Make Wrapping Burritos A Breeze With A Simple Tortilla Tip
Burritos are one of the best dishes because they take everything you've ever wanted in a dish and combine it into one handheld pouch — genius. While you might frequently order them from a local restaurant, burritos are fun to make homemade, too; you can stuff them with anything your heart desires. But it can get a little tricky when you're trying to actually fold that tortilla into the perfect burrito while making sure all of the ingredients stay put. If you find that your tortilla isn't as pliable as you'd like, there's an easy trick: just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds with a damp towel, and it will become pliable and easy for wrapping.
When it comes to burritos, not all tortillas are created equally. Next time you're on the hunt for the best tortilla, make sure you're looking for one that's made with flour and is a little higher in fat; more fat makes for a more pliable tortilla.
Microwave your tortilla to easily wrap your burrito
The microwave gets a bad rap when it comes to making anything homemade, but in the case of the making a burrito, it's necessary. Before filling your tortilla, wrap it gently in a paper towel, and place it in the microwave. If you're heating just one tortilla, only heat it for 10-15 seconds. The moisture in the paper towel will act as a steam chamber for the tortilla, heating the tortilla and making it super pliable. When you remove it from the microwave, be careful because it will be hot, but you'll want to use it almost immediately. As it cools, the pliability will lessen, so fill it right away.
To make a burrito, add the filling to the center of the tortilla, then fold both sides over the top of the filling. Tuck the filling with your hands while grabbing the bottom of the tortilla, and tightly fold the bottom of the tortilla over the filling while rolling the filling into its classic burrito shape. Once it's rolled, it shouldn't come undone, but if it's a big burrito, you can wrap it in aluminum foil to help hold everything in.
The best tortillas to use for burritos
There are a few types of tortillas on the market, but for burritos, you'll want to use flour tortillas. Corn tortillas don't have the same flexibility as the flour variety, so you'll find it much harder to wrap the burrito. Plus corn tortillas tend to be far smaller, making them inadequate to hold the filling.
Fat is an important ingredient when making flour tortillas because it helps build that pliability. If you're using store-bought tortillas, you'll want to choose the kind with the highest fat content to ensure they bend easily. You can also make your own flour tortillas, and in this case, there are a few types of fat you can use. Butter works well, while lard and shortening are also great options for getting plenty of fat into the tortilla. Vegetable oil is another option, too. Even if you make your own tortillas, you should still use the microwave method to make them warm and bendable before filling them.