Why You Should Start Grilling Your Guacamole Ingredients

Bear with us. A lot of things were controversial before we they were commonplace. Before we knew the Earth was round, the world's most trusted authorities swore up and down and right and left and crossed their hearts and hoped to die and stuck a needle in their eye that it was flat. In the 19th century, doctors warned that a woman who rode a bicycle might come down with a case of "bicycle face," symptoms of which allegedly included "clenched jaws, and bulging eyes" (via Vox). Ridiculous? Absurd? Outdated? So is your resistance to grilled guac. If you think it's heretical now, you haven't caught up with the times.

The number one reason to grill your guacamole ingredients isn't to stay hip. It's to bring out deeper, smokier flavors in your favorite dip for chips. "Grilling avocados adds a layer of smoke to the fruit and makes it really creamy," chef Bill McDaniel told Thrillist. Striped Spatula also suggests grilling some red onions for your grilled guac in order to add caramelized flavors to it.

In all honesty, grilling avocados isn't actually that controversial. Everyone's favorite weatherman Al Roker does it already (via Today). But if you're a newbie to the art of avocado grilling, strap yourself in: the grilling process is oiled, fast, and easy. Thrillist indicates that you should cut your avocado in half, brushing it with olive oil, sprinkling it with lemon and salt, and letting it sit on a grill for three minutes after the grill reaches "medium-hot." Only grill your avocados until they're "lightly charred," says Striped Spatula. If the fruit gets too black, you've crossed into bitter territory.  There's another reason you should start grilling your guac ingredients: doing so means you don't have to endure the eternal wait until your avocado is completely, perfectly ripe. By grilling it, chef Garrison Price told Thrillist,"You're warming up the fat on the inside, [which] kind of tenderizes it." 

Finally, if you're worried about the fashionability of a grilled guac, don't be. Even Vogue has approved the appetizer as perfect for a "summer soiree." The fashion magazine's recommended recipe includes avocado oil, red onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and cumin.