White Corn Tortillas

Or heck even yellow corn tortillas.

I'd like to make my own white corn tortillas. Thing is I'm in SE PA. So we pretty much don't do that here unless you are close with some friends from Mexico or the Southwest. We do have a good number of small Mexican groceries around me so if I knew what to buy I think I could find the ingredients.

I would like to get as close as I can to authentic given the challenges. I have read a good bit of how to make them from scratch as in working from corn kernels, etc. I'm not averse to that but never found a step by step process to get me there.

Can you use canned hominy for example for the corn? I know there are powdered mixes, but don't know if they are any good and would need to know what exactly to get (brand, bag marking etc). That's how uninformed I am.

I do know that I want to find a way to optimally make my own white corn tortillas (large ones primarily).

The only "soft" corn tortillas around here are the small yellow ones in the plastic bags. They are OK, but I'm looking for something a bit better.

Any help would be appreciated.

I did try some searches here but couldn't really find anything. Maybe didn't search right.

This this will be a huge improvement in the GS product. Not saying it's the ultimate way to do it but its worked for me.
Masa Harina can usually be found in the larger markets.

Yeah thanks - just use regular Maseca and follow the recipe I suppose. Maseca Amarillo for yellow. Sounds like the easiest route.

Anyone ever make them starting with corn?

Also found a tortilleria in Philly. Probably the only one. Might try them as well.

Ray you are on the right track. I used to own a store and we carried a line of hispanic supplies. Maseca was the most requested for corn tortillas and White Wings for flour tortillas. I made them a few times but nothing beat the way those ladies whipped them out and bring me a dozen or two still warm.

Corn tortillas are pressed not rolled, which is why you don't see large ones. Large ones won't hold together. Unlike many packaged machined brands, homemade tortillas are not very thin nor are they especially pliable. Fat, and often dough conditioners, are included in many commercial brands.

A bag of dried masa flour and a tortilla press (I like the wood ones but the metal ones are fine; you can use a pin in a pinch).

Homemade tortillas look like this (under the cochinita pibil I'd made):



Those were made with masa harina. I have also made them totally from scratch. No, canned hominy won't do. You must start with dried field or dent corn. This gets boiled with lime (cal, not the fruit) to remove the skin, then the corn is ground with a special grinder just for this purpose. This results in homemade masa, superior for tortillas - and absolutely the nut for tamales.

For those who enjoy woodworking, do a search for "Homemade tortilla press" and you'll find several plans.

Rita