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The ones on the shelf are cooked. The refrigerated ones can be either, read the label to know for sure. It's pretty easy to tell if it's uncooked flour and corn the look raw without and toasty spots and taste raw too.
Op, if the flour tortillas straight out of the bag are not to your taste, and you *need* something you can eat right out of the bag, why don't you try pitas instead, or naan bread? Not sure if you can get naan in a regular grocery, but I've seen pita in Albertson's, in the bakery/deli area. I've also seen little pita-like bread rounds in the regular bread isle but I can't remember what they're called or what the brand is. You can make sandwiches with them or just eat as is.
Not addressing the original question directly, but I hope this helps.
It is so rare for me to ever come across a question that can't immediately be answered somewhere on the internet in a few seconds, but this is one of those things. I can't find the answer anywhere.
What is the difference between the tortillas that are labeled "uncooked" and are in the refrigerated section at the store vs. all of the other ones in the Mexican section by the refried beans and salsa just at room temperature on the shelf?
Anyone know?
I am in Nogales, AZ, this morning in my favorite Mexican market. They carry BOTH cooked and uncooked tortillas. MOST supermarket tortillas are cooked. Some people prefer to get them uncooked and cook them during the preparation of the dish. These are nearly always held in the refrigerated sections.
If you ate a raw tortilla, it would not harm you as there are not any eggs in the mix.
I always cook them anyway. It is a whole lot better tasting.
By the way, if you are avoiding bread, why eat tortillas? A small tortilla has about the same calories as a slice of bread. There is a misconception among some Mexican Americans who believe that tortillas and other traditional foods are "carb free."
So far, none of the replies have actually answered the question. What is the difference between the two since they appear totally identical and taste identical. I have eaten both kinds right out of the package and have not become sick. The packages do not explain the difference, nor do the manufacturer's websites. It is puzzling. I guess what I am saying is you can't use the circular dictionary definition of saying an uncooked tortilla is a tortilla that hasn't been cooked. What do they mean my "cooked" if the result shows no difference?" These white corn flour / masa things I got yesterday from the room-temperature, regular shelf section sure seem like they need to be cooked to be edible at all since I am tempted to throw them away. I need something that can be eaten right out of the bag at room temp without being cooked or heated in any way and I thought they'd be fine. Yuck. Thanks for the replies, regardless.
It's odd that there were no instructions on the package. As for the difference, I don't mean to sound snarky, but I know no other way of asking: what is so difficult about understanding the difference between cooked and uncooked? Any tortilla can benefit from being heated, but uncooked ones are just that: uncooked. They are still basically dough. Uncooked flour tortillas will have an almost translucent appearance, when cooked, they will become more opaque.
I got some flour tortillas the other day, for quesadillas, and realized when I took them out of the refrigerator that they were uncooked. I melted a little butter in a skillet, and fried them until they were just blistered and lightly browned. It was more work than I had expected, but not much more, and they were a lot fresher tasting than the pre-cooked kind.
I would never use any kind of corn tortilla without frying it for a moment or two. Even the ones marketed as ready to eat taste a lot better when they have been lightly heated in butter or oil.
If you want something that will taste good right out of the package, stick with cooked flour tortillas, and if you are worried about carbs, there are low-carb wraps out there, but they may not be with the tortillas.
So far, none of the replies have actually answered the question. What is the difference between the two since they appear totally identical and taste identical. I have eaten both kinds right out of the package and have not become sick. The packages do not explain the difference, nor do the manufacturer's websites. It is puzzling. I guess what I am saying is you can't use the circular dictionary definition of saying an uncooked tortilla is a tortilla that hasn't been cooked. What do they mean my "cooked" if the result shows no difference?" These white corn flour / masa things I got yesterday from the room-temperature, regular shelf section sure seem like they need to be cooked to be edible at all since I am tempted to throw them away. I need something that can be eaten right out of the bag at room temp without being cooked or heated in any way and I thought they'd be fine. Yuck. Thanks for the replies, regardless.
Even those off the shelf have to be cooked to taste good. I can't imagine eating one right out of the bag. I'm Mexican-American btw, if that helps. Lol.
And I've never seen "raw" corn tortillas in the refrigerator section at our store. I've seen the uncooked flour ones. I'll have to look.
We have places here that sell nothing but tortillas and even though they are steaming hot and fresh, I would still cook them. We use a griddle.
Even those off the shelf have to be cooked to taste good. I can't imagine eating one right out of the bag. I'm Mexican-American btw, if that helps. Lol.
And I've never seen "raw" corn tortillas in the refrigerator section at our store. I've seen the uncooked flour ones. I'll have to look.
We have places here that sell nothing but tortillas and even though they are steaming hot and fresh, I would still cook them. We use a griddle.
And IMO, microwave doesn't count.
This is a little OT, but do you have a preferred brand of corn tortilla? I'd love to make my own at home, but the time or two I have tried were epic failures. I'd like to have a press, but as our kitchen is small and my housemate prefers flour tortillas, that is unlikely to happen.
It is so rare for me to ever come across a question that can't immediately be answered somewhere on the internet in a few seconds, but this is one of those things. I can't find the answer anywhere.
What is the difference between the tortillas that are labeled "uncooked" and are in the refrigerated section at the store vs. all of the other ones in the Mexican section by the refried beans and salsa just at room temperature on the shelf?
I have been trying to eat less bread and wheat so yesterday found a package of corn tortillas on the shelf and got them but WOW are they terrible. Barely edible actually. Anyway, while I was searching - I realized had eaten both kinds (the refrigerated and on-the-shelf kind) without heating or cooking them in any way. I just open the package and eat them. Then I was disturbed to see "uncooked" as if I had eaten something "raw" and/or dangerous if not cooked first.
If you are trying to limit grains, carbs and gluten.....Any form of bread has grains and carbs. Corn is a grain.
There are gluten free breads at most large grocery stores in the healthy foods section. Or there are recipes for gluten free and/or low carb/carb free breads online.
So far, none of the replies have actually answered the question. What is the difference between the two since they appear totally identical and taste identical. I have eaten both kinds right out of the package and have not become sick. The packages do not explain the difference, nor do the manufacturer's websites. It is puzzling. I guess what I am saying is you can't use the circular dictionary definition of saying an uncooked tortilla is a tortilla that hasn't been cooked. What do they mean my "cooked" if the result shows no difference?" These white corn flour / masa things I got yesterday from the room-temperature, regular shelf section sure seem like they need to be cooked to be edible at all since I am tempted to throw them away. I need something that can be eaten right out of the bag at room temp without being cooked or heated in any way and I thought they'd be fine. Yuck. Thanks for the replies, regardless.
I've only had uncooked corn tortillas once. I don't often see them in stores or I'd probably buy them more often. If they are labeled "uncooked" then it means that they have not been cooked prior to you bying them and you have to cook them on a skillet. They will taste fresher then a pre-cooked corn tortilla.
A cooked corn tortilla that you buy off the shelf will still need some work to make it taste good. Putting it on the skillet with some oil will do the trick although technically you can just eat it as is, but again, it won't taste good.
If you want something (non wheat) that can be eaten out of the bag, stick to corn tortilla chips.
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