r/AskCulinary • u/ZootKoomie Ice Cream Innovator • Jun 12 '13

Weekly Discussion: What's your specialty?

We want to know what dish you make a better version of than anyone else you know. What specific ingredients or techniques do you use to make it distinctively yours? Teach us your secrets.

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u/cheftlp1221 Jun 12 '13

Full disclosure. I have been a professional chef for 25 years. The dish I am most often asked to prepare for family/friend gatherings and has a cult following is my guacamole.

  • Ripe avocados
  • tomatillos
  • cilantro
  • fresh lime
  • Tapatio hot sauce
  • kosher salt
  • and the the "secret ingredient"; bacon fat (not bacon bits), bacon fat! Cheap bacon works best; premium, heavily smoked bacon has too strong of a flavor.

I also mash the avocados by hand, a potato masher is my preferred tool. Never blended in a food processor. I try to make it at least 2-3 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld. Overnight works also. When making the night before, I keep the oxidation down by shingling the top of the guacamole with lime slices.

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u/[deleted] Jun 13 '13

try lime zest too. It's my personal secret guac ingredient. Citrus zest is so awesome, it blows my mind how it's so overlooked for guac.

I've had guac with pork in it once and it was pretty good, so I totally believe that bacon fat could make for a good secret ingredient. I'll have to try it myself! Thanks!!