Keeping Your Leftover Guacamole Fresh

[Panhead John]

I was searching a guacamole recipe and ran across this tip for keeping the leftovers from turning brown. I haven’t tried it yet, but she swears by it. Thought I’d share this with everyone.


Here’s how to keep guacamole green:

• Place your leftover guacamole in a storage container and pat it down firmly with a spoon so it’s nice and flat on top.
• Add about 1/2 inch of water on top (I used cold water).
• Place the lid on the storage container and store it in the fridge. That’s it!
• When you want to enjoy the guacamole, drain the water off the top, give it a stir and you’re good to go.

I tested this method for three full days and it worked like a charm. It stays perfectly fresh and delicious. Though I will admit by the third day it does start to get a little more watery. But who has guacamole last that long anyway?

[Richard Chrz]

An additional method is to squeeze lemon or lime on it, the acid in the citrus lowers the ph balance and lowers the chance from spoilage,

[02ebz06]

Doesn't the water dilute it ?

I've always put lime juice on top and then put plastic wrap down on it to remove any air.

[Panhead John]

She does say that after the 3rd day it does become a little watery.

[mrichie1229]

This is my method as well.

[Panhead John]

I’ve only made guacamole a few times and I’m far from an expert, but here’s what she says about other methods. 👇


HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS (AND KEEP IT GREEN!)


Guacamole oxidizes and turns brown pretty darn quick. The lime juice helps to slow this process, but it’s inevitable that leftover guacamole will eventually start to brown.

Now, I’ve tried every kitchen hack imaginable to keep guacamole green (I eat a lot of guacamole). So what doesn’t work? Well, let’s start with leaving the pit in the guacamole. This does nothing to prevent browning and there’s no scientific justification for it. Consider it an old wives tale.

Next, many say to add lemon juice. And this helps a bit, but I don’t like that it changes the flavor profile of my beloved guacamole.

The most common guacamole preservation hack is placing plastic wrap directly on the guacamole to prevent oxidation. And this may work for a day or two. But I’m striving to reduce my plastic consumption and just don’t love this method.

[02ebz06]

If she eats that much guac, she could reuse the plastic wrap.

[lostclusters]

+1 this is what I do. Lasts way longer then a couple three days.

[FireMan]

OR ya can just eat it & don’t leave any fer tomorrow.

[02ebz06]

That works...

[smokenoob]

that werkz fer me!

[Panhead John]

Yeah, even if I have some leftover for my fajita cook tonight, I’ve got a full bag of chips for the next few days…..🤓

[Mosca]

When you buy 4 avocados at once, they usually all ripe at the same time.

I turn that into 8 vacuum packs of guacamole, for freezing. I keep them simple: avocado, lime juice, salt, garlic powder. You can always add tomato, jalapeño, onion, cilantro etc. later.

I spoon a half avocado’s worth of guac into a sandwich bag, and squeeze all the air out. Then I roll it up, put it in a vacuum bag, and seal it. Here’s one I did in February, thawing for breakfast tomorrow. Looks pretty green to me:

[Panhead John]

Excellent! Does it still keep its texture and taste after freezing?

[Mosca]

Yep. Tastes like I just made it.

[fzxdoc]

I like this way of using up a batch of ripe avocados. Usually when they first get soft, I put the avacados in the fridge. That keeps them just right until we can eat them all, but sometimes it can be too much of a good thing.

Kathryn

[MBMorgan]

Vac sealer magic:

[Panhead John]

I like that idea Mike!

[fzxdoc]

I like this.

K.

[MBMorgan]

fzxdoc , Panhead John - I should add that this was an attempt to make up for the lack of a chamber sealer. The bowl kept the guacamole from "wandering around" too much (and therefore into my vac sealer). It worked pretty well by using the "moist" setting and then manually stopping the vacuum process just as soon as all air was visibly removed. I wasn't looking for a hard vacuum ... just something good enough to retard oxidation for a few days (which turned into a week) in the fridge.

[Panhead John]

Ok, I just finished making my guacamole and it’s very good! I know that most guac recipes are pretty similar, but if anybody needs one I’ll post a link below. While we’re on the subject of avocados, there was a recent discussion about the best way to remove the seed from the avocado, I’ve always used the stab it with a knife edge and turn routine. Someone brought up just cutting the avocado in half, then pushing the seed up with your thumb from the bottom. I can tell you it works great and is the easiest way I’ve ever done it! Carry on……here’s the guacamole recipe I just used.

https://downshiftology.com/recipes/best-ever-guacamole/

[Mosca]

That looks like a good one. It’s actually pretty hard to get the proportions right when you have a lot of ingredients: you get too much of one thing, then you add another avocado, then too much of something else, and then you look up and you’ve used all the avocados and it still has too much lime juice, or garlic, or salt, blah blah blah. It’s good to have it all written down.

[Panhead John]

Yep, I added it to Paprika.

[Attjack]

I'm pretty sure the FDA does not approve of that method. I just use saran wrap pressed down onto the surface to eliminate all air from contacting the guacamole.

[Murdy]

If it's stored outside the "danger zone," the environment should be hostile to bacteria regardless of the water, no?

[Attjack]

Murdy I'm not sure about guacamole, but apparently, bacteria forms when using water to try to preserve avocados.

[texastweeter]

Anaerobic bacteria can still grow, kinda like bot growing in home canned food not sterilized properly. That said, the FDA is overly cautious. I imagine of it were a problem we would hear about it by now, as this is not a new "hack". My main concern is, everything I put guac in the fridge, I come back later and the bowl is empty. Gonna start lacing it with ghost chili powder so only I can eat it.

[smokenoob]

I do the lime & saran wrap method!
Also like the saran wrap on tuna salad, grouper salad, lobster salad, shrimp salad…..steak salad-NOT 😁

[Attjack]

I use the ssaran wrap method on everything. The enemy is oxygen.

[jfmorris]

I haven't tried the water trick, but what I do is get a piece of plastic wrap, push it down inside the container to totally cover the surface of the guac, THEN put the lid on. That way there is no air exposure. It's the oxygen that turns the guac brown sitting in the fridge.

[Troutman]

I like guacamole

I found that spreading it all over your body and wrapping yourself in saran wrap does wonders for the skin. Can't say that it preserves anything but I thought I'd share that health tip for the day!

[Steve R.]

I say we waive the "pics, or it didn't happen" rule in this case. 😄

[texastweeter]

What kinda restaurant are YOU going to? Do they serve it with chips?

[tstalafuse]

What is this left over guacamole you speak of..

[Panhead John]

😂😂

[Jared49]

🥰😂😂😂😎👆🏻👆🏻

[Santamarina]

Like tstalafuse, I’ve never heard of “leftover guacamole.” Anyone have a recipe?!? I presume you’d use “leftover avocados” but I’ve never seen those at any local market. 😎🥑😍

[acorgihouse]

it's in the section with the "leftover wine"

[Prof Bunky]

I was searching a guacamole recipe and ran across this tip for keeping the leftovers from turning brown. I haven’t tried it yet, but she swears by it. Thought I’d share this with everyone.


Here’s how to keep guacamole green:

• Place your leftover guacamole in a storage container and pat it down firmly with a spoon so it’s nice and flat on top.
• Add about 1/2 inch of water on top (I used cold water).
• Place the lid on the storage container and store it in the fridge. That’s it!
• When you want to enjoy the guacamole, drain the water off the top, give it a stir and you’re good to go.

I tested this method for three full days and it worked like a charm. It stays perfectly fresh and delicious. Though I will admit by the third day it does start to get a little more watery. But who has guacamole last that long anyway?

We freeze leftovers in small containers. Works well.