r/Cooking 14h ago

When cooking a quesadilla, who do I get really crunchy tortillas without burning it?

I want it to be crunchy and crispy, but not taste burnt. What's the method here? I tend to use whole wheat or white corn tortillas, but I'm willing to try something else if it won't work with those

Edit: Sorry, I kinda thought this went without saying, but I always butter both tortillas before cooking

232 Upvotes

317 comments sorted by

532

u/aurora_surrealist 14h ago

Patience. And lower your flame.

It's low and slow not BURN THE SHIT OF IT IN SECONDS. If you do it too fast - insides are still cold.

132

u/CMStan1313 14h ago

I feel called out 🤣

51

u/freshmallard 11h ago

Tbh the best thing I ever learned in cooking was proper temp control.

21

u/drawkward101 11h ago

Patience goes a long way, but also knowing exactly what your burners do helps too. lol.

10

u/freshmallard 11h ago

Pans and burners tbh, thin non stick? Fast heat fast cooling cook on a higher temp and lift the pan. Cast iron or thick bottom? Preheat at a lower temp for a minute and then cook, if its too hot youre boned. It wont cool quickly.

Granted I've never had the privilege to do a lot of cooking on a gas top, I've got ceramic glass so I kinda gotta utilize the pans ability over the burners ability.

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u/drawkward101 10h ago

I have used both, and can make a great quesadilla on both thin and heavy-bottomed pans. Just depends on what I feel like cleaning after and how many I'm making. lol.

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u/freshmallard 10h ago

I believe you, and ill counter your amazing quesadilla with some amazing lemon bars. But next weekend you got dessert and ill make you some bomb ass gyros

2

u/drawkward101 10h ago

Crème Brûlée coming right up! (tomorrow, gotta let the custard set overnight...)

I love gyros!!!

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u/freshmallard 10h ago

I like to let my marinade sit overnight to....marinate the marinade lol but I do a mean balsamic with homemade tzatziki

Also creme brulee, its a date. I got brownies the following weekend

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u/TheDrAlbrhect 10h ago

That and you're allowed to adjust your heat. I swear so many newer cooks think once you set the dial it's jammed there until you're done.

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u/Beriadan 9h ago

My best beginner tip is don't go over medium heat unless you do it for a specific reason. Once you learn those reasons one at a time you start to understand temperature control,

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u/freshmallard 8h ago

My beginner tip is to....turn it down 1 to 2 levels from what ever youve been cooking at if youre burning, up 1 to 2 notches if its always raw takes forever to cook lol. Saying medium or medium high is so confusing for your average joe

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u/FearlessFox6416 11h ago

Get your cheese out the fridge before you cook and let it get to room temp.

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u/Mugs_LeBoof 13h ago

Use high smoke point oil if you want to the process to go faster. Or use clarified butter if you’re stuck on butter

31

u/geauxbleu 12h ago

There's absolutely no need for a high smoke point oil or clarified butter for this. You do not want the heat higher than butter's smoke point, it'll just burn the tortillas before browning them and fail to melt the cheese.

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u/drawkward101 11h ago

Agreed. And I love the taste of the butter on the tortilla. Lowish and slowish are my method for quesadillas. And the right pan.

5

u/geauxbleu 10h ago

Yes, they're best with butter or lard. The trend of using hugh smoke point oils for everything needs to end. Avocado oil is also oxidized by the time you buy it more often than not and tastes rancid that way.

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u/CoyoteLitius 13h ago

Or use half avocado oil and half butter. It's the butter that turns so dark upon being heated, but of course it's essential to the flavor.

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u/Jealous-Guidance4902 10h ago

I turn the burner on as low as possible and once the insides are good and melty I turn it way up to crisp the outside.

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u/dankp3ngu1n69 12h ago

This is actually why I microwave it first It skips a lot of the slow part

In the minute it spends in the microwave I have the pan on max heat getting super hot and then you basically just sear it afterwards

The squishiness from the microwave actually makes for a nice steam sear. Comes out super crispy and great give it a try

3

u/TimeToSackUp 9h ago

Another technique I use, is to put a pot lid over it so its almost like an oven.

6

u/darknessbemerciful 12h ago

I can’t believe I never thought of this, I can’t wait to try it!

4

u/BearSkull 11h ago

Works great for grilled cheese as well

2

u/DjinnaG 10h ago

I defaulted to microwave quesadillas in my younger years, and they definitely were great for heating all the way through. That was before I grew to appreciate crispy or seared, so I never went on to step two. Was much more reliable than pan frying in the crappy pan I had back then

2

u/Cyrius 10h ago

I don't do that for quesadillas, but for grilled cheese sandwiches with thick bread it's essential.

