Rick Bayless Guacamole Class

More than any recipe in the Mexican canon of classics, guacamole evolves and transforms into what the cook likes or what is right for the occasion. In Mexico, guacamole tends toward simple because it’s most often destined to be a condiment for tacos and the like.

In the U.S., guacamole explodes with complexity, often chock-full of vegetables, since here we almost always scoop it up with chip after chip. While many contemporary creations have been written (I confess to have written many of them myself), there is a traditional foundation from which all of them spring: Coarsely mash thoroughly ripe avocados, seasoning with salt and just enough lime to brighten (but not overwhelm) the avocado richness.

Add emblematic Mexican vegetables to suit your own taste: white onion for fresh crunch, ripe tomato for sweetness, fresh green chile for that spicy zing, and cilantro for herby aroma. It’s that simple, though this approach requires the one in charge of preparation to understand the role of each ingredient they’re adding and to taste regularly until the perfect balance is achieved. So making your perfect guacamole requires a fair amount of experience, of trial-and-error. But I can think of quite a few less rewarding endeavors.

[johnhastings]

I live in Chicago. I've been to Rick's restaurants many times. Quality ingredients. Innovative dishes. Great service. What rarely gets mentioned is how nice and sweet this man is. He's one of those people who has the ability to make you feel like you are the only person in the room. I've seen him take kids into the kitchen and walk them through what's going on for 20 minutes. Sweetheart. Thanks again for all your great work.

[rolandledesma]

My grandfather had a heart attack in the 1970's, and his Dr. told him he couldn't eat avocados because of the fat content. Now we know it's heart healthy fat. He's still ate an avocado every day and live to 96 years old!

[calderov]

Mexican here. Sir, this is the best guacamole video I've seen in Youtube. You went all over the avocado harvest cycle from the tree to the table, then you showed a great way to open the avocado and how to handle everything from the seasoning to the final plate. You have earned a subscriber!

[josephsmith]

Rinsing the onion was a game changer for me. I've hated raw onion my whole life, but liked the flavor of onion powder. After rinsing and letting it soak for an hour, I now enjoy raw onion in my salsa and guacamole. Thanks Rick!

[realvdot]

I can’t believe I just spent 20 minutes watching someone make guacamole, but it was well worth the education. Quality education and teaching me how to prepare something I thought I knew how to already make. Back to the kitchen after this one

[matthewsevers]

“If you’re making guacamole, you’re probably having a party” …. Me, making guacamole for myself bcs I got a bag of tortilla chips 👀

[guygrotke]

Avocado grower here: What most people do not know is that California avocados can legally be picked only after a certain date (January 20th for my Hass) when the fat content reaches a minimum level. Growers tend to pick soon after that date because the longer you leave them on the tree, the more weather and animal damage they can suffer. The packing house can store them for months in the cold and take them out when food stores order them.

But growers can leave them on the tree and the fat content rises. I'm still picking them in July, and they are incredible! But just buying them in late summer is not going to mean you get extra-fat late season avocados. You have to know a grower and ask for them specifically. Commercial growers will say they picked them all in January or February. Backyard growers leave them on the tree until they need them. Of course you need to anticipate your need about two weeks ahead of time, since backyard growers do not have the ethylene gas packing houses use to ripen them.

I also would leave the cilantro on the side, because a significant percentage (about 10%) of the population tastes cilantro as soap! That's why some of your guests will avoid your guacamole.

[elizabethann]

I've been smashing everything together all my guacamole life, in what I now recognize to be a food crime. I like the way you smashed the avocados, salt and lime, and then gently folded everything else in. I'm going from a history of violence against tomatoes, onions, cilantro and chili to a place of enlightenment. Thank you.

[dianac]

We buy avocados in a good quantity at Costco, bright green, and put two in the vegetable basket, and the other 4 in the fridge. We have discovered, over time, that if we buy them in the bright green stage, when they ripen, they have no bruises on them. Yay! 
When the first one is ready, we eat it, but we take another one out of the fridge to replace it, and on it goes until we are ready to buy more. 
You a very correct that it takes the cold ones a few days to ripen. We like our avocados to be quite dark on the outside before eating them. 
Thank you for all of your wonderful, informative videos. You are a joy to watch. CDMX

[vellcet]

Rick Bayless is a legend. Mexican food (the real stuff) is amazing and Rick does such a great job of showcasing the very best of what it can be.

[Geeksmithing]

I really love how he isnt just combining the ingredients and expecting us to just follow the steps, but really explaining the thought process and technique behind those decisions along the way. Truly helpful!

[valerierosel]

The rinsing of the onion under cold water trick has made my guacamole I’ve been doing that for years since learning from Rick.

[nickp.]

When you get done with your guacamole smooth the surface and cover with just enough water to cover the surface. It won't oxidize, avacados aren't water soluble. Just dump off the water when you are ready again and stir. 👍👍

[LostButMakingGoodTime]

Rick Bayless has always been my absolute favorite “celebrity” chef. And the best guacamole I’ve ever had was a variation where he added chopped, crisp-fried bacon to his classic recipe. (If memory serves he may have also swapped red onion for the white.) It was phenomenal. 😍

[williamjacobsen]

Rick you are one of the very first chefs that I used to watch when I was just a young teen. I still to this day go back to, "Mexico, one plate at a time" on occasion and I continue to this day to be educated and inspired by you. Your love for Mexican ingredients is palpable and I always look forward to another one of your videos! Thank you for all the hard work and passion.

[kary]

I’ve been making guacamole all my life- I thought this video was going to be ridiculous. But I actually like how he explains everything I can tell he loves what he’s doing and it’s a great way for people that don’t know how to make it learn!

[seesterran]

🥑 A friend who likes to keep avocados on hand taught me to store most of the avocados in the fridge and just leave out one or two at a time so that they don’t all get ripe at the same time and go bad. Then I always have a ripe one available on the counter and the rest on reserve in the fridge.

[Hdianvciadpei]

Rick is the man. I remember watching his cooking shows on in PBS when I was a kid.

[secundusytp]

I appreciated how thorough you were in explaining this. I love teachers who explain *why* we should do certain things, rather than just tell us to do them. You earned my sub for that

[arthurpowell]

I lost my wife a year ago and having to make my own meals find videos like this brilliant. Thanks so much, I have few more ingredients to buy, then away I go.Wish me luck.