A beginner’s 12-month tortilla journey 

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Exactly 12 months ago, I started a culinary journey to learn how to make corn tortillas from scratch. As with other kitchen adventures I’ve undertaken over the years, this obsessive approach was meant to transform me from absolute newbie to intermediate proficiency as quickly as possible. And I’m here to report back on this amazingly fun and delectable undertaking. 

I certainly cannot claim to be an expert, but making hundreds of fresh corn tortillas has helped me overcome some early mistakes and develop more consistent results. It also allows me to share with other beginners the lessons I’ve learned in my continuing quest for tortilla excellence.

First off, why even make tortillas from scratch? Don’t they just grow naturally at the end of your grocery store aisle in a profusion of convenient sizes, colors and blends? 

I’m of the mind that if you want to eat the best version of virtually anything, you need to know how it’s made and make it from scratch. So if I want to make the best possible tacos, I should understand and appreciate every component of that taco. 

Growing up in Montana, I never saw corn tortillas being made from scratch. To this day, there are only a few restaurants I know of that even try. I didn’t have mentors or experts on hand to guide me in person, so I did the four things I’ve done in my other culinary pursuits: 1) find experts/influencers on social media; 2) seek out tutorial videos online; 3) round up authoritative cookbooks on the subject; and 4) practice recipes several times a week and learn through trial and error. 

The experts helped me first understand the origins and cultural significance of corn in Mesoamerican civilizations. As explained in the book “Masa,” by James Beard Award-winning author Jorge Gaviria, “domesticated corn ranks among the most significant human inventions of all time.” The Indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica developed a process to treat their native corn with a process called “nixtamalization,” making the final product more digestible and nutritious. Corn has been a foundational food in the Western Hemisphere ever since. 

The significance of this crop, the process, and its meaning has not diminished over time. Ana Nelson, an Instagram influencer (@anatovarnelson) who makes authentic Mexican classics, told me, “Masa [nixtamalized corn] in the Mexican culture was considered sacred because it was the first plant to be domesticated in Mexico and it’s supposed to symbolize the creation of our humanity.” 

When you learn that corn tortillas are made with just masa, salt and water, you might be tempted to underestimate what it takes to make a top-notch product. The reality is that I’ve counted more than 18 factors that contribute to success in the final product. And that’s just what I know now. I continue to learn, experiment and improve. 

In larger cities, and especially in the American southwest, you can find taquerias and Mexican restaurants that make their own masa by nixtamalizing corn, grinding it, and making tortillas just like they do in Mexico. I’ve watched the process in person several times, and the results are amazing. When I researched how I could replicate this at home, let’s just say it quickly became cost-prohibitive. 

Far more common for home cooks in the United States is using a dried form of fresh masa dough called masa harina. You can find major masa harina brands in nearly every grocery store in Montana now (please note that masa harina is not the same thing as corn flour, corn meal, corn starch, or polenta). But not all masa harina is created equal, or will use the same recipe ratios of water and salt. Different brands will differ in flavor, grind and overall quality. Masa harina is unquestionably the most important ingredient in the equation, so I experimented with as many brands as I could over the last year. 

My absolute favorite masa harina comes from a company called Masienda that was founded by the aforementioned Jorge Gaviria, author of “Masa.” Masienda produces masa harina in small batches with ingredients sourced from a network of Mexican farmers growing non-GMO heirloom corn. It comes in white, yellow, blue and red corn options, each of which offers its own fun flavor profile. There are a few corners of the state where I have found Masienda masa harina in stores, but you can also order it online. 

Aside from the tasty trial-and-error experimentation, my quest also involved pursuit of the prized and elusive tortilla “puff,” when the flattened dough fills with air. This bit of magic signals success, cooking the inside of the tortilla and ultimately contributing to the durability of the final product. I don’t think I saw a single puff in my first few attempts, but you can make perfectly tasty tortillas without one. As I tried and tried again, adjusting dough hydration and heat, trying a better tortilla press and cooking surface, and varying the cook times on each side, I’ve started seeing more consistent puffs and partial puffs. I guarantee you will have fun in pursuit of the puff!

A single column, even a long one, is not sufficient to cover all the lessons I’ve learned in this process. My short recap on this year-long journey is no substitute for seeking out tips from true experts and following the trial-and-error paths your tortilla adventure will take you on. I promise it will be a tasty journey that your friends and family will enjoy. 

