Set out a stand mix, a cutting board and knife, a cast iron or nonstick skillet, and a tortilla press. The skillet and tortilla press must be large enough to fit the size of tortillas you want to make. *You do not have to have tortilla press; you can make tortillas with a rolling pin. But the press makes it much easier!
Measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixing bowl. Mix well. Then beat in the lard. Finally, turn the mixer on low and slowly pour in very hot tap water. Mix until the dough is very smooth. Then turn off the mixer.
Gather the dough and press into a ball. Place it on a cutting board. Cut the ball in half and continue cutting each piece in half (or thirds) until you have enough equals portions to make as many tortillas as you want. *You can cut them into 30 "street taco" 4-inch tortillas, 24 taco 6-inch tortillas, 15 large taco/fajita 8-inch tortillas, or 12 burrito 10-inch tortillas.
Set the skillet over medium heat. Place plastic wrap over the to top and bottom pressing-surface of the tortilla press. (Some people like to slide a freezer bag over each section because it's a little more sturdy than plastic wrap.) Once at a time, place a ball of dough in the middle of the press, just slightly closer to the hinge. Press down hard to flatten the dough ball. Then rotate the tortilla 90 degrees, and press hard again. The tortilla should be paper-thin.
Peel the tortilla off the plastic and move it to the hot dry skillet. Make sure you lay it in the skillet carefully so it has full contact with the hot surface. Cook the tortilla about 30 seconds per side, waiting until large bubbles form. If you flip it too fast, the tortillas will be dense instead of airy and bubbly.
Adjust the heat as needed after the first or second tortilla. They should have golden marks from the skillet touch-points and have airy bubbles. If they are turning dark too fast, lower the heat. If bubbles are not forming, turn the heat up.
Once cooked, move the tortilla to a holding plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Continue making the rest of the tortillas. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
STACKING IS IMPORTANT! The tortillas will feel crisp when you take them out of the skillet, but will soften as they sit. Stacking and keeping the tortillas warm is an important part of the process.ASSEMBLY LINE: Making tortillas is a great family cooking project. You can have multiple skillets going at the same time, and have someone pressing tortillas in between cooking, so the process goes very quick.NO TORTILLA PRESS: You can roll the balls or dough between two sheets of plastic or wax paper. This does take a little more effort, but is very doable. Make sure to rotate the plastic as you roll, so the tortillas are round and even.GLUTEN-FREE? Yes, you can make a gluten-free version of this recipe by swapping gluten-free baking mix with the wheat flour. Note, the tortillas will not be quite as flexible as when made with gluten, but if you serve them warm, they still have great bend and flavor.