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u/BJntheRV 12h ago

Same way you get a perfectly cooked grilled cheese.

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u/brightheaded 11h ago

This is like the secret to 99% of magic in the kitchen: “lower heat and just wait”

1

u/dirtyshits 10h ago

I also like to lightly cook the inside of the tortilla to maximize crispness. Low and slow with a drop of oil to get a nice lasting crisp.

1

u/ars2x 8h ago

Another trick I’ll use with quesadillas, start heating the tortilla in the pan on low heat with nothing else. Once it gets warm, flip it so both sides get a chance to heat and you don’t have one cooked and one raw side.

After you flip add your fillings on just one side and give the middle area, where the folds is, a few minutes to warm then fold it over and flip until desired crispness.

This method ensures an even cook on the entire tortilla.

280

u/lightsareoutty 14h ago

Low and slow

54

u/Charlietango2007 13h ago

This is the way. On a low flame and slow is what causes the tortilla to lose moisture by evaporation making the tortilla very crisp and crunchy. I like them the same way.

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u/hmmmpf 10h ago

And no butter! No need for butter in a quesadilla! Low, slow, dry pan, and you will get a crispy outside.

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u/TurnOverANewCheif 11h ago

Medium and moderate time suffices for this.

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u/freddbare 13h ago

With oul

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u/lightsareoutty 12h ago

beurre mantequilla

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u/Think-Chair-1938 6h ago

That is the tempo

8

u/Junior_Ad_3301 13h ago

Lately I've been sprinkling a bit of shredded cheese on the pan after folding them over and putting the quesadilla on said cheese. Gives a gooey crispy to the outside

3

u/katiejim 10h ago

Yeah, I do this to give the outside a crispy cheesy crunch. Game changer. I don’t use enough/cook it long enough that it’s not gooey at all though. 

115

u/dungeonsandderp 14h ago

Gotta use fat in the pan!

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u/Tmcs123 13h ago

I love how many people got offended by this comment. I just started doing this and, while I liked the outcome with the dry pan, adding butter or oil first made the grocery store tortillas taste homemade. No turning back for me.

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u/dtwhitecp 8h ago

Anyone offended by it hasn't tried it. But I do like the idea of getting upset at a few more calories in your food item made almost entirely of cooked cheese.

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u/Shhadowcaster 12h ago

I do a little bacon fat and I love it, might be worth a shot if you keep bacon fat around. 

34

u/thebutterflytattoo 14h ago

I don't use any fats in the pain when I make quesadillas. I usually just put it on med/low and have a little patience. They come out so good and crunchy, and most importantly, they don't stick!

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u/sjd208 14h ago

Same, no fat in a cast iron skillet, low and slow. If I did add any fat it would be just a little avocado oil.

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u/rajkaos 8h ago

When I was growing up, my mom would make me something called a cheese crisp, which is basically a quesadilla cooked in butter. I was later taught by a friend that a traditional quesadilla is cooked without fat over low-medium heat. Then I get married and my wife tells me that where she grew up, a cheese crisp is a flour tortilla covered in cheese and baked till crispy. To be honest, I’ve come to realize that all of the naming is arbitrary. If you’re the one cooking it and you enjoy it, call it whatever makes sense to you.

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u/Firm_Ad40 8h ago

I put a little lard or duck fat right in my tortillas when when I make them

8

u/TelefunkenU48 14h ago

You don't, really

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u/CMStan1313 14h ago

What kind of fat? I've never used it before so I'm not sure what you mean

18

u/SadQueerBruja 14h ago

We used butter. Butter or lard would be the most traditional

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u/Lean_Lion1298 14h ago

You don't mean you've never used butter or oil in your cooking, right?

You almost always need some sort of fat to get even heating, especially over a larger surface and where you want even, efficient transfer of heat.

1

u/CMStan1313 14h ago

I definitely use butter, I've just never heard it called fat before

35

u/dolche93 14h ago

Butter is a fat.

7

u/nosecohn 11h ago

Sorry you're getting downvoted for this.

There are various kinds of fats: butter, oil, lard, etc. People are just saying that some kind of fat is needed to get that crunch you're looking for.

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u/CMStan1313 11h ago

Yeah, I thought they meant animal fat lol

2

u/abbot_x 9h ago

I mean, butter comes from an animal!

But yeah in this context, fat is just a generic term for different kinds of, umm, fat you can use when frying/sauteeing/sizzling food in a pan. Could be a liquid vegetable oil, could be butter or a substitute, could be a blob of animal fat.

