Wise recipe tips for the most delicious guac every time
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Guacamole, a dish made from mashed avocados along with other ingredients mixed in, is one of the most popular food accompaniments in the United States.
Whether it's consumed on top of burrito bowls, mixed with salads, spread on toast or scooped with chips, this bright green condiment is hugely popular with Americans.
On average, Americans eat more than nine pounds of avocados each year, which is more than double the figure from 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture noted.
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Fox News Digital spoke to two experts ahead of National Guacamole Day on Monday, Sept. 16, to find out their tips and tricks for crafting the perfect guacamole each time.
"Guacamole's roots trace back to the ancient Aztecs in Mexico. They called it 'ahuaca-mulli,' which means 'avocado mixture,'" David "Chef Fig" Figueroa, president and co-founder of Melinda's Foods, told Fox News Digital. Figueroa is based in Irving, Texas.
Guacamole is eaten many ways, including with chips or as a condiment for other foods. (iStock)
It was not until the arrival of the Spanish that "ahuaca-mulli" began to resemble what is known today as guacamole, Figueroa said.
The Spanish "added onions, cilantro and lime juice. And boom, the guac we know and love was born," he said.
Creating good guacamole hinges on the quality of the ingredients, chef Fernando Desa told Fox News Digital.
"It's all about the freshness of the ingredients, the quality of the ingredients."
A native of Puerto Rico, Desa is executive chef at Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States.
"It's all about the freshness of the ingredients, the quality of the ingredients," Desa said in a telephone interview.
Desa prefers to use Hass avocados when making guacamole, as they are "very creamy, and you want a creamy guacamole."
He also shared his tips and tricks for ensuring that the avocados are fresh and ready to be made into guacamole.
"The first thing I tell people is to touch it, to touch the avocado," Desa said.
A bad avocado will be apparent from touch, he said.
Fresh avocados are key to good guacamole, a chef told Fox News Digital. (Goya Foods)
"Another technique that I have is at the end of the avocado," he said.
After removing the stem – "a little brown ball" – the color will reveal the ripeness of the avocado.
"If it's dark, that means that the avocado is no good," he said. "Green means it is very ripe. If you get yellow, that means it's perfect."
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Do not make guacamole too far ahead of time, Desa said.
"I advise people to do it right before you're going to consume it," he said, as the avocados will turn a gray or black color over time.
"And you don't want that," Desa said.
‘You can always add the heat’
He is also a big proponent of adding flavors little by little, especially chilies and other spices.
"I always tell people you can always add the heat that you want … but you cannot take it out," Desa said. "If you over-season or put too much heat in, it is very, very difficult to take it back."
"If you over-season or put too much heat in, it is very, very difficult to take it back."
Guacamole, Desa said, has as many variations, as there are different Spanish-speaking cultures in South and Central America.
"There's all different variations of these things because they have their own way to make it," he said.
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He noted that he would enjoy guacamole with plantain chips on top when he was growing up.
When it comes to making guacamole today, Desa told Fox News Digital that he keeps things "very simple."
"I just mash the avocado," he said, before adding salt, "some lime juice and some cilantro, onion, garlic and a little bit of, in my case, jalapeño."
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Figueroa shared his personal take on guacamole with Fox News Digital as well.
"My mom made the best guacamole — seriously, better than any restaurant or home I've ever been to," Figueroa said.
"She passed down her recipe, and I've stuck with it ever since."
Chef David Figueroa referred to his mother's guacamole recipe, shown above, as "better than any restaurant or home I've ever been to." (David Figueroa)
Figueroa said that his mother grew up in Belize.
"When I make guacamole, I keep it simple with diced chilies, cilantro, onions, lime juice and kosher salt," he said.
"But here's the trick," he said. "Mix all those goodies in a separate bowl before you touch the avocado."
Unlike with Desa's recipe, Figueroa does not mash the avocado before adding flavorings.
"The less you handle the avocado, the better the guac."
"The less you handle the avocado, the better the guac," he said.
"When you cut into the avocado, keep it in big chunks — no mashing or overworking it. Make sure you scrape the skin for all that creamy goodness."
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Once the avocado is sliced, "gently fold in the chile-cilantro mixture," he said.
"And for a little something extra, toast the chilies," Figueroa said.
Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
