Clay Comal vs Carbon Steel Comal

This is a great question and I often get asked what makes clay so special. This article will explain the whole story.

Well before the Conquest of modern day Mexico, the indigenous peoples were using slow cooking methods, earthen pit ovens and ceramic pottery to cook their food. This ancestral method allowed for more gentle cooking - think braises, soups, stews, pit smoked BBQ etc. The comal cooked, toasted, roasted and blistered ingredients in a fashion similar to a modern griddle with dry heat acting as the main energy source. Copper may have been used for cooking, but was much more prized for its beauty aesthetic in jewelry than cooking. It wasn’t until the Spanish Conquest of 1519 that steel made its appearance - for better and worse.

a Mexica mother teaching her daughter to cook tortillas on a comal from the Mendoza codex.

Clay cookware is made from 100% pure and natural materials found within the various regions of Mexico. Some villages have been making these comales since well before the arrival of Europeans. There are no toxic materials or chemicals that go into the making of this cookware and that method has withstood the test of time.

The Science Behind a Clay Comal:

“Thermal Inertia: the degree of slowness with which the temperature of a body approaches that of its surroundings and which is dependent upon its absorptivity, its specific heat, its thermal conductivity, its dimensions, and other factors”

— Merriam-Webster.com

The most important thing you need to know about clay comales or comales de barro is that they retain heat better. We often focus on how metal like copper and carbon steel conduct heat and simply put, yes they may move heat energy around faster, meaning they are quick to heat up. For quick frying this is great - but it’s not the whole story for Mexican cooking. The natural earthenware or clay retains heat much better than its metal counterpart. The natural material takes longer to heat up and cool down, meaning it will continue to cook a tortilla at a similar temperature even if you turn the flame down. This is known as Thermal Inertia.

Essentially this means that clay can store up to three or four times more heat than metal before it moves this heat to ingredients on the comal. In a study conducted by Todd Oppenheimer of CraftmansShip.net he notes the following:

• Clay has a specific heat rating of .33

• Iron has a specific heat rating of .11 — about one third that of clay.

• And copper has a specific heat rating of .09 — almost a fourth that of clay.

Flavor:

An unglazed clay cookware piece is made from earth. It is the first material of vessels used for cooking because it was frankly - in everyone’s backyard. All our ancestors had to do was dig. Clay cookware is noted for its earthy notes, especially in beans. Moisture trapped in the pores of each comal or bean pot infuses into the ingredients. Let’s say you take the time make an incredible salsa on a cast iron skillet and hand blend it in a molcajete, only to sit down and enjoy it but find that the metallic taste from the cast iron has tainted the charred tomatillos milperos - gross! With clay this will never happen - cal may flake off into the skin of the tomatillos, but just think of this as added calcium and give a small thank you to our ancestors.

Comales de barro at Enrique Olvera’s Criollo, Oaxaca

Durability:

Sure - it’s fragile, but I find it much more delicate and emotionally satisfying to flip tortillas on something my ancestors have been cooking on for thousands of years. For me it’s about enjoying the process of cooking - heating up the comal to the perfect temperature for toasting chiles and then adjusting it later to accommodate the handmade tortillas I’m about to flip. The comal is a part of our ancestral identity and it’s still used today in small villages and fine dining restaurants across the Mexican Republic.

It’s why I started Poctli !

RECIPE: Aguayón Estilo Oaxaqueño (Oaxacan Roast Beef)

This dish is simple yet elegant in its presentation and flavor profile. I compare it to the great braises of European cooking (i.e. Beef Bourguignon, Ragu) and but with the strong fruity profile of the Pasilla chile in the sauce that makes it truly Mexican. This recipe is loosely based on Diana Kennedy’s Aguayón Estilo Leonor from “The Essential Cuisines of Mexico.”

