Tortilla press, aluminum or cast iron


 
B

Brian Zimmerman

TVWBB Pro
Whats the opinion on tortilla presses? I am looking at making my own tortillas. It is just a press is there an advantage to having CI instead of aluminum or even wood? Seems two plates would work.
 
Cant really give you any advice couse i never even herd of a tilla press before. Whats wrong with a rolling pin?

Ci:

+ Will last you forever
- Heavy and just for that reason might be used less(storage wise)

Alu:
+ light
- but they tend to break easily

Wood:

+ Authentic/often hand made
- The Price

(google info)

But as i said what do i know
 
Brian, you could make your own (Google for "homemade tortilla press.")

I have found that the presses make quick work of corn tortillas but do not work well for flour tortillas because the dough has a tendency to bounce back. Perhaps I wasn't resting it long enough. Others might have had more success than I.

Rita
 
I found the following site which seems to give the pros and cons of each: tortillapress.info

I love my cast iron press. But like Rita Y said, it's not too good for white flour tortillas ...but for corn tortillas, it works exactly like you think it should.
 
I echo the corn vs. flour comments above.
I've been to the restaurant supply store several times, and have gone through the plastic and aluminum models...both have broken repeatedly. I finally picked up a cast iron one (galvanized I believe) and it's been in service over 5 years without a hitch. The one cool tip I picked up along the way is to press between folded over saran wrap or a sacrificed ziploc bag that's moistened with water on both outside sides.
 
I researched it a year or so ago and decided cast iron was preferred. Went to the local store, and all they had was aluminum.

I wanted tortillas that day, so no time for Amazon. Went with the Al. It was only about $20.

Have used is 4 or 5 times for corn tortillas, and so far so good.

If it breaks, I'll probably order a cast iron.
 
If and that's a big IF i was to get one it would be a wood model....We been making tort's forever and use a rolling pin, now for corn tort's diffenently a press.
 
Wood. Period.

I make corn tortillas only. Flour are just too American for me (though, yes, one gets them in northern Mexico). For those use a pin.
 
Ah, Kevin a good CI press would be as good as a wood press, wouldn't you say? Maybe not as pretty, and heck I could probably make one (wood) but then if I just go with a quality 7-9 inch CI I think that would fit the purpose quite well.

Agreed on the the whole flour tortilla thing. If I make those, the pin/board will come out for sure.

So sick and tired of not finding good T's at the local stores. I can get down to South Philly to a place that makes them regular - but that creates a whole other challenge.

If I have the Masa mix handy and the CI press I can integrate quickly other than getting the woodworking gear out and making a wood press. Might like to do that actually, but just trying to make dinner so that might happen after I retire
icon_smile.gif
 
Kevin - Thanks for answering my question before I asked it. I picked up a wooden press really cheap at a Hispanic market. Seems to work well enough, but I had nothing to compare it to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top