I'll add that press-n-seal has been great at keeping the air way from my avocados and makes a barrier that plastic wrap never could!

Where do you buy avocados? I've been getting them from costco lately and they are terrible!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Ok I'll try these things. And I linked onto 13:54's water post (the paragraph at the end is the relevant one).

It squares with what many of you said--keeping air away keeps the brown away. This idea is to put the mash in a container and pour a film of water over it--it doesn't combine, just sits on the top, and acts like the plastic wrap blocking the air exposure.

You know, this Food forum is so lovely and helpful. Thank you!

When you use water to prevent oxidation it is more effective when you acidulate the water by adding lemon juice.

Yes. Also, the word "acidulate" is super fun to say.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Ok I'll try these things. And I linked onto 13:54's water post (the paragraph at the end is the relevant one).

It squares with what many of you said--keeping air away keeps the brown away. This idea is to put the mash in a container and pour a film of water over it--it doesn't combine, just sits on the top, and acts like the plastic wrap blocking the air exposure.

You know, this Food forum is so lovely and helpful. Thank you!

When you use water to prevent oxidation it is more effective when you acidulate the water by adding lemon juice.

Anonymous wrote:I would just make guac - avocados with lime (or lemon) and salt. More lime or lemon means less browning.

Or if you don't mind spending more money, you could get the single serve packs of guac. They have them at costco.

Pre-prepared guac is gross and nothing like avocado.

You can also extend the life of your ripe avocados by popping them in the fridge once they are ripe. I've kept ripe ones at a steady state for a week that way.

OP here. Ok I'll try these things. And I linked onto 13:54's water post (the paragraph at the end is the relevant one).

It squares with what many of you said--keeping air away keeps the brown away. This idea is to put the mash in a container and pour a film of water over it--it doesn't combine, just sits on the top, and acts like the plastic wrap blocking the air exposure.

You know, this Food forum is so lovely and helpful. Thank you!

Press plastic wrap directly on the spread to keep it from browning. I have worked in professional kitchens where we sliced avocados well before service and kept them bright green by laying the slices on a damp chuck (a disposable kitchen cloth) and pressing plastic wrap directly on them, making sure to press out all air. It is the air that oxidizes them. Acid (lemon or lime juice) helps somewhat in preventing oxidation, but really you just need to keep air off of the avocado. When I have leftover guacamole or slices of avocado I use airtight plastic wrapping to keep it green.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leave the pit in the container of the spread.

This doesn't really work.

OP, put a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the avocado spread, or push saran wrap onto it. It turns brown from oxidation -- if you eliminate its contact with oxygen, it won't turn brown.

+1

Anonymous wrote:Leave the pit in the container of the spread.

This doesn't really work.

OP, put a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the avocado spread, or push saran wrap onto it. It turns brown from oxidation -- if you eliminate its contact with oxygen, it won't turn brown.

I've posted this before and people think I'm crazy, but it works. Water.

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2014/01/keeping-avocados-guacamole-green.html

If you do it with guac, it will absorb much of the water but it did not effect the taste of my guac at all.

I would just make guac - avocados with lime (or lemon) and salt. More lime or lemon means less browning.

Or if you don't mind spending more money, you could get the single serve packs of guac. They have them at costco.

Leave the pit in the container of the spread.

You keep the stone in the center of the mixture

My kids don't like the school lunches, so I'm making them sandwiches. My issue is that they don't like mayo; they like mashed avocado to be in that place of mayo or mustard or jam or peanut butter--basically, the "paste" to soften up the bread. Which is fine because avocados are so great for the brain!

I buy avocados, and I'm pretty good with knowing when they are ripe and knowing when to put them in a drawer, etc. But, if my timing is off, i've got unripe or overripe avocados. I do know this before I cut into them but you know, they are so darn tricky; they are only at their peak for a couple of days and I feel a little like my shopping runs are avocado-driven!

Anyways, what I'd like to do is when I have a few ripe ones, prep a spread in advance, so I can grab it out of the fridge instead of cutting open avocados before school, and maybe not having a good one.

Does anyone have advice as how to best do this? I've heard that to keep guacamole from going brown, you add..lemon juice? But then, avocados + lemon juice and nothing else doesn't sound too good. Anyways, just wondering if anyone has any advice first, so I don't have to start experimenting.

thanks!