The Reason Chef Aarón Sánchez Will Never Put An Avocado In The Oven

Restaurant owner and chef Aarón Sánchez is somewhat of an expert when it comes to preparing Latin American food. And while he whips up specialty dishes on the regular using ingredients in new and exciting ways, there's one avocado preparation Sánchez avoids.

In a recent interview with Taste of Home, Sánchez reveals that under no circumstances does he heat or cook avocados in a conventional oven. Believe it or not, to make delicious, mouthwatering recipes with the tastiest avocados on the market, Sánchez believes mindful preparation is key.

More specifically, Sánchez tells Taste of Home, "The magic of avocado is that it should be eaten fresh." He's got a point. If you're preparing dishes like oven-baked tacos or veggie-loaded pasta, fresh and vibrant avocado flesh can bring a refreshingly creamy twist. And who wouldn't devour Sánchez's one-of-a-kind guacamole recipe made with chopped serrano peppers and crispy little dried chapulines (aka Mexican grasshoppers) with perfectly ripe avocados involved?

While you may be used to seeing recipes that include ripening or cooking avocados in a hot and steamy oven, the resulting texture of these fruits is anything but enjoyable. The texture of baked avocado is not only extra-soft, as you'd expect, but it's also slimy and unappealing. Luckily, Sánchez's no-oven rule still leaves you with plenty of creative and delicious ways to prepare your next batch of avocados.

Since Aarón Sánchez believes that by baking avocado, you lose the contrasting elements it can bring to many dishes, consider preparing more meals that utilize this creamy fruit straight off the countertop. For example, make grilled shrimp tacos with avocado-corn salsa or a colorful salmon avocado poke bowl. You can also try one of Sánchez's favorite ways to eat avocado: scooped fresh and served alongside heaping portions of chilled crab or shrimp salad.

Surprisingly, even though Sánchez doesn't recommend cooking avocados in an oven, you can still give your next batch of guacamole a major flavor upgrade with one extra step. You see, Sánchez is only against cooking avocados in the oven. He's all about lightly grilling avocado to elevate the flavor of this classic Mexican dip. He also doesn't frown on frying avocados. If you're preparing a dish like avocado fries, the fruit's tender flesh doesn't easily break down in oil like it might in an oven. With careful cooking, avocado fries are almost always perfectly crispy on the outside and ultra-creamy on the inside.

Preferred cooking methods aside, whichever recipes you decide to prepare and serve, make sure you know how to properly ripen avocados before anything else. Follow Sánchez's advice and make sure each fruit is smooth, semi-soft, and easy to pierce with a knife. This way, like Aarón Sánchez, you're guaranteed to enjoy perfectly ripe avocados whether they're fresh, grilled, or fried.