How to take care, heat, and store Nixtamal tortillas
Nixtamal Tortillas are unlike any other tortillas you will purchase on the market. They are a fresh product made of 100% corn with no additives. Therefore, how you use and store Tortilla Nixtamal will be different from how you use and store other corn tortillas.
How to store Nixtamal Tortillas
1. Remove Nixtamal tortillas from the original bag or cardboard box delivered.
2. Open the bag and remove any excess moisture off.
3. Best practice: Separate the tortillas and rewrap in the original wrapping paper and the plastic bag.
4. Place it in a non-humid environment. Tortillas do not need to be refrigerated. Only tortillas not used within 24 hours should be refrigerated.
5. You might store tortillas in the refrigerator or freezer (after completing step 3) for up to 10 days and up to 2 days at room temperature.
How to take care of Nixtamal Tortillas
How to heat Nixtamal Tortillas (Tips for restaurants)
How to heat Nixtamal Tortillas at home
How to heat and serve Nixtamal Tortillas
Tortillas need to be moist when reheated. Tortillas loose moisture after initially produced. Therefore it is important to add water to revitalize tortilla when heating for service.
1. Add water to the tortilla with:
a. your fingers dribble a little water from a cup on both sides of the tortilla. Then place on the grill.
b. Or use a spray bottle. Spray one squirt on both sides of the tortilla while on the grill.
2. Heat the tortilla on a hot grill at a temperature of about 250-275 degrees – medium heat. Heat for 10 seconds flipping the tortilla from one side to the other at least two times. Flipping ensures that the tortilla heats evenly and entirely without getting hard.
If you leave the tortilla on the grill for too long, the tortilla will get dry and hard.
If the tortilla is not heated enough, it will feel harsh.
3. Plate your taco. DO NOT use a hot plate-The hot plate will continue to cook the tortilla making the tortilla hard.
4. If you need to preheat your tortillas for a busy service line, heat per the instructions above and place hot tortillas in a plastic bag to hold heat and moisture until ready to plate. It’s best to use a ziplock bag that can be sealed. Tortillas will keep the heat for 10 minutes in this way.
How to store Nixtamal Tortillas
If you plan to consume the tortillas within 24 hours, they do not need to be refrigerated.
1. It is highly recommended to follow the best practice of separating your tortillas before refrigeration.
2. If you have not aired out the bags to remove the excess moisture, remove the tortillas from the original bag, turn the bag inside out, place tortillas inside and close the bag.
3. Keep Nixtamal tortillas in storage in the refrigerator for a maximum of 7-10 days
4. If you use refrigerated tortillas, it is best to remove tortillas before service so they can warm up to room temperature.
5. For frozen tortillas. When reheating a frozen tortilla place on the hot grill. It is not necessary to add water.
For other ideas contact Tortilleria Nixtamal at 347-804-5759 so that we can come to your kitchen to customize a solution that satisfies your needs.
How to store Nixtamal Tortillas (Tips for restaurants)
How to store Nixtamal Tortillas at home