Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient?

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Foodbme)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:59:37 GMT

I'm an Amateur Food History Buff.
It's a myth that Hass Avocados only grow in CA.
Haas is the variety of the tree that grows the fruit.
Haas Trees can grow and produce fruit in a variety of locations including FL, NM, Mexico and Central America.
There are THOUSANDS of varieties of Avocados and more being developed.
At some point, they will develop an Avocado that will surpass the Hass but until then, Haas is the Gold Standard****or should I say, The Green Standard!
For everything you ever want to know about Avocados, go here:
http://www.ucavo.ucr.edu/

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (bartl)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:21:42 GMT

The trick to using "Florida" and other smooth-skinned avocados is similar to using Hass: timing. While Hass avocados are largely a matter of looking at the color, you have to use the "touch" method of determining if a Florida avocado is ripe; softening, but not too soft. If you eat avocados regularly, you will figure it out after the first half dozen or so avocados, but if you haven't had one for a while, you may have to throw out one or two before you get the hang of it again. They are certainly a bit sweeter and a bit less buttery than Hass avocados, but I would hardly call them "flavorless".

Oh, and the touch method works for Hass avocados, too.

Bart

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Phildelmar)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:18:02 GMT

What a gift!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Twinwillow)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:16:13 GMT

iluvcfood

I have no clue what kind they are but the ones on my tree work just fine!
The tree is about 45 years old and I get more Avocados off of it in a year then I could ever eat! I end up giving about 1/2 of them away!

Hass avocado fruit and trees:
http://www.google.com/sea...uAEhUfqLFeeK2QWJ04GgAg

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Twinwillow)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:05:23 GMT

mar52

The one critical element for the best guacamole no matter what your add-ins are is using Haas Avocados.

Those smooth skinned avocados have no taste.

I think thats a given.

And, referring to the amount of heat in Gaucamole, I don't like it "burning hot" either. I only use just a few drops of Tapatio hot sauce when making mine.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Jennifer_4)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 09:17:32 GMT

avocado, lime (zest and juice), salt, sriracha, garlic, roma tomatoes, green onions, and a tiny bit of cilantro. I like my salsa on the side (La Victoria, Salsa Suprema (I like it because there are no onions, just tomatoes, garlic, and chiles)

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (CCinNJ)

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:25:55 GMT

Sadly... 4 toothpicks & a shot glass will never yield any secrets to guacamole in these parts. Can't even grow a lime. We still like to try.

If only.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Dr. L.M.)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 23:23:35 GMT

Heaven! An Avocado tree in the back yard! That's your secret ingredient!!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (iluvcfood)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:42:12 GMT

I have no clue what kind they are but the ones on my tree work just fine!
The tree is about 45 years old and I get more Avocados off of it in a year then I could ever eat! I end up giving about 1/2 of them away!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Phildelmar)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:12:21 GMT

Agreed

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (mar52)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:10:22 GMT

The one critical element for the best guacamole no matter what your add-ins are is using Haas Avocados.

Those smooth skinned avocados have no taste.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Phildelmar)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:02:04 GMT

Regarding Dollar General salsa, I initially saw it as counter-intuitive, then tried it. It works from a seasoning approach

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Route 11)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 21:36:40 GMT

All of these are good ideas. I have used peppers but often it's just easier for me to buy fresh salsa (Harris Teeter has good stuff) and put some of that in. I drain off most of the liquid.

I might try putting the avocado on a grill this summer and then chunking it up, making it more a salad. I could even go for that now!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (iluvcfood)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 21:19:25 GMT

Your way is the easiest, simplest and best! We however ad small slices if Jalapeno's to the mixture rather then use hot sauce.
Cilantro BTW is one of the KEY ingrediants to making Guacamole just eh or great!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Phildelmar)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 19:51:29 GMT

Green onions, green Tabasco, a little sour cream to balance them out. As others have widely said, the avocado has to be the star

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (mar52)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:43:17 GMT

Not burning hot, Bill... tasty.

Chunks of avocado with a background note.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (1bbqboy)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:54:05 GMT

I guess I'm in the minority of wanting to not have my guacamole
burning hot. I just don't like peppers in it.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Twinwillow)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:22:07 GMT

@mar52: That's funny because here in Dallas, the hot versions of available Mexican salsa's are more prevalent than the medium and mild versions.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (mar52)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:08:18 GMT

Twinwillow... Thanks for the suggestion and offer.

