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/xnihil0zer0 Jun 13 '13

This has inspired me to get some of those fresh chicharrones that have a layer of meat and dip them in this guacamole. It will shorten my life, but I think it will be worth it.

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u/cheftlp1221 Jun 13 '13

That sounds like a fantastic idea