4 Hacks That Don't Work To Keep Guac Green, And One That Does

Holy guacamole, you know you definitely love a vibrant green avocado spread. That love can easily turn to heartbreak, though, the instant your guac starts to oxidize. For every avocado lover who's known the pain of preparing a crave-worthy guacamole recipe only to have it turn an unappetizing grayish brown color before you've had the chance to enjoy it, there are several ways to save your dish by maintaining aesthetics, taste, and texture. In the midst of all the myths and tips to take your guacamole to the next level, you've still got to separate fact from fiction to find the right hack to keep guacamole green.

If you've heard one guacamole tip, you've pretty much heard them all. Between reassurances that leaving the pit in the bowl, pouring a layer of water or oil on top, or shoving cling wrap right into your avocado mix will do the trick, just about everyone has their own preferred method for maintaining a seemingly unachievable level of guacamole freshness to varying degrees of success. When it comes to making that perfect bowl of guacamole, one thing you'll learn is that the simplest method for freshness is also the most effective.

This is probably the one hack that gets shared the most even though it doesn't really do much to keep your guacamole green. Truly, it's the guacamole storing hack that you should really give up on. Although it sounds like a great and super simple way to maintain the integrity of your guacamole, when it comes down to how the pit works, it would have to be an awfully large pit to actually do any good. In truth, whatever part of your guacamole is covered by the pit should stay green, but that will just create a small island of vividly green guacamole in a sea of drab, oxidized avocado.

It's easy to fall for a hack that sounds too good to be true, mostly because the tip will turn your guacamole into a pit of despair. While the seed inside of an avocado can be repurposed to make tea, it's worth noting that, if consumed in especially high amounts, it can be dangerous to eat avocado pits. Therefore, this tip and your avocado pit should likely be tossed into the trash or compost pile.

If the notion of a watered down bowl of brownish guacamole is enough to make your stomach turn, then you definitely want to avoid attempting this hack to keep your guacamole green. For one thing, it just sounds unpleasant. And what's more, it doesn't do much to prevent the oxidation that turns your avocado dip brown. The previously trending tip for storing halved avocados in water was debunked and warned against by the FDA over concerns of microbial risks. Leveling out your guacamole and pouring a layer of water over it to help it keep should be done at your own risk and with the understanding that this hack is neither sound nor entirely safe.

For example, if you're making a sinus-clearing ginger wasabi guacamole recipe, the last thing you'd want to do is muddy its intensity with a layer of water. When you go to serve the guac, you would end up wasting precious pieces of avocado, sacrificed in the process of draining out the excess added water and potentially ruining your dish and posting a health risk. Simply put, save your guac and try a better hack.

If you've finally mastered the art of using pesky plastic wrap, you might be inclined to test out these skills on a freshly made bowl of guacamole. Although many people swear by the seemingly effortless practice of shoving cling wrap on top of your guacamole to keep an airtight seal, it doesn't actually prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown. Unfortunately, this hack is yet another dud, as plastic wrap is considerably more permeable than you might imagine and will let in air that will mess with your guacamole and ruin your perfectly crafted snack time.

Yes, you can press your cling wrap into your avocado mash as tightly and securely as can be, but it won't work out the way you want and will likely just leave a goopy mess when you uncover it and reveal the disappointing results. Rather than fall prey to another hack that isn't worth your time, take the tips you need when using plastic wrap in the kitchen and apply them anywhere else.

Many people who swear by this hack might also recommend covering a brushed-on "seal" of oil atop your guacamole with some plastic wrap and even a sheet of aluminum foil over that. Honestly, it's a waste of your oil, foil, and time. In addition to disrupting the taste, texture, and overall balance of your guacamole, it doesn't work, and you'll start seeing brown spots dotted all over your top layer of guac pretty quickly. Oil is not an ideal barrier to keep air out and therefore will do nothing to prevent oxidation from occurring.

Rather than use up your oil trying to maintain the greenness of your guac, pick from any of the best finishing oils and add it to a favorite dish to accompany this tasty side. For example, drizzling a dash of garlic oil over a freshly grilled carne asada recipe will make a perfect pairing to a bowl of guacamole and chips. With the right hack to keep your guacamole green, you can keep your side dish fresh alongside your entree without sacrificing quality or taste.

Using citrus juice to keep your guacamole green is absolutely the avocado hack you'll wish you knew sooner. Use it now and forever, and don't skimp on the squeezes of fresh lime or lemon juice to prevent your avocado dip from oxidizing and turning brown. While lime juice is the more common guacamole ingredient of the two, lemon juice is the most ideal to add to your guacamole recipe to keep it vibrantly green and fresh. Barriers and layers all sounds like great hacks, but it comes down to science and chemical reactions here, where the citric acid present in lemons and limes is what slows down and keeps your guacamole from oxidation.

Using about two tablespoons of lime or lemon juice per large avocado used in your guacamole should be an adequate source of citric acid that will flavor and maintain the greenness of your guac. It's the hack you might not have expected, but definitely the one you'll keep coming back to. This simply serves to enhance your dish by adding more of the flavors already present and keep everything looking and tasting great.