Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Add the 1/2 cup PLUS 2 tbsp lard or shortening. Use a pastry cutter (or fork) to combine ingredients until it looks like coarse uniform-size crumbs.
Slowly, pour in the hot water, stirring gently until the mixture comes together and is not too sticky.
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface (cutting board, counter, or pastry cloth).
Lightly knead 30 to 40 times. If too sticky, add a little flour and work it in with your hands. Too stiff? Add water as needed to achieve a smooth dough.
Cover bowl with a clean towel and let rest in the bowl for 1 hour.
Divide the dough up and roll into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball for regular size tortillas, or the size of golf balls for larger tortillas, placing them on a tray or cookie sheet.
Cover again with a towel and allow to rest for another 20 minutes
When you are ready to make tortillas, heat a cast iron skillet or griddle to medium/medium high heat. One by one, roll out a torilla so it is very thin and toss onto the skillet or griddle. See NOTE 4.
Cook on each side for only 20 to 30 seconds, removing while tortillas are still soft but slightly brown in spots.
Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a covered container.
To warm, heat for just a few seconds tortillas in the microwave, or wrap in foil and warm in a hot oven.