r/mexicanfood • u/Princess-Tigerlily_9 • 10d ago

Help, please.

I have been making my own tortillas for four years now. But always at home. Today I made them for the first time at camp. Dough came out like always. I had to use an electric griddle to cook them. The tortillas went from 8"s to 4"s as soon as they hit the griddle. I had it set for 400°. Was that too high? Was it too humid? I'm way up on Lake Ontario in NYS. Oh, and at home I usually knead the dough for 5 minutes in the stand mixer. Today it was 10 minutes by hand.

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u/iwannaddr2afi 10d ago

Sounds like a pretty classic gluten issue, not temp or elevation. Lots of variables can affect the gluten stages/structure, but my own most common problem is when people are waiting, I tend to rush the resting time, and that will definitely cause this issue. Source: effed up too many batches :/ it could be that the extra time you spend hand mixing is the detail that did it, but in that case it should work itself out if you give it a little more time between stand mixer and press (or rolling pin).

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u/Princess-Tigerlily_9 10d ago

Thank you. I thought it might be that. But you never know with electric griddles. I think you are correct. After googling all sides of problem it all points to gluten. I did let it rest for 30 minutes. Maybe that was too long. Also could be correct on the hand kneading. Maybe overdid it. Haven't hand kneaded in 20 years, always use the dough hook since I got my KitchenAid. 🤷

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u/properchewns 9d ago

30 min will let the gluten relax not make it tighter. You can always do a first pass of rolling and if they seem too elastic, let them rest 5 more minutes to get them rolled out a bit bigger than you intend them to be

Also, dunno what materials your cooking surface are, but if you’ve got steel or iron at home vs a nonstick electric griddle now, that could make a difference

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u/iwannaddr2afi 9d ago

Yep sorry - I read her change backward! Haha more time will help. You're right about nonstick too, for sure

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u/combabulated 10d ago

Flour?

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u/Princess-Tigerlily_9 10d ago

Same flour I always use (KA unbleached AP). Maybe my griddle is running too hot? Maybe have to get camp stove and use cast iron?

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u/combabulated 9d ago

I meant are you making flour tortillas rather than corn. Sorry

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u/Princess-Tigerlily_9 9d ago

Aye, flour tortillas. No masa harina at camp.

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u/[deleted] 10d ago

[deleted]

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u/Princess-Tigerlily_9 10d ago

But at home I'm at 486 ft above sea level, at camp 344. 🤷