good corn tortilla recipe/tutorial for a long time. NOW I will make them! I am an accomplished and adventurous home cook and I love learning more from your excellent videos.

This is great. Thanks for the clear instructions. I've never done the low heat/high heat, but that's a great idea.

Helen, your video is the best on tortilla making I have every heard! Thank you thank you thank you!

Wow, great instructions; thank you! I've been holding off making tortillas because I really felt like I needed better instructions. Now, I'm ready...as soon as I get some masa harina.

A trick that I learned was to give the surface of each of the plastic sheets that the masa contacts a light spray of vegetable e.g. Pam . The flattened tortilla peals off easily.

Maseca makes “Maseca Antojitos” which is ground finer than the regular Maseca, and it’s supposed to be used for diff corn dough applications like sopes and empanadas, but I LOVE it for tortillas. The finer ground absorbs the water faster so you don’t have to do as much kneading and resting and they always puff.

What a talent! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!

your video is articulate your elocution is awesome and the video itself is absolutely a professional gem! I am grateful for the simple instructions with tips and techniques and no obnoxious music this post was a joy to watch Thank you so much for posting

You have a wonderful and gentle way of teaching. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much, Helen for a very comprehensive teaching. It will greatly improve my corn tortilla making and cooking.

Great video as always, Helen. Can't wait for the carnitas video! My thought on why pressing the spatula edge in the center can help them puff is that one side of the tortilla is generating steam more so than the other, but the pressure from that minimal amount of steam isn't enough to fully puff the whole tortilla. When you press the edge of the spatula in the center, you are "segmenting" the interior airspace from one large area into two separate areas. This means the steam that is being generated now has less area to expand, creating more pressure in that smaller space. It's that pressure which starts the puff and "breaks" through to the other side, filling the entire tortilla.

Helen, this was an excellent tutorial. The ready made corn tortillas you buy at the market are very disappointing and I've tried just about every brand. Also, the least amount you can buy is 30 tortillas. I've been wanting to make my own tortillas for a long time and this tutorial did the trick; the fact that I can quarter the recipe sealed the deal. Great job.

These are valuable pearls for beginners. I just got a beautiful wooden tortilla press for Christmas, and this video has given me so much needed advice. A taco on a home-made fresh corn tortilla has that incredible bite that makes a world of difference.

Thank you for this excellent video! The two pan method helped me achieve the puff for the first time! For people who don’t have a tortilla press, pushing down on a Pyrex pie pan works and you get to see the tortilla form as the dough gets smushed (very satisfying). I really appreciated your quarter tip for determining the correct thickness. Thanks again for this awesome video!!

We made these last night to go with Mexican pulled pork. OMG! They’re so much better than store bought tortillas! After my wife got the pressing right, they all puffed up like yours did. Thank you!

What a fantastic tutorial. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much!!! I grew up eating home tortillas and was never figured out what I was doing wrong. This video did a great job at explaining it.

My initial theory as to why pressing in the middle makes it puff in the middle. Pressing the middle down actually causes the side to go up. There is likely some cohesion in some parts of the tortilla, so when you press in the middle, it applies just enough effort for the air to win out nearer the sides. When that wins out, the momentum makes the whole thing puff up

@katrinatorres8746

4 ай бұрын

Exactly! Great call!

Helen! You must be clairvoyant! I have an instructional video series on FB that is just meant for friends and family (novice cooks in my area) and I'm about to do an episode on homemade flour tortillas. It's been eating away at me to do a corn tortilla episode because very few know a good corn tortilla, here in the northeastern U.S. and they've been turned off by sad market brands. You've educated me SO MUCH MORE on the process and I'm excited to share your knowledge. I will, of course, credit you and share the address to this channel. Thank you!

YES thank you 🙋🏽 I'm so happy for your sharing 🌺

Best instructions on corn tortillas. I've just recently started making them and have watched Rick Bayless. Not having a grill like his I used cast iron one at a time. I don't have a tortilla press but use my cast iron griddle to press them😊. They are starting to taste better with practice 😊

Finally!!!! Found the right recipe. These turned out perfect. Thank you

This is a wonderfully made video with great tips and explanations. I am latina, and just haven't mastered this but with your tips I think I can. Thank you!

Helen thanks so much for all your instructions. Helped me to avoid tortilla disaster!

Such an excellent explanation! Thank you so much!

It was already around 8 and I hadn't eaten dinner. I was very hungry and didn't want to make a full recipe of tortillas. I remembered your recipe and weighed out 20 g of Masa Harina (BTW in Spanish the "h" is silent) and 30 g of water to make one tortilla. Since I was so hyngry, I didn't let the dough rest, so it was too moist and tore when I took it off the plastic. It still puffed a little with your spatula pressing technique. Had a delicious meal of avocado, mashed beans, hydrated and sauteed TVP with a vegan butternut based cheese sauce. It was so yummy! Will make this small portion again since I live alone and prefer freshly made tortillas.

