Set out a large mixing bowl, a cutting board and knife, a cast iron or nonstick skillet, and a tortilla press.
Measure the masa, lard, and salt into the mixing bowl. Pour very hot tap water over the lard to melt it. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon at first, then by hand until it is very smooth.
Press the dough into a rectangle. Then wrap in plastic and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. *The rest time softens the masa to make the tortillas more flexible.
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.) Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces, leaving them under the plastic, so they don't dry out.
One at a time, place a ball of corn tortilla dough in the middle of the press, just slightly closer to the hinge. Press down hard to flatten the tortilla into a paper-thin circle.
Gently peel the corn 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 for approximately 1 1/2 - 2 minutes per side. *Pulling the corn tortillas off the plastic is the only tricky part of the process. Because the tortillas are so thin and delicate, you might rip the first few in half. Simply form the dough back into a ball and repress.
Move the cooked corn tortillas to a holding plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Serve warm.
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Notes
STACKING TORTILLAS: 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 corn 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 cooking process goes very quickly.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 doable. However, it is much easier to make flour tortillas without a press than corn tortillas. The masa dough is do delicate, using a press is better.GLUTEN-FREE? Yes, this recipe is completely gluten-free!