After months of patience, football season is finally back in full gear! Since February I have been counting down the days. It’s time to crack open a beer, gather around a TV somewhere, and scream at my TV knowing that the players can’t actually hear what I shout at them.
I love watching both college and professional football, though I think that college football games are more fun to attend. Most of the time you feel that personal connection to your alma mater and even in the toughest seasons, you support your team. The atmosphere of a college game is so lively. You have the marching band, and seeing the student section dancing around makes me wish I was back in undergrad. It’s a giant party, but with sports.
Regardless of whether I’m at a college or pro game, one of the best parts about football is the tailgates—food, games, beer; it’s amazing. What’s the first food you expect to see at a tailgate? There’s no wrong answer here, but I expect there to be guacamole. Wings and burgers are grand and all, but guac is where it’s at. It’s neat, easy, and a huge crowd pleaser (unless you have some strange person at your tailgate who doesn’t like avocados—more for me!).
My guacamole is extra special. It’s the first recipe that my mom taught me without actually using a written-down recipe. It’s also the first recipe that I learned how to make on my own without reading instructions. Guacamole is a very flexible dip. You can play with the flavor profile so easily and unless you really screw something up, it will always be delicious.
Want some more heat? Use a habanero or serrano pepper. Want some more acidity? Add some lime juice. Want to add a bit of sweetness? Add in some fruit like strawberries. You have artistic and culinary liberty to play with the flavors of this guacamole to make it your own.
I don’t mean to brag (yes, I do), but my brother and I are guac experts. Whenever we bring guac to a party, everyone jumps to the table and it’s gone in seconds. I’m not kidding. We’ve received requests specifically for our guac!. This recipe is foolproof.
The caveat to not using a written-down recipe is that when my friends ask for it, I have to really sit down and think “how much salt do I add?” I’ve become so used to freeballing it that I haven’t really measured anything. However, I did finally buckle down and write it out.
When I make guacamole, I usually use two bowls—a regular mixing bowl for combining ingredients and a fancy-schmancy Molcajete (mohl-kah-heh-teh) bowl for serving. For the purpose of this post and the picture aesthetic that I strive to improve upon, I tried to mix everything in my Molcajete. Going to be honest—do not do that. It’s just a huge mess. Save yourself the clean-up and just use the fancy bowl for serving.
You can find a Molcajete at Williams-Sonoma or Crate and Barrel. I bought mine at World Market for about $20. They usually range from $20 to $40. Depends on the retailer. I will say, even though it is a mess, it’s a lot of fun to mash everything together. It makes me wish I had a roommate to film my embarrassing attempts at fancy cooking. I was mashing the avocados in the bowl just like a toddler smashing a toy on the ground. Safe to say I was entertained.
Guacamole doesn’t last long in my apartment. I either have friends over who consume it in minutes, or I sit in front of the TV after making a fresh batch mindlessly spooning it into my mouth with a Tostitos Scoop (the best chip to eat this guac with, by the way!) and it’s all gone. Much like right now as I sit here and type, and eat, and type. Oh no—someone stop me, please! And now half of it is gone. Sigh.
Well, while I contemplate my lack of self-restraint, let’s dip into the Game-Day Guacamole recipe and kick football season off with a bang!
Game-Day Guacamole
Servings: 8
Ingredients
4 avocados
Juice from 2 limes
½ red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tomato, diced
1 small jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mash the avocado using a fork or a potato masher, until only a few small chunks remain.
Add lime juice and mix well.
Add red onion, tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeno, and combine.
Season with cumin, salt, and pepper and mix until fully combined.
Adjust seasoning if needed.
Note: You can store it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap placed directly on the guacamole. It will prevent it from turning black from exposure to air. But it usually doesn’t last that long!
Time to rock out with your guac out!