Can You Store Corn Tortillas By Freezing?
Corn tortillas are a great addition to meal planning. You can pair them with so many other recipes, use them to make wraps, and many more. You must be having your favorite way of munching on a delicious tortilla recipe, right?
Making corn tortillas is easy, and they are readily available in stores. But we know, sometimes you might run out of the store-bought ones, or not be in the mood to make tortillas at home. So can you make them in advance and store them?
Yes, you can make tortillas in advance and store them for later use. Isn’t it great that you can have ready tortillas stored at your home? This also means you do not have to worry about making them whenever you wish to have tortillas. But how can you store tortillas? Can you freeze them?
Yes, you can freeze tortillas. Freezing corn tortillas is as easy as freezing flour tortillas. In fact, they are very good for freezer storage. And you can use frozen tortillas in recipes the same way as freshly made tortillas- make wraps, and tacos, pair them with chicken, pork, and more.
Can You Freeze Store-Bought Tortillas?
Yes, you can freeze store-bought tortillas the same way you can freeze homemade tortillas. The only thing to keep in mind here is those store-bought tortillas should be fresh and far away from their expiry date. Freezing something that is not fresh will be pointless.
How To Freeze Corn Tortillas?
Corn tortillas can be frozen easily, but you need to follow the steps carefully one after the other, otherwise, you might end up spoiling your tortillas. If you have unopened packages of store-bought tortillas, we recommend freezing them directly.
You can use the following method to freeze homemade tortillas, opened packages of tortillas, or leftover tortillas. Check out the steps for freezing tortillas at home.
- If you have homemade tortillas, let them cool completely. Freezing food items that are still warm will cause freezer burns and will deteriorate the food quality. This step is not required for store-bought ones.
- Use high-quality ziplock bags and transfer the tortillas carefully into those bags. Do not put large quantities of tortillas into one bag, use several bags for the purpose. Make sure the freezer bags are large enough to hold the tortillas flat.
- Remove all the air from the bags by pressing, and seal the tortilla bags as quickly as possible. Make sure you do not let the tortillas come into moisture contact, as moisture will only alter the texture and quality. Therefore, it is crucial to keep out air and moisture.
- Once the bags are adequately sealed, label them with the appropriate date and name, so that you know how long they have been in the freezer. Stack them into the freezer and make sure you lay the bags flat. And your tortillas are ready to freeze.
Tips To Freeze Tortillas!
Now that you know how to freeze tortillas, check out the tips mentioned below for the best results for freezing them.
- It would be great if you layered your tortillas with baking paper or parchment to separate them. This will ensure that the tortillas do not stick to each other upon freezing.
- Freeze your tortillas in portions, and use separate freezer bags for each portion. This will protect the texture and allow you to defrost the required quantities at a time.
- Stack your tortillas on a flat surface inside the freezer and do not let them slant. Also, do not place any heavy items over the tortillas.
- Do not place the tortillas at the edges of the freezer as this might lead to freezer burns. Stack them at the center to keep the tortillas safe from extreme temperatures.
How Long To Freeze Corn Tortillas?
Corn tortillas can be frozen for up to 3 months. Post that, you will start noticing texture alterations on the tortillas. It is best to consume frozen tortillas as soon as possible so that you can avoid them from getting degraded.
You can also store unopened tortillas in the refrigerator for a maximum of 6 weeks. But once they are opened, they will keep for about 5 days in the fridge, so it is better to freeze them effectively to keep them for longer.
Do Tortillas Freeze Well?
Yes, corn tortillas do freeze well as long as they are adequately sealed and stored. Tortillas also do not lose their texture and quality upon freezing which means corn tortillas are freezer-friendly. Both store-bought and homemade tortillas freeze equally well.
However, for the tortillas to freeze well, you need to lock away moisture. This is because any moisture exposure will degrade the quality of the frozen tortillas. Therefore, before freezing the tortillas. stress on the sealing to keep any dampness out of freezer bags.
How Can You Defrost Tortillas?
Defrosting corn tortillas is easy and straightforward just like defrosting wheat tortillas. All you have to do is remove them from the freezer, take them out of the freezer bags, and place them separately on the counter or a wire rack for a few hours.
You do not need to defrost the tortillas in the refrigerator, you can thaw them directly at room temperature. Defrosting the tortillas on the counter or wire rack is completely safe. This approach will also allow for excellent air ventilation, thus enabling quick defrosting.
Can You Refreeze Corn Tortillas?
Well, it is technically possible to refreeze corn tortillas, but not recommended to do so. Because refreezing the tortillas will only damage them. Once they have been defrosted, the tortillas come into air and moisture content, and therefore not recommended for refreezing.
Exposure to moisture after defrosting will lead to a loss of texture and thus taste in the tortillas. To avoid refreezing you can defrost only the required number of tortillas at a time. You can also store the tortillas in the refrigerator for some time, but avoid freezing them repeatedly.
Summing it up, that was all about freezing corn tortillas. Now you know how to freeze tortillas, when you have made extra batches at home, or want to store the store-bought tortillas made of corn for longer. Apart from the corn ones, if you have wheat or flour tortillas, they all can be frozen for later enjoyment.