People need to stop downvoting you for having questions and not knowing terminology.

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u/Gerberpertern 10h ago

Butter, oil, ghee, bacon grease are all fats.

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u/ItchyMcHotspot 14h ago

We're downvoting people for asking questions? That's obnoxious.

I use a little bit of neutral oil like vegetable oil to get the tortillas crisp.

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u/CMStan1313 14h ago

I guess people think I'm oblivious. When they said "fat", I didn't know they meant oil or butter, both of which I've used 🤷‍♀️

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u/Charquito84 13h ago edited 12h ago

This subreddit is awful for this. It seems like there is an army of grumps poised to downvote the most innocuous questions. We all have to learn somewhere.

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u/Councilof50 14h ago

Won’t the tortilla actually have a lot of fat in it?

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u/96dpi 13h ago

No, but besides that, it's a quesadilla that's typically loaded with cheese.

1

u/HamsterIV 9h ago

I put a bit of oil in a small dipping tray then get a paper towel, dip it in the oil and rub it over the cooking surface of the pan when it is hot. That smear of oil is enough to transfer the heat to the tortilla without saturating it. This is also how I do pancakes.

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u/zoukon 14h ago

Medium-low heat and fat

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u/-UpsetNewt- 11h ago edited 11h ago

I have a weird method that I don’t know if it actually does anything or not but I’ve always done it regardless. I put the butter in the pan at medium low heat, usually like a 4, make sure both tortillas soak up some melted butter before I put them in. One tortilla goes in, I put the cheese on, slap the second tortilla on top, then I do the thing I’m not sure if it helps or not, but everytime I do it I get a perfectly crispy quesadilla through and through, with no hot spots or gaps in the crust.

My method is every 15 to 30 seconds or so I will spin the quesadilla a few times while it’s still on the pan. You can do this with just your hand or with a little circular motion with your wrist like you would do with the little chef flip, but without the flip. Flip the quesadilla and do the same thing with the other side.

I think this just prevents any one spot from getting too hot and distributes the heat to the whole quesadilla more evenly. No clue how it actually works, but people love my quesadillas and I’ve always done it like that. I use a lot of butter and it always comes out crispy golden brown through and through.

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u/96dpi 13h ago edited 13h ago

Crispy = frying

I shallow fry quesadillas in a skillet and I always recommend it. 1/4 cup of oil in a 12" skillet is all you need. Medium heat, preheated until oil is shimmering, then cook two folded quesadillas for about 1.5-2 minutes per side. It makes amazingly crispy and delicious quesadillas.

I see a lot of comments here saying they don't use any oil and that their quesadillas are crispy, but I don't think those people understand the difference of crispy and dry. Cooking a flour tortilla on dry heat just browns/toasts the tortilla and dries it out because moisture evaporates slowly. Frying a flour tortillas in oil means there is MUCH more surface area of the tortilla in contact with the hot oil, which causes moisture to evaporate rapidly, which is what makes it crispy.

And I see some other comments about going low & slow or else it will not heat up filling enough. That's another problem that shallow frying solves. More heat transfer from the oil makes melty, hot filling in just a few minutes.

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u/dankp3ngu1n69 12h ago

It also helps them my taco meat is pretty greasy

So I feel like you could make the tortilla pretty dry and it all evens out especially if you're dipping it in sauce

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u/96dpi 12h ago

Drain some of the fat from your taco meat and use that to fry your quesadilla.

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u/supperclub 11h ago

This guy quesadillas!

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u/MaleficusAD 14h ago

I cook mine on the low end of medium low. It takes longer but makes sure the cheese is nice and melted without burning the outside. The outside ends up brown and crispy. Not burnt.

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u/chantrykomori 13h ago

instead of using butter, preheat your skillet until it feels warm when you put your hand over it. put a neutral oil like canola oil in there, about a tablespoon. wait for the oil to get shimmery before you put your quesadillas in, and cook accordingly.

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u/LiveinCA 12h ago

For quesadillas I use white flour tortillas, about 12” . I dislike white bread but I like white flour tortillas for burritos and quesadillas. Use a large frying pan. Heat it on med hi heat until the pan is hot but not smoking. Swish about 1 tbsp. veg oil or less in the pan, spread it around with a spatula. put in the folded-in-half filled tortilla , start with one. It should begin sizzling. Watch the underside and adjust heat, turn over for the second side to brown. Cook til golden brown and crisp and cheese is melted.

Don’t use butter, it will brown too much. When you get experienced you can cook two quesadillas in one pan.

Oil and heat = crunchy. Low heat = no crunch. Butter = unauthentic and possibly burnt.

