Ina Garten's Tip For Achieving The Chunkiest Guacamole
Perfectly mashed avocados are essential for any creamy guacamole recipe. Pureeing your avocados in the blender is, perhaps, one of the easiest ways to achieve that deliciously smooth texture. But, a simple fork or mortar and pestle will do the trick just as well. However, if chunky guac is what you're after, Ina Garten forgoes the fork in favor of a knife, which she uses to chop the avocados up directly in a serving bowl.
During a Food Network episode, Garten shared that she feels "really strongly about guacamole" and that only the chunkiest of avocado textures will do. According to the celebrity chef, pureed avocados don't hold as much flavor compared to a batch of chunky guacamole, and science just may agree. Turns out, texture can actually impact how we perceive taste thanks to the way our taste receptors interact with the food. Leave it to the Barefoot Contessa to figure out a way to make guacamole even better.
Guacamole the Ina Garten way
You'd think ripe avocados and salt would be the key to making a scrumptious bowl of guac. But according to Garten, using a knife is actually "the secret to really good guacamole" (per YouTube). After combining all of her ingredients in a large wooden bowl, the TV personality uses a knife to chop up the avocados, which helps to mix everything together in the process.
Not only is her method for preparing chunky guac faster — no separate tossing of ingredients required — but it also makes for fewer dirty dishes because you won't have to use a cutting board to dice up your avocados.
But using a knife isn't Garten's only unique way of making guac. Although many opt to put lime juice in their dip, she uses freshly squeezed lemon juice, which also helps keep the avocados from browning. And, since she prefers her guacamole on the spicier side, the Barefoot Contessa likes to crank up the heat with a few splashes of hot sauce.
Other tasty ways to elevate your guac
Of course, it's no secret that chopped jalapeños are the OG way of spicing up your everyday guac recipe. But, much like hot sauce, there are a variety of other add-ins that can go the distance too, such as a dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste.
Chili crisp is another game-changing ingredient you should add to guacamole. In addition to lending a crunchy kick, the condiment imparts a tantalizing trifecta of savory, salty, and spicy notes into every bite. Or toss in some fire-roasted tomatoes or corn for a delectable smoky flavor that you won't want to stop dipping into.
If you're not a fan of spicy food, you can opt for something sweet instead by incorporating a variety of your favorite fruits into your guacamole, such as diced strawberries, pineapples, mangos, plums, grilled peaches, or even cranberries for a festive twist that's undoubtedly delicious any time of year.