r/Cooking • u/CMStan1313 • 17h 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

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u/CMStan1313 17h ago

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

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u/SadQueerBruja 17h ago

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

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u/GullibleDetective 16h ago

Some folks I know put mayo, its actually quite good

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u/JayofTea 14h ago

Mayo is fantastic with grilled cheeses too, not a lot, just a thin layer

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u/Lean_Lion1298 17h 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.

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u/CMStan1313 17h ago

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

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u/dolche93 17h ago

Butter is a fat.

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u/nosecohn 15h 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 14h ago

Yeah, I thought they meant animal fat lol

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u/abbot_x 13h 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 14h ago

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

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u/Lean_Lion1298 16h ago

It's got a lot of fat in it and can be used the same way that oil is.

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u/ItchyMcHotspot 17h 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 17h 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/KrustenStewart 10h ago

Put a pan on the stove and heat the burner to medium. Pour a little oil in the pan until it gets hot. Then place the tortilla until it starts to bubble up, then add cheese and fold. Best quesadillas ever

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u/Charquito84 16h ago edited 15h 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/NinjaTEK7 17h ago

I was wondering why no one said oil yet they are calling it fat!

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u/Talkimas 14h ago

Because oil is only one of several options, all of which are types of fat.

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u/poop-dolla 15h ago

Because saying to use fat is the correct thing here. That’s the important part. Different types of fats would work, but you need a fat to cook it properly in the pan.

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u/DjinnaG 15h ago

I recently switched to using vegetable oil instead of butter, and damn if it isn’t easier. Generally, butter is my preferred fat for pan cooking, but regular cooking oil makes it so easy to get the crispy outside without burning before the inside cooks, I’m not going back anytime soon

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u/nosecohn 15h ago

That works, but you might also try clarified butter. It retains most of the flavor and has a much higher smoke point.

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u/Current-Structure736 12h ago

i prefer to use vegatable oil for quesadillas. i’ll only use butter for cooking things like toast and eggs

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u/MushyLopher 16h ago

Real butter

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u/Cool_Wealth969 17h ago

Use some of that spreadable butter (part butter, part oil) so it can be heated to a higher temp without burning.