Thank YOU so much for putting your awesome recipe and directions in the description box so we can have it with your video

Thank you !! Wonderful demo , I learned so much. I’m a beginner in making tortillas . I love your video ❤

Great video. I got a tortilla press for xmas and after 3 failed batches, I found this video and the 4th batch was downright edible and the 5th batch was terrific.

EXCELLENT!!! Thank you! I've been making my own tortillas for years but never flawless. My aim now is to make them flawless with your help. Again, thank you.

I am so happy I found this video and this channel! I love you Helen Rennie!! I love you!

Recently started making my own corn tortillas, so this video comes just at the right time. The Rick Bayless videos I've seen don't include salt; why did you add it? Also: I found that super-thin produce bags work better than zip-top bags for lining the tortilla press. They're less stiff, which makes them easier to peel off.

What a brilliant, comprehensive video. Thank you 🙏🏻

Thank you for this incredible video, best I’ve seen on tortilla making so far!

Thank you for all the tips! My tortillas came out great! Im sold on the 2 pan method. And i LOVE Rick Bayless!

Thank you for this great video. I made tortillas last night, using King Arthur masa harina. I wasn’t happy with them, so I went looking for answers. I found your video, and I love how you go through the process step-by-step. I going to try it again tonight. Thanks again 😊

Your style of teaching is AWESOME!

Dear Helen, You are very thorough and definitely not boring. Very educational, totally enjoyed your video. I am really impressed. You are a natural.

I’m very impressed, this was a comprehensive video. I’m fairly new to making corn tortillas at home but have it mastered pretty well and I still learned several things today. I can’t wait to try the two pan method to see if they turn out as tender as mine since I heard they become tougher with additional turning.

Your videos are always very detailed leaving nothing out. Thank you.

Thank you. You are an amazing teacher!

Love the detail. Thanks

This video is so thorough and so much appreciated. I worked all day making tacos for the first time a while ago and my tortillas were such a disappointment. I spent so much time and effort on amazing fillings for them to be dragged down by my lack of tortilla technique. They didn't puff and were too thick and not pliable. I have put off trying again because I wanted to be sure I wouldn't screw up again. I definitely now know a lot more than I did before about making corn tortillas, and specifically why mine turned out less than stellar. On top of that you have a lovely speaking voice and you are delightful to learn from ❤

Just an absolutely excellent tutorial!! I appreciate you pointing out that the cost of a bag of Bob's Red Mill was similar to one taco in a restaurant - that really helped me put it in perspective. And the tips for forming, cooking, and storing were very detailed and so helpful. Thank you so much!! Will be retiring early next year and hope to see you in one of your classes after that!! 🙂

@denissecam1075

2 ай бұрын

Maseca has different masas. The is Masa harina that she used and there is a version masa for tamales that sounds like it would have the same consistency as the Bob's red Mill. maseca para tamales is the one my family uses to make tortillas, so i have never tried Bob's red mill but it really is a little more coarse.

Thank you so much for your dedicated tortilla tutorial. This is perfect for me since I love great tasty homemade tortillas with all my home cooked meals. No more buying sitting random tortilla brands for me. 🤗❤️

there was nothing that i didn't love about this video. it was very informative, the techniques were demonstrated nicely, it had useful tips, and your voice was not annoying, which is a huge plus. Thank you

Well done video! I can't wait to try it out! I also love that you used a scale!! Tried them and they were great!

I've been doing it slightly different to this, but I'm looking forward to trying your method. Thanks - it looks like a step up! I tend to use leftover tortillas the next day to make quesadillas, where I don't think that fresh texture matters so much.

Tortillas! Taco-taco-taco, Burritos! Thank you, Helen!

always a relevant and very detailed video. Thank you Helen

Thanks for this corn tortilla video. I love making them. I’ll try your tips for better outcomes. ❤

Excellent lesson. Thanks!

Your explanations are brilliant. You pronunciation is excellent too. Thank you I now feel confident enough to make my own.

Amazing and detailed, as always. Thanks!

Wow, this is an excellent tutorial for making corn tortillas! Do you have any videos on making flour tortillas? They are my favorite and what I use the most.

Amazingly detailed as always

Keep going girl! You’re doing a great job. I love your commentary. Excellent show production too. 👍

Absolutely perfect video! I love how it's organized and answered ALL my questions! My next batch of tortillas are going to be sooooo much better! Liked and subscribed!

Your ADORBS! Great tutorial! Muchas gracias!

Thank you for expl this perfectly and different ways to accomplish it!

I look forward to more!

What a great lesson. Thank you!

This is a great system and works great! You really get into a flow when using this method. I have now down this for two different sized tortillas (30g and 42g) and had to just adjust the temps of the pans. Noting that the smaller tortillas were more sensitive to temperature so to stop the pans eventually getting too hot and burning the tortillas, I would add in a tortilla skip to allow the pans to regain some heat again. Worked wonders! Also, I make my tortillas 2/3 corn and 1/3 flour. You get the corn taste with a bit of the flour chew!