The comal is the essential Mexican cooking pan: a smooth flat griddle used for everything, but especially for heating tortillas, making quesadillas, and searing veggies for salsa.
Clay comals are the gold standard. With thousands of years of tradition in Mexico, they give an incomparable flavor to everything they cook! However, they’re quite rare in the U.S., as they’re extremely delicate.
These red clay comals are beautiful handmade by master artisan Valentina Cruz Gutierrez, in Oaxaca, Mexico. They contain no additives— no glazes, dyes, varnishes— and are 100% food safe. Untreated clay comals are prized for their even heat distribution.
Diameter: 13"
Curing your comal
Before using your comal for the first time, it must be cured to keep food from sticking to it. Take the following steps:
Heat the comal on low
Mix Mexican dry lime (cal) and water into a paste, then spread thinly over the entire surface of the comal using a clean rag. You can get Mexican dry lime at any Mexican grocery store.
Heat until the paste dries on the comal.
Cool the comal, rinse and repeat. After the second rinse, the comal is ready for use.
Make sure to always cool your clay comal before washing. Clay requires somewhat gentle care, but the flavor is unmatched!