How do you bake corn tortillas?
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
October 5, 2012 1:39pm CST
I love fried tortilla chips. I deep fry them, drain them and sprinkle with salt and they are the most addicting thing ever! I can deep fry 3 dozen corn tortillas and eat them all that day...if I let myself.. and that is hard to do cause they are just so good.
However I want to see about baking them because one, my husband throws tantrums when I deep fry anything (this is the ONLY thing I deep fry!) and two...health reasons. I know deep frying is not good for you. On the other hand.. I dont' deep fry them that often as I know this!
So today I have tried just putting them in the oven and baking them...and it works as far as crispness but the taste...just like crisp cardboard! No flavor or taste at all. So I brushed them lightly with liquid vege oil...and bake..and still not much. I added some salt before baking, and still...a lightly salted, crisp piece of cardboard. I WANT SOME FLAVOR!!!!!
Anyone have any suggestions on how to bake a tastey corn tortilla chip?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
6 Oct 12
If you have some tomato paste and like the taste of tomatoes, then try this. I spread some thinly over tortillas, add a little grated cheese and bake for around ten minutes. It's like pizza, but with a very thin and crispy crust
. If your husband doesn't like deep fried tortillas, then you can cut them in triangles and bake them. Then once they're baked, you can add your salt and usual dip. The dip can take away the cardboard taste
.
. If your husband doesn't like deep fried tortillas, then you can cut them in triangles and bake them. Then once they're baked, you can add your salt and usual dip. The dip can take away the cardboard taste
.@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
6 Oct 12
Now that sounds good. I used to deep fry the tortillas and then spread my specially wonderful homemade bean dip on the tortilla, which included, salsa, olives and onions...and then top with grated cheese and bake lightly until the cheese melts..then pie-cut the tortilla and it is a meal in itself! I have forgotten about that since I moved and now... I have to get them this week at the store and will make them next week!
@mrsuniega (786)
• Philippines
6 Oct 12
Hi I also loved tortillas. well for me I don't know how bake any products. I just love to eat them. LOL. I don't know but i think there is a ready made tortilla out there. all you have to do is to fry them or bake them. i have not yet tried it but I think there is an available on the market.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
6 Oct 12
My home fried ones are better than any store bought ones! I think that anyone that has ever deep fried them at home will agree. Something about that deep frying and no preservatives...just makes them so much better!
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
6 Oct 12
I make a killer bean dip but even with that...these baked ones were just no good! And to brittle. Couldn't even dip straight without them breaking!
I just use a deep pan for frying, no fryer. I bought this small wok looking kind of pan...deep (5") and kind of just like a ball cut in half. Works great as there is room for the chips to float around in and not just sit at the bottom and the oil can be "deep" instead of shallow which allows them to fry better and quicker. Got it at Bed, Bath and Beyond.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
6 Oct 12
I think frying is the only way to have them turn out "right" but personally I like them scorched in the microwave with a slice of cheese over each one. Jalapeno jack cheese is my favorite. Sometimes they get more hard than crunchy, but I know what you mean about addicting, because even with these I have to make only a few or I will eat every single one.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
6 Oct 12
I used to make ..I forget what they are called...but a fried tortilla with my bean dip spread on top with chesse sprinkled on top of that! Then pie-cut the tortilla...oh my gosh... it's a meal! I love it...have to make those, again now that I have thought about it. Haven't made them in about a year since I moved!
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
5 Oct 12
Well, I got two things to say here. One, deep-frying isn't as bad for you as you may think, if done correctly. Frying in the right temperature for the right time allows for extremely little oil absorption. And if the items are drained properly, you're looking at even less oil. The water inside of the food pushes out when heated (steam), thus keeping oil from soaking into the food. Plus you can always get healthy and better-tasting oils to fry in, like peanut or olive oil.
You're probably getting more oil on the baked chips by brushing than you get on them by frying.
Now, of course, deep-fried Twinkies and those other American fair items are bad. But don't freak out about the chips.
If I'm going to bake anything like that, I'm definitely looking for high and hot. But you're right about the flavor. The texture gets there, but the flavor stinks. And if you're going to brush them down with such and such, frying is seriously the easier, healthier, cleaner option.
I make these things with masa, I'm not sure what they're called. I take the corn masa from the store, which makes tortillas with water and salt, and I press them out into little bowls. They're really thin though -- like a Tostinos scoop. But before I press them, I add a little lovin' to my dough. I like to take some chopped jalapenos and cheddar and mix it in. I'll bake them at 450 after they're pressed and fill them with chicken, refried beans or black beans, sour cream, etc.
Maybe you could do something similar with your chips. Maybe put cheese and such on them before baking, or do the sprinkle before they go in. They'll still get crisp if the oven's hot enough, and heat'll open up those spices.
But I say just fry them. Check out Alton Brown via the Food Network for the truth about fried foods.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
5 Oct 12
Thanks for suggestions. I know that deep frying is not all that bad for you if, as you say, it is done correctly and with the proper oils etc. Plus, since I only do this every now and then during the month...as I know that I will literally eat the entire makings in one day!!....I watch it. I use vege oil with the lowest fats and everything.Corn oil seems to not get as hot and therefore, they have to stay in the oil longer to fry.
I was trying to be nice and not drag out my "diryt laundry"...and not say that my husband thinks he is a better cook than I am (or anyone else for that matter!) and no matter what I cook he finds fault with and if I deep fry...he throws a tantrum about the oils that gets spirted around the burner area (I use a splatter screen so not much gets out, but he insists it is a tidel wave of grease splattering around!) and I always clean up afterwards anyway...but the tantrum is not worth the chips! So what I have been doing is waiting till he leaves and open the house up and turn on fans and light candles and deep fry as many as I can before he gets back! I have to do all the ventilation things as he also complains about how it smells the house up...it doesn't, he just has to find something to complain about!
PM me your recipe for the masa bowls.. that sounds like a fun idea...fill them with taco fixings.