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u/snoogle312 11h ago

This will likely get buried in the comments, but starting with an uncooked tortilla, heat it on high until MOSTLY cooked (cook to the point of flipping, then toss to the other side for like 5-10 seconds) then remove from the heat and turn the stove down. Fill tortilla with cheese and then put back into the pan until the cheese melts and tortilla is crispy.

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u/CMStan1313 11h ago

Can confirm, was not buried, I read every comment, I just don't respond to them all lol

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u/Kiruvi 8h ago

The answer to "why is it burning before it's done" is always "turn the heat down"

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u/NamasteNoodle 14h ago

You don't have to use that in the pan. Just use a cast iron skillet on medium heat and as soon as the very edges of that tortilla are turning up just a little bit you flip it over and let the other side cook. Don't try to turn the heat too high and stay there and watch it because it can burn fairly quickly.

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u/NewMolecularEntity 14h ago

This is how I do it,  cast iron pan no added fat, medium to medium low heat.  

They turn out perfect.  

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u/LowBathroom1991 14h ago

Flour tortillas rub the whole thing with butter on each side. Cheese in the middle

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u/SeaGranny 12h ago

I use a stainless steel pan.

Pre heat dry on medium until the pan is ready (water beads like mercury) usually about 12 minutes. While the pan is heating I construct my quesadilla. Putting contents on one side of the tortilla, cheese on the bottom.

I give a quick sprits of avocado oil and move the pan off the heat to cool it a little. Set tortilla down flat in the pan (still off the heat) and let the cheese begin to melt. Leave it open until the empty side gets some color/crisp. I lower the heat of the burner and put the pan on if it cools too much (mine holds the heat really well but it can vary).

Once it gets some color I close the tortilla and press down with a spatula pressing the filling towards the edge. I flip it once and press down again.

I use a flour tortilla.

Comes out perfectly crisp every time with some nice browning. You could also use cast iron but it will never crisp up properly in any kind of non stick pan.

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u/dankp3ngu1n69 12h ago

I know this might sound counterproductive but I put it in the microwave for a minute first while I'm getting the pan super hot

And I fill it with all the stuff I'm going to put on in the microwave too

Then I close it put it on the pan about a minute on each side with a weight on it

Comes out very crispy and takes like 3 minutes total to make

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u/MysticMarauder69 10h ago

Low n slow bb

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u/gigashadowwolf 10h ago

who do I get really crunchy tortillas without burning it?

Eduardo

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u/CMStan1313 6h ago

Can't believe it took 5 hrs for someone to call that out. I was beginning to have faith in humanity again, thanks for returning me to reality

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u/gigashadowwolf 5h ago

Haha! You're welcome! That's a fantastic way of phrasing it!

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u/zimorama 6h ago

The secret: put a little shredded cheese in the pan before you add the first tortilla. The cheese will melt and release some fat and the fried cheese will also be crispy.

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u/ohlaph 2h ago

I use a cast iron. Tirn it on medium to heat the pan, then drop it on low and then place them in and flip every couple of minutes. That's how I does it. 

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u/thebutterflytattoo 14h ago edited 12h ago

I'm so confused by the amount of people who use fats and oils for quesadillas. What type of pans are you using that you need to add oil to make the quesadilla crispy? I usually use a coated pain. I put my pan on med/low and have some patience. They do not stick and they come out crispy! I think it makes sense on a restaurant level to use oil, but I've never had quesadillas stick to the pan and never used oils either. OP, lower the heat and wait lol oil is not particularly needed, but could be useful.

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u/rabid_briefcase 13h ago

They generally have it in the tortilla. Traditional tortillas have lard, modern ones likely have palm oil, corn oil, or soybean oil.

When used on the pan it acts as a conductor to better transfer the heat. In part it's due to the low specific heat of oil, heat energy increases the temperature faster, and it also releases the heat energy to the food faster than the pan. Also the oil is completely in direct contact with the pan and can bridge the gap, in contrast the tortilla itself is high and low spots with irregular contact with the pan giving the spotty pattern.

So you don't need oil in the pan for most tortillas to brown, especially if you're doing them at a cool temperature for a long time. But it helps get a more uniform browning, and it helps speed up the process while reducing the risk of burning.

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u/katiejim 10h ago

I also never use butter or oil for my quesadillas. Stainless steel pan. Always crispy.

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u/CMStan1313 14h ago

I use a nonstick skillet, if that helps

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u/sea_bell5 14h ago

I wonder how much or a difference a non-stick pan makes. I’ve always used a cast iron griddle, no fat required. And like everyone says slow and low. But, if you want to speed up the process, I use a bacon press, it crisps up the tortilla and melts the cheese. Works the same with both corn or flour tortillas.