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I plate this with blanched green beans and boiled turned potatoes. On the side serve with fresh corn tortillas, a salsa de chile de arbol, and a full bodied red wine (Bordeaux, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Merlot.)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2lbs beef roast (rump roast preferred)

• Salt

• Pepper

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil

• 3 pasilla chiles

• 1 chile de arbol (optional, see note in Method)

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted

• 1/2 inch slice of bread (kaiser roll preferred)

• 2 garlic cloves

Method:

1. Salt and pepper every side of the pot roast before placing it in a dutch oven with hot olive oil. Brown on all sides and remove from heat leaving the juices and browned bits in the dutch oven.

2. Open the chiles and remove the stem, seeds and veins. Toast the chiles over a comal until brown and blistered but not burnt. If you burn them, the sauce will become too bitter. If you want the sauce to be spicier, then use the chile de arbol as well, keeping the seeds intact but removing the stem. Soak the chiles for 10 minutes in water until ready to blend.

3. Add the soaked chiles, tomatoes, toasted sesame seeds, slice of bread and garlic to a blender with 1.5 cups of water. Blend on varying speeds until smooth.

4. Add this mixture to the dutch oven and cook for five minutes, adding more water as necessary. The sauce will splutter. Add the pot roast to the pan and fill the pot with water so that the beef is 3/4 submerged. Cover and simmer for 4 hours until tender on low heat.

5. Remove the beef from the pan and allow to rest while the sauce reduces uncovered until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

6. Arrange the beef with the green beans and boiled potatoes. Serve with warm tortillas and salsa.

VIDEO: How to Cure A Comal: Cal 101

The most important recommendation I give to those who are serious about taking their Mexican cuisine to the next level is to A: make your own damn tortillas and B: do it on clay instead of cast iron. Comales de barro need to be treated in order to prevent tortillas from sticking to the surface of the clay. The powdered cal helps seal the pores of the clay allowing for a nonstick surface.

NIXTAMAL

nixtamalli/nistaˈmalːi/

Classical Nahuatl:

Noun

1. ashes, nextli

2. unformed corn dough, tamalli

What is cal?

Cal or calcium hydroxide is primarily used in Mexico for nixtamal, the pre-Hispanic technique to process whole maiz kernels for grinding into masa for tortillas. In the US this cal is also known as “pickling lime.” Not only does the cal make the maiz easier to grind, it increases the nutritional value and the toxins within the kernels themselves are reduced. We are not sure how the ancient peoples of Mexico discovered the chemical reaction, but it supported the rise of the great Mesoamerican Empires.

Cal - 1 oz

$3.00

Quantity:

Purchase

Method:

Mix one part cal to one part water to make a thin paste. Yes, it’s that simple. Then paint it on your comal and allow it to dry, and then repeat a second time.

When bits of the cal flake off into your tortillas or tomatillos during cooking, don’t panic, think of it as added niacin mineral intake! When the cal starts to flake off or it becomes soiled, I use a metal brush to scrape off the cal and then clean the surface with water and repaint it again.

VIDEO: Tortilla 101

Alex Stupak, chef of Empellon in NYC, says tortilla making is more of a method than a recipe and I can't agree more. Tortillas are essential to authentic Mexican cuisine and they may seem simple, but mastering their texture and nuances has taken me years. My family made flour (harina) tortillas when I was growing up and we sometimes made maiz (corn). So when I went on this endeavor, I was like a fish out of water. I spoke with the tortilla flipping ladies of Mexico City and Oaxaca and finally at Casa Oaxaca, one of my best dining experiences I've ever had, the tortilla lady let me ask her questions that solved everything. I'm sharing those tips below.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 parts Maseca

• 1 part water (hot water)

• Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a bowl mix the masa and hot water for five minutes until well combined. These portions can change if the dough is too dry. You are going to have to do this many times to get the consistency right. Cover with a damp towel and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.

2. On the highest heat possible, place a comal over the open flame. Let the comal get very, very, hot. Meanwhile press the first tortilla in a tortilla press.

3. Lay the tortilla on the comal and allow it to cook until the sides lift off the surface. Flip the tortilla and allow it to cook for another 45 seconds. Flip it a third time until the tortilla puffs, or fills with air. Immediately remove from heat and place in a basket or between two towels to stay warm. Serve as soon as possible.

