How To Use A Mexican Comal

The comal is a very traditional particular used in Mexican cuisine, and I've endemic 2 over the years. While I know how to use them a trivial, I've wondered how to use a comal in Mexican cooking.

Here's how to use a comal in Mexican cooking:

Heat the clay or cast iron comal over a stovetop burner
Heat on low heat to re-rut tortillas
Heat on medium oestrus to melt raw tortillas, flipping every xxx-45 seconds
Use it without oil to char onions, tomatoes, and peppers
Toast stale chili peppers on it, flipping often and pressing with a spatula
Use it on high to cook marinated fajita meat or vegetables

I dearest Mexican nutrient! I've also been a fan of cooking Mexican nutrient since I had the honor of coming together Rick Bayless in the tardily 1990s.

If you don't know Rick, while not Mexican, he is a HUGE proponent of traditional Mexican cooking and an award-winning chef, cookbook author, and TV show host.

But that's only part of the story, so let's explore more than on how to use a comal.

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What is a comal?

A comal is a flat griddle used to cook meat, heat tortillas, and roast vegetables. In the U.s.a., it is oftentimes made of bandage fe with a handle. While flat, the cast iron ones practise typically have a small lip around the border. However, in parts of Mexico, Cardinal, and Due south America information technology is non uncommon to observe ones made of dirt.

My starting time comal was made of clay.

Sadly that got ready down on a counter too hard 1 day and broke. In the US, it can exist very hard to find traditional clay ones. Luckily bandage fe ones are readily available at Mexican markets and online retailers similar Amazon.

If you've never seen one, a comal is similar a skillet just with most no side around the border; just a small lip. The surface is totally flat and it has a handle.

They are very versatile as they can exist used right on a stovetop burner, on a grill or over an open flame, but tin can also become right in the oven. I would not, nonetheless, e'er put one in a dishwasher.

Originally an Aztec creation (the Aztec name is comalli), this astonishing device predates Espana's influence in Mexico. But y'all also come across them throughout Central and South America.

Luckily, if you lot season a cast-iron comal correctly, make clean upwards happens very chop-chop and hands.

Ah well. Heating upwardly the comal. Making my own damn tacos. moving picture.twitter.com/vsn5vVmtQA

— Coba Weel (@weel) November 7, 2020

How exercise you treat a comal?

To treat, or flavor a bandage-iron comal, first rub a coat of oil on it, place in a hot oven heated to 350°, and get out for one hour. Allow to cool and so wipe dry.

Before yous tin use your comal, we have to beginning "season" it. But don't worry, I get into more item on those steps below.

This seasoning is actually needed for ALL cast fe cookware. If you were lucky enough to find a clay one, you tin skip this part. Clay comals do NOT need to be seasoned.

Then get-go by blanket your new comal with oil. Just pour on a few tablespoons of oil and rub over the entire surface of the comal with a paper towel. Don't forget the handle and the bottom.

When done, wipe away the backlog so there are no puddles of oil; just a fine coating.

Next, we place your comal in a non-preheated oven. Set up the temperature upwards to 350° and leave the comal in there for i hour. Turn off the heat subsequently your timer goes off.

Let your comal balance in the oven and slowly cool down. When cool to the touch, simply give the comal a quick wipe with a newspaper towel.

Now your comal is seasoned and ready to use. If you ever accidentally leave it in standing water and find it rusted, clean, and scrub thoroughly and repeat the above procedure from scratch.

Can you put a comal in the oven?

Aye, a comal can go from a stovetop burner or open flame correct into an oven. If you are using a clay comal, make certain to place the comal in a hot oven no hotter than 400° to avoid cracking information technology.

Comals are one of the most versatile cooking items beingness able to go from stovetop to oven or even over the open flame on a grill or in a pizza oven.

Once seasoned, your cast atomic number 26 comal truly has so many uses y'all may wonder how you ever did without one! Clay comals tin can also go in an oven.

What are Comals made of?

Comals can either be made of clay or bandage iron. In the US, cast fe comals are readily available whereas clay ones can be harder to notice. Clay ones don't need to exist seasoned similar a cast iron one and can be cleaned with soap and water.

Dirt comals do work better over an open flame (what they were originally designed for), but you tin use them with care on an electrical stovetop.

Just avert drastic temperature changes with a clay comal, but similar its fe analogue, it tin also get in an oven. Dissimilar a cast fe comal, clay comals can besides go in a microwave.

How do you oestrus a flour tortilla for a crowd?

The best manner to heat large quantities of flour tortillas for a crowd is to stack 5 tortillas on a comal on a stovetop, flipping and rotating frequently, or by wrapping almost 5 tortillas in foil and placing in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

But don't worry, I'll get into more item on those methods, plus 1 other method here in a infinitesimal.