As Jorge Gaviria aptly described the encouragement he offers to people considering scratch versus store-bought: “Why buy fresh bagels instead of picking them up from your grocery store’s freezer section? Why make a fresh pot of beans when you can buy canned? It’s mostly about the taste and texture. There’s a world of flavor and aroma you experience when you make them at home. I’d also argue that there’s something gratifying about the process. When you roll up your sleeves and have your hands in the masa, there’s some magic that happens.”

SCRATCH-MADE CORN TORTILLA TIPS:

• Nearly every large or medium-size Montana grocery store will have masa harina, usually next to the flour. You can’t make great corn tortillas unless you start with great masa harina. Here is my absolute favorite masa harina. 

• Always start out by following the package directions for your masa harina. Because of variations in the masa grind, crop quality, and other factors, you can’t always swap one masa harina recipe for another. Find a favorite and stick with it, making small adjustments to your process through trial and error.  

• Some recipes don’t call for salt, while others do. I always salt the dough because it helps boost the masa flavor. 

• A properly hydrated dough is probably the most important element of the recipe. You’ll need to assess and adjust until you learn to recognize the right level by feel. Once the water is added, the dough needs to be well mixed or kneaded. I generally mix by hand for 3-4 minutes, followed by at least a 20-minute rest covered with a damp towel. The hydration process continues during this rest, and only at the end of the wait will you know how hydrated your dough is. 

• A properly hydrated dough is often described as being the consistency of Play-Doh. As my friend Ana and other experts explain, the best way to determine if you have the right consistency is the “press test” (also called the “smudge test”). Take a ball of dough and press it between your fingers — you should see no cracks in your masa. Alternately, if the dough is sticky to the touch, it’s probably too hydrated. Adjust accordingly. 

• Montana is largely a dry state without a lot of humidity, so keep that in mind as you calculate your masa hydration. Leaving it out without a damp cloth or paper towel over the dough means it will lose water quickly. Protect the dough and do press tests along the way if you’re making big batches. You can always incorporate a bit more water by massaging the dough with wet hands. 

• Compression is key, which is where a tortilla press enters the equation. As Gaviria explained to me, “A sturdy tortilla press helps you enjoy the tactile experience of the tortilla-making process, not to mention, also make sure your tortillas are appropriately thin, even, and compact.”

• Corn tortillas are often smaller than flour versions, and they’re definitely more delicate than their flour counterparts. The amount of dough you pull to make a single tortilla can vary depending on what you plan to do with the tortillas, but I often aim for a golf ball-size portion or a bit larger. 

• You can’t press a tortilla well without something lining both sides of the dough. I started my journey by using the cut-off sides of Ziploc bags. I found the dough didn’t easily come off the plastic, and it sometimes created holes or tears in the uncooked tortilla that will keep it from cooking properly. I ultimately settled on cutting rounds out of leftover plastic grocery bags or, better yet, ultra-thin produce bags. If your dough still doesn’t come off easily without tearing, your dough might be over-hydrated. 

• The tortilla press process is not a contest to see how strong you are. Decent pressure should be applied, but without throwing all of your weight onto the press lever. 

• Tortillas need a nonstick surface so you can handle and flip them properly. You can try a nonstick pan, a well-seasoned cast iron surface, or a carbon steel pan. I started out using a regular nonstick pan, which didn’t retain heat all that well. I shifted to a carbon steel comal that works great when properly seasoned. 

• Your tortilla cooking temperature should be about medium-low to medium. Make sure your cooking surface is preheated before you place the first tortilla on it. 

• The process for placing the raw tortilla on the cooking surface matters, since you don’t want it to crumple, tear or fold. I watched videos of people I consider tortilla Jedi masters to help me develop a technique. They usually use a one-handed method to gently place the tortillas on the pan with a roll of the wrist. Look up some video tutorials before your first try. 

• Cooking time matters. The tortilla will stick to the cooking surface when you first place it down. I like to flip it once the tortilla moves easily around the surface, after about 30 seconds. (Don’t rush this or you’ll tear the tortilla.) I flip it back to the original side after another 30 seconds or so. Within another 10-20 seconds you might see the coveted puff. I usually flip it back and forth until I get a uniform cook on both sides. 

• The cooking process does not end when you pull a tortilla off the hot cooking surface. It needs to be kept in a confined space where it will steam, stay warm, and become more pliable for tacos. The easiest thing to do is to place them between clean kitchen towels for at least 15 minutes. Eventually, I had a seamstress friend make me a custom cloth tortilla warmer. 

• Tortillas are best eaten fresh the day you make them. If you have leftovers, let them cool completely and seal them in a plastic bag. You can fry them up to make chips the next few days or use a little cooking spray before baking them to make crispy tostadas. 

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