Authentic Guacamole!

This is THE best Authentic Guacamole! Let me show you how to make it! I'll tell you the must have ingredients and the ones that you add to fit your taste buds.

I almost didn't post about how I make guacamole but it's one of those recipes that if you blog about Mexican food, it must be in your repertoire right?

Besides, I do make the BEST Authentic Guacamole if I say so myself :D! So I must share how easy it us so that you can enjoy it as well.

This week I'm going to take care of all the basic recipes that I have not posted but I make on a weekly basis. Like this Guac recipe, my Mexican rice and pinto beans.

What took me so long?

How to make Authentic Guacamole

• Step 1 - Place the avocado on the palm of your hand or a work surface. Make a lengthwise cut, slicing until the blade hits the pit. Hold the avocado and give it a twist to separate the two halves. They should come right apart.
• Step 2 - Pick up the half with the pit in it. Carefully whack the knife into the middle of the pit, then twist the pit and lift it out.
• Step 3 - To remove the fruit from the skin, grab a spoon and slide it between the fruit and the skin. You can cut the avocado in slices or chunks with a knife prior to separating the skin.

• Step 4 - Place the avocado in a bowl and smash it with the back of a fork (see photo below) until you reach desired consistency.
• Step 5 - Add your MUST ingredients: lime juice, salt & pepper. Then add your OPTIONAl ingredients to fit your taste buds: tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.
• Eat within two days. 

TIP! I usually make Pico De Gallo when I make guacamole so instead of chopping the veggies for the guac, I just add a little bit of my pico de gallo to the smashed avocado. Just make sure you do this step prior to adding any tomato sauce to your pico de gallo to prevent more browning.

How to keep your avocados from turning brown

I'm on the camp of adding lime juice plus keeping the pit on the guacamole from delaying it on turning brown.

The lime juice has relatively high acidity, along with its natural antioxidants and high vitamin C content, helps handicap PPO-driven oxidation.

According to the Earth Matters website "the scientific reasoning is that avocados have an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO) which causes the fruit to brown when it comes in contact with oxygen. The pit protects the guacamole only because it shields that little portion of the dip it touches from the oxygen in the air."

Better yet, use lime juice, avocado pits and plastic wrap. Or just eat it really quickly lol!

I think no matter what you do, you'll have some browning on the top layer. Just give your guac a quick mix again and you won't even tell there was some brown on it.

Select the perfect avocado!

Seems like selecting the perfect avocado is an art right? To know if the avocados are ripe and ready for immediate use is to gently squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. It should be firm but will yield to gentle pressure.

Q&A:

• Does the jalapeño make it spicy at all? The heat on a jalapeño is in the seeds and veins. If you would like your guac spicy, you can even add some serrano pepper.
• Will it still taste good with no jalapeños? Yes! If you don't like jalapeños then it will taste better to you without them!
• Does it matter what onion I use? Nope! Use red, white, or yellow. Anything goes!
• How much guacamole you get with two avocados? Depending on the avocado size you may get about 2 to 2 1/2 cups. The more veggies you add, the more volume you'll get.
• What if my avocados are green still? Wrap unripe avocados in a paper bag or newspaper and place inside the oven overnight (oven off). Or place on kitchen counter and they'll be ready in one or two days.

PIN ME to make later!