A large batch of fajitas or make your own tacos are excellent political party food for large crowds since it's tasty, inexpensive, and stays warm without drying out in some chafing dishes.

Heating up a large batch of tortillas is a necessity for large gatherings. In one case heated, they become softer and can curve or fold without cracking.

Here are the three best ways to heat flour tortillas for a large oversupply or party:

one. On the Stove-Meridian– Set a stack of tortillas in a clay or cast iron comal (or just a dry skillet) and oestrus over medium heat. Flip your stack virtually every 30 seconds and also rotate which tortilla is on top and bottom.

2. In the Oven – Wrap a stack of about five tortillas in aluminum foil and set them in a pre-heated oven at 350°. You can identify the wrapped stack on a clay or bandage iron comal or but on the rack. Warm for nigh fifteen-20 minutes, until heated through. Plain, in an oven, you lot can have multiple batches going at once.

3. In the Microwave – Wrap a stack of nearly five tortillas in a damp paper towel and prepare on a microwavable plate or dirt comal (not cast atomic number 26!). Microwave for 30 seconds and flip the wrapped stack and heat for some other 30 seconds until the stack feels warm to the touch. Echo as necessary for the remaining tortillas.

Here are a few other handy tips for tortillas:

For day-sometime, stale out tortillas, wipe them with a fiddling water before warming with 1 of the to a higher place methods
Once heated, continue 'em warm past wrapping the stack in a clean dish towel and set on a plate or tortillas holder

Do you store your comal in the oven or are you lot normal? flick.twitter.com/tBFidgupgP

— Tio Hugo (@morrocallexero) September 12, 2020

How to Utilize a Comal

Here is a pace-by-step on how to employ a comal:

Pre-heat the comal on a stovetop burner over medium heat
If re-heating tortillas, turn heat to low and place 3-5 tortillas in a stack on the comal
Flip and rotate the tortillas every 30-45 seconds until heated through
Cook raw tortillas over medium hear, 1 at a time, for 60 seconds on one side, and then flipping every 30-45 seconds until brown spots appear and it begins to puff upwards
Char marinated meats or vegetables over medium-high oestrus using tongs to flip every ane-2 minutes

As with a skillet, a comal works best if y'all heat it before putting any nutrient or tortillas on it.

A comal is essentially a griddle, so tortillas are but just the get-go of what you lot tin practice with it. Lay down a tortilla, height with some salsa, cheese, and filling of your choice, and summit with another tortilla for an instant quesadilla. Merely let the cheese melt everything together before flipping.

If y'all have a larger comal (my cast atomic number 26 one is simply 8″ effectually), they can be corking for grilling fajita meat and veggies (does annihilation smell amend than griddled onions?)

Comals are also great for charring tomatoes, onions, and peppers for a fresh roasted salsa. Or combine some meltable cheese, chorizo, and peppers for an outstanding queso fundido.

One time you lot've gotten started learning how to employ a comal, make certain you lot know how to make clean and treat it. Brand certain to not launder your comal with soap, let it sit down in water, or ever put it in the dishwasher.

Every time you utilise it, just scrape off the excess food residual and so rub a light coat of oil onto information technology.

If it does go wet, don't employ lather and brand certain and dry it completely to avoid rust. I like to wipe it down and so set on a hot burner on my stove to dry; just set a timer so you call back to turn it off.

In one case dry out and cool to the touch, again, wipe on a coat of oil. If yous have stubborn rust stains, you can use a steel wool scrubbing pad, simply after rinsing and drying, make sure to wipe on more oil.

Did I cover all your questions virtually how to use a comal?

In this article, we took an in-depth look into the comal. A comal is a Mexican kitchen staple that has WAY more uses than just heating upwardly tortillas.

Nosotros looked at exactly what a comal is, and what they can be fabricated out of. But we also looked at how to flavor them. And all the different ways y'all can use a comal in Mexican cooking.

Tortillas, aside, a comal is a great mode to grill meats too, such as barbacoa or carnitas subsequently they've been slow cooked.

If you're looking to purchase any small kitchen appliance, don't forget to bank check out my Recommended Products Page (click to run across my page) which breaks downwardly all my best picks by category.

I always hand select items that I either ain, take used, or have researched well to ensure they are neat items. I also requite non only top of the line equally well as inexpensive alternatives then my choices work for any budget.

Photo credits:

Tomatitos past Omar Bárcena is licensed by CC2.0

roma past GraceMarcellaNorman is licensed by CC2.0

Tortillas de comal by Victor Castro is licensed by CC2.0