I’ll admit it, I’m obsessed with avocados, but as often as I eat them, I’ve still made plenty of avocado mistakes. With an avocado shortage on campus, I usually run back to my dorm for lunch just so that I can slice one up with some tomatoes and crackers. Although you may not be running back to your dorm every day, chances are that you love avocados just as much as I do. That’s probably why Americans collectively spend $900,000 a month on avocado toast.
Yup, avocados really are everywhere. And it makes sense. They’re jam-packed with nutrients like potassium and Vitamin C. But how do you find that perfectly ripe avocado? How do you prevent the avocado from browning? You’re probably making these five mistakes while indulging in our favorite bougie snack, but pretty soon you’ll be an avocado expert.
1. Stop feeling up every avocado in the grocery store
You really don’t need to grab, pinch, and prod at avocados to determine how ripe they are. Just because an avocado feels soft, doesn’t mean it’s perfectly ripe. Instead, check under the stem to determine how ripe the avocado is. If the area beneath the stem is brown, the avocado is overripe and has gone bad. If it’s yellow, the avocado isn’t ripe yet. And if its green? Jackpot. It’s like Goldilocks has found her perfect porridge but with an avocado twist.
2. Don’t fight with your avocado to remove the pit
Removing the avocado pit can be fairly easy. All you need is a somewhat sharp knife. Cut the avocado in half, and then gently wedge the knife into the pit. Twist the knife clockwise. As you turn your knife, the pit should dislodge from the avocado. It’s a mess-free solution to all your pit nightmares and prevents the simple avocado mistake of wrestling to remove the pit. Confused? Check out this helpful tutorial.
3. If you’re making guacamole, add lemon or lime juice
Once you’ve mashed up your avocado, you may have noticed that it’ll start browning fairly quickly. The browning is a result of a chemical process that occurs when the avocado is exposed to oxygen in the air. Just leaving that plain avocado out is a major avocado mistake. The addition of citric acid from lemon or lime juice prevents the avocado from browning, which keeps your guacamole looking as good as it tastes.
4. Stop leaving your avocado exposed
Let’s put it this way, avocados don’t like to be naked, and they like to keep it all under wraps. So, you should keep your avocado wrapped up, too. Once you’ve cut an avocado open, cover it with plastic wrap to slow down that pesky browning process. I highly recommend Coverblubbers as nifty little products to help keep your avocado tightly wrapped.
5. Don’t just accept your under ripe avocados
Underripe avocados taste nasty, not to mention that they’re as hard as rocks. To ripen your avocado quickly, simply wrap it up in tin foil and stick it in the oven at 200°F for ten minutes. If you’re really desperate, you can stick it in the microwave for a few minutes, but the avocado will lose a lot of its delicious flavor, and its texture may change. Basically, avoid the microwave if you can, but when the avocado craving calls, don’t hesitate to answer it.
With these tips in mind, I always indulge in that perfect avocado when I run back to my dorm during lunch. Now, you can too, and you’ll be the designated avocado expert in your avocado-loving friend group.