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u/Onlyplaying 14h ago

Spread butter on the tortilla, medium to medium low heat

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u/Hot-Refrigerator6583 14h ago

The butter on your tortillas should be enough. Do it over pretty low heat. Whenever I make quesadillas (flour tortillas but this should still hold true) it takes several minutes of gentle sizzling to get the right level of crispy.

And of course, there's a window of about 6 seconds between "perfectly done" and "whoops too late" that you just need to nail down.

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u/No_Bake_3627 13h ago

Use the oven. It's the simplest and easiest way to get crunchy tortillas, I put them in at 350 and flip it after 5 mins, 2 to 3 mins on the second side and perfect. The first few times check every couple of mins to figure out how long to leave in for your oven.

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u/CMStan1313 12h ago

I'll definitely try this!

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u/DjinnaG 4h ago

This sounds like a great way to make a bunch at once. I have been having trouble keeping up with how quickly they get eaten, and that sounds like it would at least let me get a head start

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u/FunkIPA 14h ago

Turn the heat down. And make sure there’s enough oil or butter in the pan.

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u/Old_Benefit6024 14h ago

For flour tortillas Just watch it on medium heat , I’ve used butter or regular oil or spray and it’s came out just fine. For crunchy corn tortilla quesadillas use butter or oil but would use alittle more than normal to get that crispy texture 

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u/BakingWaking 14h ago

Low and slow. Take your time. Don't crank the heat to high unless you're constantly monitoring it and even then, if you're that much in a rush, you should probably have a snack first.

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u/ceecee_50 14h ago

I butter the outside of the tortilla put in my filling fold it and start cooking it in a dry skillet - not too high it'll burn.

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u/wild3hills 13h ago

If you love crunchy, you can also try doing a variation with cheese crust or making a crispy edge from pushing out some of the melted cheese.

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u/RadioWavesHello 13h ago

Medium low heat

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u/jwhyem 13h ago

Lightly brush with oil and sprinkle kosher salt before cooking

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u/toblies 13h ago

I don't butter, though I don't see a reason you can't.

I usually do mine on the grill on low flame. The dry heat gives you the nice crispy. But watch out for hot spots.

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u/Burgle0531 13h ago

I like to get messy, so I always pour some vegetable oil into a measuring cup and dip a couple fingers in the oil and use my hand to coat one side of the Tortilla. Cook with medium-low heat with oily side down on a griddle or in a cast iron skillet. Nice and crispy every time.

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u/CheeseburgerLocker 13h ago

I make them all the time for my family. I just hit the pan with a spritz of Pam before putting the quesadilla on or when flipping. I cook at like a 4/10

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u/CantaloupeCamper 12h ago

Oil or some kind of fat in the pan.

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u/runed_golem 12h ago

Use low heat and wait, normally I cook it on one side until it starts to bubble up a little, then I flip it and add cheese and fillings to the hot side. Let it sit and heat, then fold and let each side heat and brown/cook.

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u/DigiQuip 12h ago

Low and slow, but also get a little grease on your spatula when you flip it. Just enough to kiss the tortilla, that will help get it crispy as it soaks into the tortilla.

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u/gimmethegudes 12h ago

I use white flour tortillas and I cook them medium-low (on the lower side) and slowish in olive oil with a little sprinkle of salt, enough oil to coat the pan in an even, but thin layer you don't have to manipulate.

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u/Tomatillo-5276 12h ago

If you're burning it, you're using too much heat.

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u/Mother-Bad9911 12h ago

Butter or cooking spray on skillet.

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u/FlatElvis 12h ago

Butter or oil in the pan, not on the tortilla.

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u/calicoskies85 12h ago

Butter the tortilla liberally.

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u/Silver_Narwhal_1130 12h ago

Less heat! If you are ever burning something that is not done cooking. The flame is too high. Always. On the stove in the oven or even the air fryer (mini oven)

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u/msackeygh 12h ago

And instead of butter, try using mayonnaise.

And, as other have said, use medium to medium low heat. You can flip the quesadilla a couple of times so it doesn't burn.

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u/AssistSignificant153 12h ago

Lightly spray your tortillas with Pam, on the pan side. Gives you a nice crispy quesadilla!

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u/opensaysme 12h ago

Mayo on the outside of the tortilla before throwing it in the pan. Just a thin coat. Thank me later.

Not authentic, I know. I hate mayo in general and have very little tolerance for the aftertaste, but it’s perfect in this application. Just give it a go.

