We love visiting Mexican restaurants for the food and the atmosphere, but there’s something that attracts us over other restaurants: fresh guacamole. There are many unique features of Mexican cuisine that we come back for again and again, but none are quite like guacamole. If you’re one of the many people who also make guacamole at home, you know that it’s nearly impossible to make it as good as your favorite Mexican restaurant. Our team at Vallarta Tacos & Burritos is going to let you in on a few secrets to great guac.
How do Mexican restaurants always have such great guac? Read on to learn a few secrets to making perfect guacamole every time.
Finding the Perfect Avocado
Some people decide that it’s not worth making guacamole at home because it’s too hard to find an avocado that’s ripe enough. We understand the frustration. However, once you know what to look for, it’s much easier to find a guacamole-ready avocado. You should be checking two things: the color and the firmness. Unripe avocados are green on the outside; you want one that is dark green or almost black. When you find one that’s the right color, press it gently with your thumb. If it gives just a little, you’re good to go.
Choosing the Right Ingredients
Once you’ve gotten the hang of finding guac-ready avocados, you can still go wrong with your additional ingredients. The trick is not to overdo it. The classic and simple guacamole recipe is just mashed avocado, lime juice, and salt. You don’t need anything else, but if you want a few more flavors and textures in there, you can include diced tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Keep it simple and keep it fresh.
Keeping It Fresh
Even if you have the perfect, restaurant-worthy guacamole recipe, you still have to keep it fresh. We all know that guacamole turns brown pretty quickly if you leave it out. So how do you keep it fresh if you make more than you can eat at once? The trick is to keep the air from touching it. If you cover it with plastic wrap, press the plastic into the surface of the guacamole rather than stretching it across the bowl. When storing in a container, put a thin layer of water, lime juice, or lemon juice on top of your guacamole before snapping the lid on. Just pour off the excess liquid when you’re ready to finish off your guac!
