video:
CHOW Tip
How to Prevent an Avocado from Browning
Stephen Gibbs, executive chef of Hands On Gourmet, a team-building cooking event company based in San Francisco, has tried it all when it comes to keeping his avocados green. Here he shows the results of his testing of the most commonly used approaches: lemon juice, plastic wrap, tap water, and red onion.
But wouldn't the avocado absorb the flavour of the onion? What if you wanted to use the avocado later in a shake? Would it taste like onion?
Hi All,
I'm the person in the video and I'd like to add a few points.
1. it's the volatile gasses released from the onion that slows down the oxidation. When you rupture the cell structure the gasses are released. When placed in a container with the left over fruit it envelops and slows down browning. Any onion will do the trick. A small sliver is all that is needed.
2. yes, it will absorb the flavor as does citric acid. It's the only down side to the method. The avocado will last on average an extra 3 days.
3. I did the control testing 6 times before releasing my findings. It really works.
Wow, I'll have to remember this! I use avocado most often either in salad or for guacamole, so a bit of onion flavor would not be a problem.
leave the pit in the avacado half and it slows browning too
Leave the pit, cover with the skin from the empty side of the avocado and wrap in aluminum foil. It still browns, but not as deeply, so you can just scrape off the thin layer of oxidation.
I wonder if this would work with an apple? Apples also release gases, not sure if it is the same kind.
Barryg, I think not. Apples release ethylene.
Onions contain amino acid sulfoxides, which form sulfenic acids, which then form a volatile gas (propanethiol S-oxide). This gas from sulfuric acid when combines with water(tears). This is why you get a burning sensation in your eyes.
Best way to keep the second half of an avocado from browning is to eat it immediately after eating the first half. The only thng better than guacamole is more guacamole!
I just squirt a little lemon juice on the other half keeping the pit in place, put it in a ziploc, and manually suck the air out, works great!! and no onion taste! and yes this works great for apples too!
This is the greatest since the discovery of penicillin!!
An it also works.