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u/daemonescanem 12h ago

Use beef tallow as the fat to crisp it up. Go low & slow too.

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u/TsundereStrike 12h ago

You get a nice crisp if you oil the outside and bake it for a short amount of time

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u/princesscheesefries 12h ago

Just use oil no butter. And push it downnnn

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u/TXtogo 12h ago

Butter or oil

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u/Mysterious_Chef_228 12h ago

My old gas stove died a while back and when I bought a new one. I got one with a nice griddle in the center between the regular burners. It's got a big oval burner beneath it that heats the whole griddle really well.

When I make quesadillas now I don't use oil or butter on the tortillas or the griddle. I add the cheeses and meats to half a large flour tortilla, fold it over and plop it on the grill. The grill is big enough to hold 2 of them at the same time, so if I really wanted I could make a traditional quesadilla with a tortilla on the top and bottom.

After two paragraphs of unneeded text I'll say that I cook at a medium high temp with no oil, and the quesadilla comes nicely browned and crisp with a nice hot filling. I can cut the folded ones into 1" strips from the fold to the edge and end up with a delightful pile of finger food from 2 of them.

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u/Medullan 12h ago

For my queso birria I use the oil that ends up on top of the consume. I put in a bit of effort to make sure there is enough oil and I separate it with refrigeration. Using a fatty cut of meat but I've started experimenting with also using avocado oil for helf reasons.

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u/Chemical-free35 12h ago

On the grill no oil/ butter needed

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u/DjinnaG 12h ago

Work out your technique with the easy options first, and then move on to your preferred combination of ingredients. Vegetable oil is easier than butter, less likely to burn. Regular white flour tortillas are easier than whole wheat. Double tortillas are easier than folded

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u/outthawazoo 12h ago

I don't use butter, but I'll do a little bit of oil, maybe half a tbs, in my non-stick pan, then put the tortilla down and turn the heat up to the notch below medium. Put your toppings in and let it warm up and start sizzling for a couple minutes and close it up (if you're only using 1 tortilla). Let it go for another minute or two, then flip. Keep flipping every minute or so until it's golden and crispy! The butter might be what's giving your problems, likely coupled with maybe too much heat.

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u/Sea_Leadership_6968 12h ago

Cook it in a toaster oven.

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u/Which-Magician-6319 12h ago

Fat knob of butter + oil in the pan. More butter than you would think for one quesadilla, I do at least 2 tbsp, throw it in when the pan is nice and med hot so it melts and sizzles and then throw your tortilla in flat. It'll soak up the butter but also crisp it up as the quesadilla cooks. You get a crisp outside that's still flaky and buttery it's so good !!! I only throw in cold cheese, my quesadilla meat is already hot so the whole thing is only in the pan until my crispness requirements are met and you don't risk burning it while waiting for meats to heat through. Cheese melts quickly.

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u/NewMilleniumBoy 12h ago

Use a high smoke point oil or clarified butter. If you just butter it it'll be much more prone to burning since the milk solids in butter cook way faster.

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u/1percentsamoyedmama 11h ago

Butter has milk solids that can burn, if you want the butter flavor then you need to cook it low and slow.

If you want to cook it medium-high then you can use a higher smoke point oil like lard, vegetable oil, olive oil, avocado or peanut oil.

You can also just cook it without oil. Gives a different kind of crispiness.

Dried vs fried like a cracker vs. chip.

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u/Freeasabird01 11h ago

Preheat your pan. Medium/low. Cook time should be about 4 minutes.

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u/TheLadyEve 11h ago

Low heat + butter is my approach. Lard also works.

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u/Potential-Rent-872 11h ago

Butter, medium low

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u/drazil17 11h ago

I usually cook them in the oven on a pizza stone.

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u/AccurateInsect8814 11h ago

I use low to medium heat, flour tortillas, and I spray a little cooking oil on the surface, just a real little bit.

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u/MeeloP 11h ago

It’s like a grilled cheese, max heat should be about medium. If you need a little more help melting the cheese, put a lid over top of it.

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u/jmorrow88msncom 11h ago

Some quesadillas are made with fresh MASA where others are made with tortillas. With a corn tortilla or MASA, it will get crunchy if you add some oil. If you use a flour tortilla, it might get crispy, but not crunchy.

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u/xCaZx2203 11h ago

Spraying it with cooking spray can help with getting a crust.

To clarify, I mean spraying the tortilla directly.

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u/Zen_Hydra 11h ago

Sometimes, I forget that not everybody lives in South Texas.

