What’s the best way to keep guacamole fresh all work week?
The delicious green dip will always taste best served immediately, but we tested three methods
As Australian millionaire Tim Gurner reminded me earlier this year, I am a millennial and a significant amount of my income goes to avocado toast instead of buying a home.
Since that is my generation’s MO, why not do it right? Any guacamole lover knows that the delicious smashed-fruit dip or topping is best served fresh, but how to keep it that way? Once the skin of the avocado is broken, the green flesh is vulnerable to the oxidation process, and green goes brown and nasty quickly.
You’ve heard all the tips and tricks: chief among them is to keep the pit in the dip, sprinkle lime juice on top and cover with plastic wrap before putting in the fridge. But is it enough?
I picked three of the simplest guac-preserving practices to see which keeps a small bowl the freshest from Monday to Friday. Here’s what I found.
Pit and lime juice The test: Stick the pit in the middle of the mixture, sprinkle a small amount of lime juice over top and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. The result: The pit and the lime juice don’t do much, and without pressing the plastic wrap into the guac, there’s not much of a seal. The mixture has turned to clumps of brown after more than four days in the fridge. The rating: 2/10
Tight plastic wrap The test: Press the plastic wrap into the guacamole to create as much of an air- tight seal as you can. By leaving no space between the mixture and the plastic wrap, the hope is that oxidation will be minimal. The result: Plastic wrap is typically made from a permeable material that allows water vapour and oxygen through. Since the goal is to keep as much oxygen from hitting the guac as possible, the results here are dry and mediocre. The rating: 5/10
Water layer The test: Smooth down the guacamole so there are no gaps in the mixture. Then for the slightly off-putting part: pour a thin layer (less than an inch) of water on top of the mixture. Add plastic wrap or close the lid and store in the fridge. The result: The water creates an optimal airtight seal, but still after a whole work week, there will be some oxidation, especially if you’ve jostled the bowl around a bit too much. Simply pour out the water, scrape off the thin layer of brown to reveal the still-fresh guac below. The rating: 7/10
Conclusion Guacamole just isn’t meant to last all week. Make it fresh when you can. And if you think the water solution is gross, get over it — it works. May no millennial ever be without their avo toast! Jonathan Forani is a Toronto-based freelance journalist in search of ways to make everything a little easier. Still looking for a life hack to six-pack abs.