Homemade Tortilla Recipe with Lard

Homemade tortillas with lard are easy to make and are sooooo delicious! These are a flour tortilla which needs to be rolled out using a rolling pin (or wine bottle if you’re in a pinch). Using lard in this tortilla recipe gives your tortillas a soft texture. To learn more about using lard in your cooking check out this guide to cooking with pork lard.

This recipe for homemade tortillas with lard makes 10 medium-sized tortillas. Use a skillet or flat griddle to cook your tortillas then get ready to never buy store-bought tortillas again.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups All Purpose flour, and a little more to dust your work surface

1 tsp salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

⅓ cup lard

1 cup hot water (not boiling though)

Method

In a large bowl put the flour, baking powder, salt, and give it a quick mix. With the help of a fork, pastry blender or your hands, incorporate the lard until it resembles a coarse meal. Slowly add the hot water a little at a time until the dough holds together. Do not add the water all at once. You may use a little less than a cup. Turn dough onto a work surface, and knead for a couple of minutes until it is smooth and somewhat elastic. Divide the dough into 10 pieces and roll every piece on your work surface with the palm of your hand to form a little disk. Cover the disks with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes. This allows the gluten in the flour to bind.

Now, place an ungreased griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly flour your work surface (and I do mean lightly) then take a disk and press slightly with your hand. Then set your rolling pin in the center of your disk and roll forward then press it back towards you but stop just before the edge. Turn your tortilla on the work surface half a turn, and repeat the rolling. Flip the tortilla over and roll again until your tortilla is thin and about 10 inches wide. It’s hard to get a perfect circle your first few times- but that’s OK!

Toss your tortilla on the hot griddle or skillet and get ready to dance- these steps go quickly! Cook on one side for 20-30 seconds. You’ll see bubbles and it might puff up. Then flip with tongs or a spatula. Cook for another 20 seconds, then flip again for 10 seconds. The griddle/skillet should be hot enough so that light brown spots form on the tortilla– if they burn your heat is too high, if you don’t get any browning your heat is too low. Remove your tortilla and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel. Proceed to make the rest of the tortillas.

Enjoy!