*DISCLAIMER: In my video the tortillas did not puff. Due to technical difficulties, the gas on my portable stove top did not have enough BTUs to get hot enough.

RECIPE: Pozole

POZOLE

/po'sole/

Classical Nahuatl:

Noun

1. hominy, pozolli

Pozole is a dish served all over Mexico and has many variations. My family makes this nearly every Holiday season and the hearty stew is sure to bring warmth back to a cold winter day. My recipe takes the best parts from my aunt's version of pozole and has been refined using French cooking techniques. The double straining through a fine mesh strainer makes all the difference in the broth. You can use dried or canned hominy, but if you want more control over the texture of the corn, spend the extra effort in soaking the dried kernels over night.

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Pozole rojo

Serves 6

Ingredients:

FOR THE POZOLE

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 4 large pieces

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 white onion

• 5 garlic cloves

• 3 guajillo chiles

• 2 ancho chiles

• 3 puya chiles

• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup dried hominy (presoaked overnight) OR 1 8oz can prepared

• salt to taste

FOR THE GARNISH:

• lime wedges

• shredded cabbage

• sliced radish

• cilantro

GARNISH!

radish / rabano

Method:

1. Place the pork, bay leaves, and 1/4 of the onion, and 3 cloves of garlic in a pot. Cover the meat with water (roughly 8 cups) and bring to a boil. Skim the impurities off the surface of the boiling water and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook for 1 hour, 15 minutes or until the meat is able to pull apart.

2. While the meat cooks, toast the chiles on a comal for roughly 1 minute until fragrant and smoking, but not burnt. (The soup will be bitter if the chiles are burnt.) Soak the chiles in water, cover and allow the chiles to reconstitute for 15 minutes. Deseed and de-stem the chiles and place in blender with 1/4 onion, 2 garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, and 1 cup of water. Blend for three minutes and then pass through a mesh strainer. Heat the olive oil in a pot on low heat and cook the chile paste for roughly 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is a dark shade of red.

3. Remove the meat from the stock and chop into bite size cubes. Strain the stock through a mesh strainer and then a second time through a fine mesh strainer. Add the stock to the chile mixture and stir to blend. Add the pork and hominy and heat on low until the oil seperates out. Salt to taste. Serve with garnishes and fresh tortillas.

RECIPE: Micheladas "To Taste"

A Michelada is like a Bloody Mary - minus the hard liquor. A beertail, if you will.

And the best part of a Michelada is that you can write the recipe - I'll just lay the base. Allow me to explain - a Michelada is a beer fortifified with tomato juice, lime, chile and flavorings and YOU get to pick the proportions. Want something more spicy? Just add more chili pequin or arbol to the rim.. want something more sour? Add more lime. ETC.

Ingredients:

*For one serving. All ingredients to taste.

MICHELADA

• 10 Chili pequin or 3 chili de arbol toasted on a comal until fragrant OR Sal de Muchos Chiles Rimming Salt

• Lime juice to taste

• 2 ounces Tomato juice

• 2 Dashes of Worcestershire

• Salt

• Hot sauce (like Valentina of Cholula) to taste

• 1 12-ounce bottle of Mexican Lager (claro or obscuro is fine)

Method:

1. Place glassware into the freezer for at least ten minutes. 

2. Toast the chili pequin or arbol on a comal until fragrant. Once cooled, chop into a fine powder with a pinch of salt.

3. Squeeze lime juice onto a plate, dip the frozen glass rim into the lime juice and then the chili powder to rim the edge.

4. Remove the glass from the freezer. Add tomato juice, lime, Worcestershire, hot sauce and stir the mixture well. This should equal approx. 1/3 of the volume of the drink. Add ice cubes 3/4 of the way up the glass. 

5. Pour the lager over the ice cubes and stir the drink to blend both layers. You will have beer leftover which is the best part of a Michelada, it changes flavor and consistency as you continue to dilute the tomato mix with the beer.