makes eight tortillas
Be prepared—it’s extremely hard to go back to store-bought tortillas after tasting homemade ones. I started making tortillas at the very beginning of my homestead journey, back when I was still stocking the cupboards with margarine, boxed mac ’n’ cheese, and cans of cream of chicken soup. Thankfully, I’ve come a long way since then, and so has my tortilla technique. The only downfall of the homemade variety is that they dry out rather quickly. Place them in a resealable plastic bag lined with paper towels while they are still hot to increase their shelf life, then briefly reheat in a skillet to restore them to their original, freshly made glory when ready to serve.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons lard (here) or coconut oil, melted
¾ cup hot water (100°F), plus more if needed
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Mix the melted lard into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Add the water and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough comes together and is smooth and pliable. (Add another 1 to 2 teaspoons of water if the dough seems too dry and crumbly.) Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Divide the dough into eight evenly sized balls and roll each one as thinly as possible. My tortillas are never perfectly round—thankfully, irregular shapes don’t affect the taste at all. You can sprinkle a little flour on the counter if they start to stick, but I find I rarely need to do that.
Preheat a skillet or griddle over high heat. Cook each tortilla for 30 seconds on each side, or until a few light brown spots show.
Remove from the heat, wrap in a clean kitchen towel, and serve warm. If storing for later, place the warm tortillas on a paper towel inside a resealable plastic bag. If the tortillas become stiff, reheat them for several minutes in a hot skillet until they soften.
kitchen notes • Add some shredded cheese and refried beans (here) to these tortillas for tasty homemade quesadillas.