# homemade corn tortillas



## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

O.k. on Craigslist this morning someone has a manual mexican corn tortilla press for sell. They are asking 70.00 for it which is cheap as I found a new one on e-bay for 89.00 plus free shipping.
My question is, how many out there make their own and what press do you use?
I can go to the store and buy one of those metal presses for less, but according to other machine, it can spit out 15 tortillas a minute. I was thinking that was a good thing since I would be making alot, plus maybe turning this into a money maker for me also.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

The only home tortilla press I've ever seen is the little metal hinged one. Seems like they are about $5. So I don't have any idea what kind of press you are looking at.

I've never been able to make home made corn tortillas. I suspect it isn't all that easy, even with a press. The machine that I've seen making good corn tortillas is certainly several thousand dollars.

So let us know if you buy it and how it works, I'd like to see a photo of it.


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Hi,
Now this my idea of making tortilla , I got get one of these. MM

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd6p-RMPQdY[/ame]


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

I make flour tortillas by hand. Get a press.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

After buying 2 different metal presses at 2 different local Ethnic markets I opted to build one.

http://www.curbly.com/chrisjob/posts/1013-diy-tortilla-press

The metals ones snapped at the handle after only pressing a few tortillas. this wooden one is sturdy and will likely be passed on to our children. It was not very expensive to buy the materials.


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

Thanks everyone,
Mountain Mick, that is one awesome press. I would need a room all its own to use. SusyH. I looked at those at amazon and wondered about them. There was only a one star rating for them but if you make it yourself, you have better control over the quality.
This is the one I was looking at.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MANUAL-MEXICAN-CORN-TORTILLA-MAKER-ROLLER-MACHINE-/170590195674


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## Colorado (Aug 19, 2005)

I bought a Mexican cookbook yesterday and it tells how to roll them out. The corn ones. One night I came in from work and daughter was making she said real tortillas I made flour ones. Corn meal and she could not roll out. We had no press. I added flour and more flour and did roll it. I like the flour ones.


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

I think you could make some money - the grocers are selling chi-chi labeled tortillas that have the same junk inside - gums. Even the health food stores have the same stuff. I end up getting the least nasty. What holds me back from making my own is the enormous amount of masa you have to buy - it's definitely a volumn thing. I think to sell them you have to toast them up a bit before packaging. San Francisco has lots of small producers making good stuff that sells like - guess what! The most popular ones are small and look like they're hand formed, not pressed. They have raised edges like little pizzas. Tostada heaven.


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

Debbie in Wa said:


> Thanks everyone,
> Mountain Mick, that is one awesome press. I would need a room all its own to use. SusyH. I looked at those at amazon and wondered about them. There was only a one star rating for them but if you make it yourself, you have better control over the quality.
> This is the one I was looking at.
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/MANUAL-MEXICAN-CORN-TORTILLA-MAKER-ROLLER-MACHINE-/170590195674


Do you make enough to warrant that much of a machine? I really hate any large items that I don't often use.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Aha! That looks really promising. Maybe putting them through twice would thin them out?

Flour tortillas are really easy to make. Corn masa is difficult to work with. If you get that machine let us know how it works.

WA. You can probably buy Juanita's Masa. It's got really good flavor. That's what I use to make tamales with. Haven't tried to make tortillas.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

oregon woodsmok said:


> Aha! That looks really promising. Maybe putting them through twice would thin them out?


I'm not sure how well the rollers would work with the flour tortillas. The dough might come out more like pasta and not keep a round shape.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

Debbie I have a wood press that we just bought from etsy for about 35.00+shipping. My DH was actually going to build me one, but finding time in his schedule was difficult so he searched etsy and found one. It is the best thing next to sliced bread!!!! Masa isn''t difficult to work with you just have to have the right recipe. With this tortilla press you just make the dough flour or masa, roll into small balls and place in the press and there you have it tortillas! Alot of wood presses have you use plastic between to prevent sticking, we use parchament paper and it works just fine. 

Here is the link-
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HandyWillie

Lillian


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

I used to roll corn tortillas out with a rolling pin, but my SIL's father brought me back a tortilla press from Mexico: two slabs of wood with a hinge and a hinged handle. It's very heavy and will last several lifetimes! (It's called a tortillador in Mexico.)

I've found that maseca (the dry masa flour) needs a bit more water than the recipe on the bag calls for; I put in enough so that when I knead it, it rolls rather than breaks but isn't sticky. Cover with a damp towel and let sit for about 15 minutes before using. I have an old piece of heavy plastic wrap in my tortilla press, but will investigate using parchment paper -- sounds like a great idea! I wonder if a silpat would work . . . 

Cook them on a hot dry griddle, turning several times. The best ones will puff up like little pillows, but we eat every single one!


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## atobols (Jan 7, 2010)

I use this one to make corn tortillas. I use the dried masa and mix it with water. It took me a few tried to get the right technique but it's not that difficult once you get a feel for it. Every time my kids see the press come out of the pantry they get excited for dinner.


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