Making homemade tortillas is something that I have been dying to try. Great tortillas are hard to come by. The ones that you buy at the grocery store are dry and frankly, they taste like cardboard. I live in Texas, and even I have trouble finding tortillas that taste fresh and flavorful. But I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Making corn tortillas is as easy as home cooking gets. You only need three ingredients – masa harina, salt, and water. Three ingredients! I always thought that making tortillas would be a long and tedious process, but I could not have been more wrong. You simply stir together the masa, salt, and water, press the dough into thin circles, and then warm the tortillas through. Once you have made the tortillas, the possibilities are truly endless.
I tried to buy a tortilla press once, but my mom told me that my great grandmother would roll over in her grave. My great grandmother lived in Arizona and made her fair share of Mexican food in her life. Apparently, she made homemade tortillas using just one plate, so I followed in her footsteps and used the same method to make my tortillas.
I think that the perfect way to use these homemade corn tortillas is to make tacos. I fill these mouthwatering tacos with sliced pork tenderloin. I cover the pork with a spice rub before cooking it. I top the tacos with a tomatillo salsa verde. You could even add some pico de gallo or a few slices of buttery avocado.
Homemade Corn Tortillas
| Yield | 16 tortillas |
| Meal type | Miscellaneous, Tacos |
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup warm water
Directions
| 1. | Combine the masa harina, salt, and warm water in a large bowl, stirring just until moistened. Transfer the dough to a work surface and form into an 8-inch log. Cut into 16 pieces and roll each into a ball. |
| 2. | Place a griddle or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Cut out two large sheets of parchment paper. Place one ball of dough between the pieces of parchment paper and press down with a plate to form a thin 5-inch circle. Repeat with the remaining balls. Cook the tortillas in the skillet for about 1 minute per side, until lightly charred in some spots. |
Pork Asada Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa Verde
| Yield | 6 |
| Meal type | Meat & Poultry, Tacos |
Ingredients
Salsa
- 4 large tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and halved
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup diced white onion
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Tacos
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins
- 12 homemade corn tortillas, recipe above
Tacos (Optional)
- 1 lime, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
Directions
| Salsa | |
| 1. | Preheat the broiler. Place the tomatillos, cut side down, on a small rimmed baking sheet. Broil for about 5 minutes, until charred all over. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. |
| 2. | Place the tomatillos, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the onions and cilantro. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use. |
| Tacos | |
| 3. | Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. |
| 4. | Stir together the cumin, chili powder, salt, coriander, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Rub all over the pork tenderloin. Add the pork to the pan and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to the oven and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 145°F. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. |
| 5. | To serve, cut the pork in 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange the pork in the tortillas and top with the salsa verde, limes, and avocado, if desired. |
This recipe is adapted from The Chew.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Riley, these look incredible! My husband is a fanatic for Mexican food and I know he’d LOVE these.
I made these last night, amazing!
Thanks Joan! I’m so glad you liked the tacos!
We made the tortillas tonight for fajita night.They were so good and the kids loved rolling out the dough. Definitely my new go-to recipie when I make Mexican dishes.
Thanks so much Amanda! Tortillas are so fun to make, and SO much better than store-bought. I’m glad you liked them!