Recipe hydration
Sourdough Tortilla — Hydration Guide
Target 60%. Workable range 55–65%.
Why this hydration for Sourdough Tortilla?
Sourdough flour tortilla — thin, pliable, slightly tangy. Uses lard (or butter/oil) at 10-15% of flour weight for tenderness. Short ferment (no real bulk, immediate rolling). Cooked on hot skillet for 30-60 sec per side. Perfect for tacos, quesadillas, burritos.
Flour mix: 100% all purpose.
What 60% hydration does for Sourdough Tortilla
At its 60% target, Sourdough Tortilla bakes up with a tight, tender, even crumb that slices cleanly — the low water keeps the dough firm and structured rather than open. That's why the style sits where it does on the scale — push it much drier and it tightens toward a sandwich loaf; push it much wetter and it slackens past what the lean structure can hold.
Worked water math for a 500 g batch
| Flour | 500 g (100%) |
| Water | 300 g (60%) |
| Salt | 7.5 g (1.5%) |
| Levain | 90 g (~18%) |
The levain already carries some of that flour and water. The calculator below subtracts its contribution so the numbers you actually weigh at the bench hit 60% exactly.
How this flour mix drinks
Sourdough Tortilla uses 100% all purpose. That's straight white bread flour, which handles predictably at 60% — add all the water up front and adjust only if a new bag of flour behaves differently.
Technique at 60%
Mix all ingredients (fat cut in like pie dough). 30 min rest only. Divide into 60g balls, roll thin (about 7 inches). Cook on dry cast-iron skillet at medium-high heat (400°F) for 30-45 sec per side until lightly browned with some bubbles.
Calculator pre-set to 60%
- Flour to add
- 450 g
- Water to add
- 250 g
- Salt
- 10 g
- Levain @ 100%
- 100 g
- Total dough
- 810 g
- Effective hydration
- 60%
How the math works
Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.
Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.
Sourdough Tortilla hydration — FAQ
What hydration is Sourdough Tortilla meant to be?
Target 60% — that's 60 g of water per 100 g of flour by weight. The workable range is 55–65% depending on your flour and handling skill.
How much water do I need for Sourdough Tortilla?
Multiply your flour weight by 0.6. For a 500 g flour batch that's 300 g water, plus about 8 g salt (1.5%). The calculator on this page also subtracts the water your levain already contributes.
Can I make Sourdough Tortilla at a lower hydration?
Down to about 55% gives a tighter crumb and much easier, less sticky handling — a good starting point if you're new to this style. Below 55% the open, characteristic Sourdough Tortilla texture is largely lost.
Can I make Sourdough Tortilla at a higher hydration?
Up to about 65% opens the crumb further but demands confident wet-dough handling (more folds, a well-floured bench, decisive shaping). Above 65% the structure usually slackens and the loaf spreads instead of rising.