The Best Anti-Browning Method For Avocados Is Hiding In Plain Sight

Oh, avocado. So delicious, yet so frustrating. How many times have you waited and waited for an avocado to ripen only to discover it somehow went bad overnight? Or you cut into it and find half is ripe while the other half isn't? And even when you get a perfectly ripe one, you end up sacrificing half because it has turned brown and slightly bitter? We can't solve all of those problems, but we do have a tip for preventing browning using the most obvious method of all — the avocado's own skin.

Chef Antonia Lofaso offered this deceptively simple tip for keeping an avocado ripe and green as long as possible. If you need just a small amount of avocado, like a slice for a sandwich or a salad, remove only what you need and leave the rest of the fruit intact. That way the only exposed part is from where you cut. You can remove a quarter or a third, peel the skin off that portion, and leave the rest unpeeled.

For the exposed portion, Lofaso has another simple solution. All you need to do is apply a wet paper towel. Lay it over the avocado where you've cut it open, and gently press it into the exposed flesh. That can stay in your fridge or even on the counter for a day or so until you're ready to use the rest of it.

We're always looking for ways to store avocados longer. Avocados turn brown because of an enzyme in them that reacts to oxygen. That brown color you're seeing is actually melanin, the same compound that causes your skin to darken. However, in an avocado, browning occurs alongside the breakdown of fat in the fruit, which also changes the flavor. You can still eat brown avocado, but it's less appealing. 

Limiting exposure to oxygen is one way to keep avocados fresher. In guacamole, you can mix in lime juice, which counteracts the oxidation. The enzymes react to acidic solutions, slowing their activity and allowing the avocado to stay green longer. It's the same reason you'd add lemon juice to apple slices when preparing a pie.

Chef Lofaso's paper towel trick creates a temporary barrier. It doesn't last long and there will be some browning, but only a small amount, which you can scrape off. Ideally, you'd be using the rest of the avocado within a day.

Even though the acid from citrus slows oxidation in guacamole, browning will still occur. In that case, Chef Lofaso recommends just using plastic wrap over the unused portion of guacamole. But the trick is not to cover the bowl, only cover the guacamole itself. Place a layer of plastic on top of the dip. Gently press it down so it touches the surface all around, eliminating any air pockets. As always, the best approach is to enjoy your avocado as soon as possible.