I’ve only ever made tortillas from Maseca. I want to try making them from better dried masa, and I want to try making fresh masa at home.
I’ve looked at Masienda ([www.masienda.com](https://www.masienda.com)) and I’ll probably buy them some of their dried masa and dried corn. They’re pretty expensive, though, at $5-$6 per pound.
In the US, are there brands you like better than Maseca?
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UPDATE: I have three bags of Masienda masa and a bag of Bob Red Mills Organic Masa (as well as a big bag of Maseca, which we always have on hand). Next week I’ll make a new post with my opinion (white guy who grew up in the Midwest) and my wife’s opinion (Nicaraguan who’s been eating tortillas since she was weaned).
A side note: Central American tortillas are made from the same masa (fresh, or more often Maseca) as Mexican tortillas, but they’re much thicker. Especially in Honduras and El Salvador, a tortilla is as thick as 3 or 4 Mexican tortillas stacked up. That makes them a little chewier but just as tasty. I’ll make both styles for my test.
by miguel-elote
8 Comments
I know this is going to sound crazy, but…[King Arthur masa](https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/organic-masa-harina) is fantastic.
We had some sitting on the shelf for a while but I was hesitant to try it until I ran out of maseca one day. Made sopes with it and they were great. The flour was fresh and easy to handle.
It is pricey as well, though.
Following! I just bought a pack of blue masa harina and a pack of yellow from masienda, and am surprised by how quickly I am going through it.
I buy the masa harina from Masienda and it is fantastic. Worth every cent. You can mix it in with Maseca to stretch it out if you want.
I also buy dent corn from them and grind my own masa from it. Great results for tortillas, tamales, and empanadas. You can get good dent corn from Barton Springs Mill as well.
Wow! It seems that they use proper nixtamalisation ( is that the english word?) … worth giving it a try…
I’ve gotten masienda flour before, and the aroma is great. My hot take though, is its not worth it vs bob red mills or to pay premium for flour in general.
I found the local fresh masa spot near me and I can get a 2.5lb bag for 6 dollars! And it comes out amazing. I don’t expect everyone to be able to find fresh but I wouldn’t invest in masienda consistently? I bought their tortilla press and book though and both amazing.
How long does masa powder last? How about dent corn?
Masienda sells 50 pounds bags of masa and corn kernels for about $2/pound. That’s almost as cheap as Maseca.
It would take me about 3, maybe 6 months to get through that much powder. If it’s still usable in that much time, it would be totally worth it.
old post but look up “nixtamasa” maseca, it comes in a light tan packaging with bright green letters. I found it at walmart, if you look up the comparisons on youtube you will see why
How is the press? Does the thickness setting work very well? Are they always evenly thick?
Thanks for your time.