Sourdough Starter Tortillas Recipe With Lard – Beginner Sourdough Recipe

My family loves these sourdough starter tortillas with lard! We enjoy taco Tuesday almost every week and these are what I make each week. Made with 100% whole wheat flour, they are delicious and soft. I hope your family enjoys them as much as we do.

Why Use Lard Instead of oil?

I use lard for two reasons. One is that I have a lot of lard that I have rendered from our pigs and I want to use it instead of something that I have to purchase. The second reason is that I try to avoid seed oils and lard is not only not a seed oil but has vitamin D in it.

Do I Have To Ferment the Tortillas for 8 Hours?

No you do not. I have mixed them up, let them sit for 20 minutes to rest and then rolled them out and cooked them. They do turn out better if they get a chance to ferment for at least 2 hours.

However if you are needing the digestive help of sourdough don’t skimp out on the fermentation!

What if My Sourdough Starter is Not Super Active?

I have made these tortillas with a starter that has just been fed and they turn out great. As long as you have a mature starter and it does not have any mold or anything gross in it you are good. I have used a starter that I took out of the refrigerator fed and made them.

Do They Freeze Well?

Yes they do. I freeze any extra I have each time. Pull them out of the freezer let them thaw and then warm them up while wrapped in a damp towel or paper towel. They do sometimes stick together but it still works well.

Can I Make Tortilla Chips With These Sourdough Starter Tortillas with Lard?

Yes! Simply don’t wrap them in a damp towel and cut them into your preferred shapes. Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 until they are crispy.

Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour To Dust The Cutting Board With?

You can but I find that the wheat bran can cause the tortillas to rip as they are rolled out.

How Long Do They Last in the Refrigerator?

They last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

How To Make Sourdough Starter Tortillas With Lard?

In a bowl or a stand mixer combine the following ingredients:

1/4 cup of lard

3 1/2 cups of freshly milled whole wheat flour (learn how to grind your own wheat berries here)

1 tsp of salt

1 cup of active sourdough starter

Mix until well combined and it forms a cohesive dough. Depending on the consistency of your sourdough starter you many have to add more flour to achieve the same sonsistency.

Cover bowl with a damp towel and put somewhere warm to ferment for up to 12 hours. You can also do this step the night before and place in the refrigerator, just make sure to let it ferment at least two hour on the counter.

Preheat your griddle to medium-high heat (on my gas range that is at the 4 setting).Cut the dough into 1″-2″ pieces and form into small balls. Let them rest for a few minutes. Dust your counter or cutting board with some unbleached, unbromated, unenriched all-purpose flour.

Flatten each ball into a disk and then roll out to 1/8″ thick or as thin as you can get them.

Test your griddle to see if it is hot enough by dropping a few drops of water on it. If the water sizzles and pops then it is hot enough.

Place your tortillas on the griddle they should start developing blisters and raising in some spots. Once they don’t raise anymore (about 30 seconds-2 minutes) flip them over and cook them for another minutes on the other side. Pull them off of the griddle and place them on a plate or platter covered in a damp towel/paper towel.

Wrap the stack of tortilla up after placing each tortilla. You want to see steam coming from the towel this is the difference between tortilla that are hard and break and soft pliable tortillas that can be bent. Repeat until all of your tortillas are made. Enjoy them within the hour for best taste and texture or freeze for later as soon as they are cool.

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