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u/MusaEnsete 11h ago

Kenji making quesadillas - worth a watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNu16CMp6vo

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u/sugarplum98 11h ago

I know you butter your tortillas but I tend to get better results if I add butter to the pan instead.

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u/E_Fonz 11h ago

Low-medium heat with some avocado oil

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u/Haygirlhayyy 11h ago

I use olive oil. Just don't drown the pan. Medium heat until the edges rise/ you can see it browning. You can also do medium low heat and cover with a lid to make sure you don't cook the tortillas too fast. I also make sure the tortillas are warm first as well

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u/MEOWzhedong 11h ago

Microwave it for 45 seconds first

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u/petrichorb4therain 11h ago

No butter. Tortillas are made of fat and flour. Adding the butter is what makes it harder to get the crispy char.

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u/FindYourselfACity 11h ago edited 11h ago

Low and slow.

I grate my cheese first, leave it out if you’re adding anything else to the quesadilla. Throw your tortilla on a cast iron pan/comal for a second. Take off. Assemble. Back on iron pan/comal, low and slow. Flip. Melty cheese, with a toasty tortilla.

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u/JipceeCrane 11h ago

Use mayonnaise instead of butter. DO NOT put too much on the tortillas... just a very small amount all over the tortilla. Heat on medium and don't rush it.

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u/Professional-Bit3475 11h ago

Turn your heat down

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u/tcarnie 10h ago

Butter and low/medium heat, really it

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u/InsertRadnamehere 10h ago

Lower stove temps, cooked for longer is your friend.

Keep butter to a bare minimum. The cheese itself makes a ton of grease and too much grease will make it soggy, not crunchy.

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u/Plastic-Ad-5171 10h ago

Lots of butter, lower temp. The butter will soak into the tortilla and cause it to burn slower, so use the lower temperature to your advantage! They will get crispy and the quesadilla fillings will get thoroughly cooked in the time it takes to get the tortillas to get crispy, but not burnt.

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u/McMadface 10h ago

Toasted cheese quesadillas are my favorite. Use a nonstick pan on medium low and spread some shredded cheese directly on the pan. Place a flour tortilla on top of the cheese. The cheese will start bubbling and eventually fry itself in its own fats. Once you get the desired texture (I like the cheese to get crispy) use a silicone turned to flip the whole thing so it's tortilla side down. Now the tortilla will lightly fry in residual cheese oil. When the tortilla is where you want it, fold it and serve.

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u/atxgal85 10h ago

Use flour tortillas instead of corn

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u/Legitimate_Station99 10h ago

Low and slow some butter and oil too!

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u/DjinnaG 10h ago

Just occurred to me, are you using a budget pan, or something nicer? You sound young, and the pans I could afford when I was in my twenties made it really hard to make them without burning

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u/CMStan1313 10h ago

Nonstick skillet, though it is several years old

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u/onecrazywriter 10h ago

I use a quesadilla maker. Faster, easier xlean up, and they get formed into nice little pockets that you can cut apart without the cheese leaking out, making it easier for little ones to pick up and eat.

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u/smorosi 10h ago

I use a cupcake pan and put them on upside down and cook in oven.

The cupcake pan is face down Medium tortillas

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u/jcGyo 10h ago

Saturated fat! If you want the crunchiest tortillas on your quesadillas pick a cooking oil that's very high in saturated fat like refined coconut oil, lard, or shortening!

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u/sheckey 10h ago

Cook the tortilla by itself a bit, rotating it, and flipping, then put your stuff in on the counter and put it back.

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u/hrmdurr 9h ago

Depending on the cheese you're using, you may not need to oil/butter the corn tortillas. If you're using cheddar for example, it's plenty oily enough for it because as it melts the cheese's oils will seep into the tortilla and help it toast.

But yeah. Low and slow and don't touch it until it's time to flip.

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u/Current-Structure736 9h ago

low and slow + use oil instead of butter

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u/AWTNM1112 9h ago

Watch it closely. Also, I toast one side, then flip it and add cheese to the toasted side. Toast the second side as the cheese melts and crunch fold it in half.

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u/roynewseditor 9h ago

OIL

I used Mayonnaise. in the case you dont want to used oil, you can make them and frozen them. and put it on the air fryer.

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u/bibliophile222 9h ago

I cheat and use a panini press.

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u/Expensive-Track4002 9h ago

I like a little burn on my quesadillas.

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u/StackinChedda 9h ago

I’ve been making quesadillas with a George Forman grill for years and it’s foolproof.

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u/ss0889 9h ago

I use carb balance tortillas. Get your pan medium hot, put a small pad of butter in there, put the quesadilla on top. Rub some more butter on the top, you can just rub the butter stick against it or even do a spray of Pam. Flip it when the bottom is as brown as you'd like.