We have El Super here which is where I might have purchased the hot version now that I think about it. All the grocery stores here have the mild or medium which doesn't cut it.

I've tried some of the Mexican brands but like the taste of the La Victoria... probably because it's what we had as kids.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Cosmos)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:21:24 GMT

I keep mine simple:
I add minced onion and garlic, tomato (I do use salsa when tomatoes suck [which is almost always]...ChiChi's medium ..though I would use LaPreferida if I could find it), cilantro, salt, pepper. I do like some lime juice in mine but no one else in my family does. I try not to smother the avocado with the rest of the ingredients.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Twinwillow)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 23:19:10 GMT

mar52

La Victoria Salsa Verde... hot if I can find it.

Mar, try finding a decent Mexican grocery store. In Dallas, we have numerous large Mexican
supermarkets to choose from and, I know they have that product. Heck, I think I've even seen it at one of the local Wholefoods stores. If need be, let me know and I'll send you some if you absolutely cannot find any.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (Twinwillow)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:50:29 GMT

Like Buddy's, very simple.
As a wonderful Mexican lady cook once told me,
1. A not overly ripe avocado mashed well but still with small unmashed chunks.
2. Salt to taste.
3. Fresh lime juice
4. White onion finely minced.
5. Cilantro finely chopped
6. Tapatio Mexican hot sauce to taste.
That's it! Jalapeno and salsa are optional. Delicioso!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (1bbqboy)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 22:05:41 GMT

BuddyRoadhouse

I used to load up my Guacamole with all kinds of extras; jalapenos, salsa, etc--stuff that covered up the taste of the avocado. But I noticed the best guacamole I got in restaurants, the one I liked the best, focused on the naturally buttery flavor of the avocado. Next time I made Guacamole I minimized both the ingredients and the process.

Avocados cut into cubes in the skin, then scooped out in chunks. About half a small onion to each whole avocado, finely diced. A squirt of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, a small amount of cilantro is optional. Last thing to go in the bowl is coarsely chopped tomatoes; one medium for every two avocados. Then I mix the ingredients together gently--no mashing, technically Guacamole is a salad, not a dip--folded into each other like I'm mixing batter for a delicate cake.

As far as I'm concerned, that's the secret: Let this avocado salad taste like its primary ingredient, with all the other elements complimenting that flavor, not drawing focus from it.

Buddy

I'm with you, Buddy.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (kland01s)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:09:52 GMT

40 years ago I would make quac with avocado, garlic and............. mayo!!! Hey! I was 20, what did I know!

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (drummagick)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:03:49 GMT

Avocados, minced red onion, minced garlic (not too much), lime juice and a good size spoonful of whatever salsa I have in the fridge (which is usually Pace mild).

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (mar52)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:51:40 GMT

CC, don't the strawberry seeds get between your teeth?

I don't put so much salsa in my guacamole that it changes the taste. It enhances.

The avocado is always the star. There needs to be recognizable chunks.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (pnwchef)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:28:57 GMT

BuddyRoadhouse

I used to load up my Guacamole with all kinds of extras; jalapenos, salsa, etc--stuff that covered up the taste of the avocado. But I noticed the best guacamole I got in restaurants, the one I liked the best, focused on the naturally buttery flavor of the avocado. Next time I made Guacamole I minimized both the ingredients and the process.

Avocados cut into cubes in the skin, then scooped out in chunks. About half a small onion to each whole avocado, finely diced. A squirt of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, a small amount of cilantro is optional. Last thing to go in the bowl is coarsely chopped tomatoes; one medium for every two avocados. Then I mix the ingredients together gently--no mashing, technically Guacamole is a salad, not a dip--folded into each other like I'm mixing batter for a delicate cake.

As far as I'm concerned, that's the secret: Let this avocado salad taste like its primary ingredient, with all the other elements complimenting that flavor, not drawing focus from it.

Buddy

Buddy, Well said...............I agree

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (jcheese)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:54:22 GMT

I agree avo needs to be the star. As for a secret ingredient, I add a little sour cream.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (carlton pierre)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:10:45 GMT

I like salsa and onions in mine.

Re:Guacamole: What's Your Secret Ingredient? (CCinNJ)

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:01:48 GMT

Strawberries...and love. Shhh.