Why Preheating Your Pan Is Crucial For Homemade Tortillas

If you want to upgrade your next taco Tuesday, look no further than homemade tortillas. Sure, you can improve store-bought tortillas by warming them in a skillet. But, at the end of the day and the start of your meal, there's nothing quite like a homemade tortilla. They're fresh and delicious, not to mention easy to make.

Fortunately for tortilla fans, making your tortillas from scratch isn't an intense undertaking. Whether you make corn or flour tortillas, you need little more than flour, salt, and water, give or take a few additions. With such simplicity, homemade tortillas should be a no-brainer. However, the final key to a successful homemade tortilla isn't in the dough as much as in the texture. 

For that, you'll have to pay attention to your stovetop — namely, the temperature of your pan. While you may be tempted to throw your tortillas on the stove and get to cooking, you should take extra care to heat your pan ahead of time. Why? Well, putting tortillas in a cold pan likely won't affect the final taste. However, the pan's temperature will impact the tortilla's texture in one particular way. 

While a flat, circular shape is a tortilla trademark, you do want your homemade tortillas to puff up slightly once they hit the pan. They should achieve a little bit of texture. Of course, there are a few strategies to help your tortillas puff, but the main and easiest fix is warming up your pan.

It's really that simple. To get your tortillas to rise, simply heat your pan on the stovetop ahead of time. Ideally, your pan will hover around medium heat, and once it gets nice and hot, you can start to cook your tortillas. Tortilla cooking times may vary, though typically, the 30-second mark is a good metric. However, tortilla timing ultimately depends on how hot your stovetop gets. Just make sure to cook your tortillas evenly on both sides or until brown patches begin to emerge. With any luck, you'll get a dry, browning, and slightly puffed tortilla. 

In fact, that signature tortilla rise is a telltale sign that you've mastered your tortilla's fluffy texture and that your ensuing meal is bound to be delicious. From there, you can use your puffy tortillas to make your taco night even tastier.