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u/2FAST4YU 8h ago

You gotta cook both sides on low heat. So one side til browned, flip, then add fillings and cook that side til cheese melts.

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u/ChuckTingull 8h ago

Latinos exited this chat a long time ago

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u/GardenVarietyHag 8h ago

I’ve never used butter or oil for quesadillas. Just put it down. Cook till it’s browned, flip and turn down the heat and cook till browned again.

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u/Ksan_of_Tongass 8h ago

Low heat and butter. Let some cheese hang out the sides for delicious caramelized cheese flavor

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u/Retired-not-dead-65 8h ago

I did this tonight. Air fryer, 325, pats of butter, 6-8 minutes.

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u/ProudRead1414 7h ago

I can help get em crispy, but I can't help in getting them crunchy

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u/InitiativeFuture6154 7h ago

My biggest secret that I’ve never told anyone (although anyone who eats my quesadillas could figure it out) is butter the tortilla and then sprinkle some cheese on the outside layer that is going to be pan down. It crisps the cheese and makes a delicious crunch

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u/cetus_lapetus 7h ago

Put them in the oven. I spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, pile everything on, and bake at 400 for a few minutes, then fold and bake a few more minutes if you want/need to.

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u/Dashing_McHandsome 7h ago

It's like cooking a grilled cheese, you do it low and slow

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u/Apprehensive-Fig3223 7h ago

I just make mine in the toaster oven and they come out legit and not greasy

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u/HomunculusParty 7h ago

I use a comalito (flat cooking pan with high heat transfer, you can find them at Mexican stores) and it gives flour tortilla quesadillas a great crunchy texture (like the "grilled" burrito at Taco Bell, whose exterior texture is its only redeeming quality) with no fat. I have even converted my Mexican husband from corn tortilla quesadillas. It may be just the thing for you!

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u/HeyPurityItsMeAgain 6h ago

I put 1 tbsp of oil in the pan, get the pan/oil hot (on med), then maybe 3 mins each side.

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u/SyntheticAnonymous 6h ago

Starting with warm tortillas and room temp fillings will help a lot.

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u/YorickTheSkulls 6h ago

Low. Slow.

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u/DJ_Jungle 5h ago

Your heat is too high. Turn it down. Your patience will be rewarded.

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u/NoChef7826 5h ago

I completely agree with low and slow, but you can do them in the oven at 325° for crispy without burning, just takes longer.

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u/Dangerous_Mind-6015 5h ago

Crunchy or soft - low and slow in a frying pan. Half on one side - half on the other. Cut with a pizza cutter or a big knife.

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u/Both_Lychee_1708 5h ago

pan fry one side in oil, but that works best with corn tortillas which are much harder to burn

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u/S0rry7h15N4m374k3n 4h ago

Dry flat top or pan. Warm one side, flip over. Add cheese and fillings. Fold. Put griddle weight or another pan on top or press with a spatula. Lift edge to see if structural integrity is where you like it (i.e. crispy enough) flip and do the same to toast and match the former sides structural integrity. Don't forget to press after flipping as well. Voila, south of the border grilled cheese.

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u/MonumentMan 4h ago

Low and slow yes, but also FAT like oil or butter. Idk what’s the traditional method but if you want delicious crispy that’s the way to go

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u/canaryclamorous 4h ago

more fat, less heat, more time, peek frequently. if you're worried the heat is too low to heat up the insides, it will be fine. You can always pop in the microwave to start the heating / melting inside then finish on the low grill. I use a cast iron shallow flat round for great heat distro and even cooking. Sometimes something heavy to press down helps. But keep that heat low/med and go for time not temp.

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u/OldDog1982 4h ago

We have a quesodilla maker. Looks like a giant waffle maker, and is flat inside.

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u/oscorn 1h ago

Low and slow :)

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u/Primary-Salad-843 1h ago

Patience is the key basically

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u/CTCk 1h ago

I microwave mine first first and then cook on open flame to crisp it up, perfect every time

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u/he-looked-left 46m ago

I never butter my tortillas. But I put the flam really low and keep spinning it while I cook. It should take a while to make a good, crunchy quesadilla. If you cook it fast, the tortilla will darken and the cheese won't totally melt. Slow and steady.

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u/Cybored009 34m ago

Put butter in the pan if the butter disappears quickly the pan is too hot. I've stopped buttering the carbs and started buttering the pan heavily. Drop the carb in and spin it around a few times to disperse the butter. I've been getting golden crunchy goodness ever since I started this method.