WASHINGTON — Fresh guacamole is a key ingredient for a successful Super Bowl party — at least in the view of many chip and dip lovers.
But it’s not always convenient to cut up a half-dozen avocados and slice and dice veggies right before kickoff. At the same time, no one wants to bring a bowl of guacamole to the party that’s turned brown overnight.
Here’s a Super Guac hack that can help.
In preparation for WTOP’s annual pre-Super Bowl Feast, I put on my “game face” in the kitchen the night before.
The guacamole was prepared early Thursday evening. Gleaming green, it was ready to be eaten right away, but needed to be put in the refrigerator until morning.
To keep it from turning an ugly hue, I filled the glass bowl of guacamole with water, almost to the top.
It may sound — and look — a little odd, but the water helps the guacamole keeps its original color.
Professor Robert Roberts, head of Food Science at Penn State told WTOP why:
“The fat content of the avocado keeps the water from soaking in, so it can be poured off,” said Roberts. “The layer of water prevents oxygen from contacting the avocado and limits oxidation which is the cause of browning.”
One thing: The top of the bowl has to be sealed — and apparently not with plastic wrap — which doesn’t do the job.
The pictures in the gallery tell the story of this guacamole experiment. When the water was poured out at 5 a.m. Friday morning, about 12 hours after the guacamole was made, it still looked green.
Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but much better than that thick layer of brown goop that can happen when guacamole sits out too long.
And no — the guac doesn’t taste watery. It’s apparently too thick to absorb much of it. After pouring out the water, give the guacamole a good stir and you’re ready for the big game.
