Keep Guacamole From Browning Steps | Avocados From Mexico (2024)

FAQs

Keep Guacamole From Browning Steps | Avocados From Mexico? ›

Pour a thin but visible layer of water or lemon/lime juice over the guacamole to form a barrier with the air. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap, so it is flush with the guacamole to prevent air pockets, or put the guacamole in a sealed tub.

Pour a thin but visible layer of water or lemon/lime juice over the guacamole to form a barrier with the air. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap, so it is flush with the guacamole to prevent air pockets, or put the guacamole in a sealed tub.

The main goal is to prevent oxygen from touching the avocado's flesh. Plastic wrap is a practical, albeit not foolproof way to slow down the natural course of fruit aging. The trick is to make sure the plastic wrap is sealed flush with the flesh.

But as every guac fan knows, the stuff has a tendency to look nasty in a hurry, a problem only compounded when the product is made in advance. Fortunately for Wholly, the brand had already pioneered a high-pressure process that removes all the air from the container, so the batch doesn't oxidize and turn brown.

Drizzle a 1/2-inch deep layer of water onto the smooth surface, cover with plastic, pressing it gently, but directly onto the surface. The next day, pour it off and stir just before serving. The verdict: This is the most effective and least expensive way to preserve color and maintain flavor.

The KaleJunkie creator shared this air-tight trick using a sliced onion to stop the avocado's flesh from turning brown. "The onion releases sulfur, which keeps your avocado green," she said, explaining the chemical reaction that halts the oxygen from interacting with the enzymes in an avocado.

Water is a great trick to use for storing guacamole so it stays fresh, but there are a few other options as well. Acid, like lemon, lime, or vinegar, creates a barrier against oxygen as well, so applying a thin layer will work in a similar way.

Citrus fruits naturally contain strong antioxidants, which work against oxygen to slow down spoiling or browning in certain foods. Simply brush a little lemon or lime juice across the flesh of a sliced avocado, seal it in an airtight container, and it should delay the browning process for about a day.

Another option is to brush the avocado flesh with olive oil, says Weintraub. This creates "an oily barrier between the fruit and air, thus preventing browning," she explains.

In order to keep the dip from turning from a vibrant green to a yucky, brown hue by the day's end, it is double sealed. His third TikTok clip showed how each tin of guacamole is sealed to keep it from going bad. “Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said.

Is guacamole edible when it turns brown? ›

Although brown guacamole isn't the most appealing, it's completely safe to eat (as long as you've stored the guacamole in the refrigerator, and it isn't more than three days old). "While a bit off-putting to look at, brown guacamole is totally safe," confirms Food Network's nutritionist, Dana Angelo White, MS RD ATC.

It isn't exposed to air

When avocados are exposed to air, they begin to oxidize. That's when and why they start to turn brown. But if you can eliminate any contact with air, guacamole — or even an avocado half — can be stored for longer without changing colors.

Guacamole enthusiasts have devised all kinds of tips and tricks for how to keep avocados from turning brown and many have trickled down to guacamole storage: Leaving the pit in, pressing plastic wrap onto the surface, and adding citrus juice are popular options, but there are plenty of eclectic anti-browning methods ...

First, I flatten out the guac in the container. Then I squirt Lime Juice over it, making sure all the surface is covered. Then I take a small square of plastic wrap and tuck it down on the surface, making sure that there is no air on the guac. Then I put the lid on the container and pop it in the fridge.

“Each panned guac gets sealed airtight with Saran Wrap,” he said. “Then it gets lidded, labeled and stored for later use. This process ensures freshness and prevents browning,” he continued.

Olive Oil

Rather than reacting with the browning enzyme, a thin layer of olive oil acts can act as a barrier between the dip and the air. If oxygen never reaches your guacamole, it can't turn brown. Use how ever much you need to coat the surface of the guac.

When the avocados in guacamole turn brown, it's because they contain an enzyme that reacts with oxygen in the air. So preventing this oxidation from happening is as simple as blocking your guacamole from the air, which the sour cream and plastic wrap layers do.

It isn't exposed to air

When avocados are exposed to air, they begin to oxidize. That's when and why they start to turn brown. But if you can eliminate any contact with air, guacamole — or even an avocado half — can be stored for longer without changing colors.