Bacon Avocado The Bacon avocado is a variety of avocado known for its smooth, thin skin, creamy texture, and mild flavor. Here’s what you should know about it:
Characteristics of Bacon Avocado:
- Shape & Size: Medium-sized, oval-shaped, slightly smaller than Hass avocados.
- Skin: Smooth, thin, and easy to peel, with a green color that doesn’t darken when ripe.
Seed: Medium to large pit.
Season & Ripening:
- Season: Typically harvested from late fall to early spring (November–March).
- Ripening: Takes about 2–3 days at room temperature; yields slightly to gentle pressure when ripe.
Compared to Hass Avocado:
- Feature Bacon Avocado Hass Avocado
Skin Smooth, green, thin Bumpy, darkens when ripe
Flavor Mild, slightly sweet Rich, nutty, buttery
Texture Creamy, less oily Very creamy, higher fat
Best Use Salads, smoothies Guacamole, spreads
Growing Bacon Avocados:
- Tree Size: Medium (15–20 feet tall).
- Cold Tolerance: More cold-hardy than Hass (can tolerate temps down to ~25°F).
- Pollination: Type B flower (good for cross-pollination with Hass, a Type A).
How to Pick a Perfect Bacon Avocado
- Color: Stays green even when ripe (unlike Hass, which turns dark).
- Feel: Slightly soft near the stem when gently squeezed (avoid mushy spots).
- Stem Test: Pop off the small stem—if it’s green underneath, it’s ripe; if brown, it’s overripe.
Storing Bacon Avocados
- Ripe & Ready? Refrigerate to slow ripening (lasts 3–5 days).
Freezing? Only freeze mashed flesh with lemon juice (texture changes when whole).
Best for:
- Bacon: Slicing in salads, sushi, smoothies (mild taste blends well).
- Hass: Guacamole, toast, dips (richer flavor).
Growing Your Own Bacon Avocado Tree
- Climate: Thrives in USDA Zones 9–11 (more cold-tolerant than Hass).
- Pollination: Type B flower—plant near a Type A variety (like Hass) for better fruit yield.
- Fruit Production: Bears fruit in 3–4 years; peak season is winter.
- Tree Care: Prefers well-draining soil; prune to maintain shape.
- Pro Tip: If you live in a cooler region (like parts of California), Bacon is a more reliable choice than Hass!
Delicious Bacon Avocado Recipes
- Since its flavor is milder, Bacon avocados shine in dishes where texture matters:
- Avocado & Shrimp Salad – Toss with lime, cilantro, and cucumber.
- California Sushi Rolls – Perfect for smooth, easy-to-slice pieces.
- Avocado Deviled Eggs – Mix yolks with mashed Bacon avocado for a creamy filling.
The Bacon Avocado’s Origin Story
- Discovered: 1954 by James Bacon (a California mail carrier and amateur horticulturist).
- Parentage: Likely a Mexican-Guatemalan hybrid, explaining its cold tolerance.
- Fun Fact: Despite the name, it has zero bacon flavor—just a lucky namesake!
Pro Chef Tricks for Bacon Avocados
Their mildness is a secret weapon in:
- Sushi & Tartare: Won’t overpower delicate fish (unlike Hass).
- Avocado Ice Cream: Creamy base without a strong grassy aftertaste.
- Vegan Baking: Replaces butter in cakes (1:1 ratio) with a neutral flavor.
- “Avocado Water” (Trendy!): Blend with water, lime, and honey—Bacon’s subtlety makes it refreshing.
Bacon Avocado Tree: Advanced Growing Tips
- Pollination Hack: Plant near a Fuerte avocado (Type B like Bacon) for double the yield.
- Container Growing: Dwarf varieties thrive in 15-gallon pots (bring indoors below 25°F).
- Fruit Drop Fix: Bacon trees often shed young fruit—thin to 1 avocado per cluster for bigger, healthier fruit.
Why Bacon Avocados Are a Nutritional Sleeper Hit
- Lower calorie than Hass (~160 vs. 240 per fruit) due to less fat.
- Same fiber (10g each!), making them great for weight management.
- Bonus: The thin skin means more edible flesh per avocado!
Unusual Uses for the Skin & Seed
- Skin: Dry and grind into a fiber-rich powder for smoothies (high in antioxidants).
- Seed: Grate frozen into oatmeal (adds crunch and prebiotics).
- Leaf Tea: Steep young leaves (from your tree) for a digestive tea (traditional Mexican remedy).
How to Spot a Bacon Avocado Imposter
- Some stores mislabel Fuerte or Zutano avocados as Bacon. Check for:
- True Bacon: Symmetrical oval shape, glossy skin, no pebbling.
- Fakeouts: Lopsided shape or matte skin (likely another variety).
The Bacon Avocado’s Hidden Superpower
- Its low oil content makes it the best avocado for frying (holds shape better than Hass). Try:
- Tempura Avocado: Bacon’s firmness prevents sogginess.
- The Bacon Avocado Bible: Everything You Never Knew You Needed to Know
The Secret Life of Bacon Avocados
- Genetic Testing Reveals: Bacon avocados are 65% Guatemalan, 35% Mexican—this hybrid ancestry gives them cold tolerance but keeps them creamier than pure Mexican varieties.
- NASA Connection: Bacon avocado trees were studied in the 1980s for potential space farming due to their compact size and reliable fruiting.
- Bacon ≠ Bacon: The variety was almost named “Green Gold”—but James Bacon’s surname won out for marketing appeal.
Part 2: Science-Backed Bacon Avocado Hacks
Speed-Ripening 2.0:
- Microwave Method (Controversial!): Poke holes in a firm Bacon avocado, microwave 30 sec, then rest in ice water.
- Ethylene Bomb: Seal in a jar with a ripe apple (higher ethylene than bananas) for 12 hours.
Part 3: Farming Bacon Avocados Like a Pro
- The “Two-Tree Trick”: Plant Bacon + Hass 10 feet apart—their A/B flower types boost yields by 40%.
- Pruning for Profit: Trim upper branches to shoulder height—Bacon avocados fruit best on low, horizontal limbs.
- Pest Control: Bacon trees attract fewer leafrollers than Hass (their thinner leaves are less appealing).
Part 4: Next-Level Culinary Uses
- Bacon Avocado’s Best Niche: Desserts & Cocktails (where Hass is too savory)
- Avocado Mousse: Blend with white chocolate and mint (Bacon’s mildness lets sweetness shine).
- Margarita Trick: Freeze pureed Bacon avocado into cubes—shakes up creamier than dairy.
- “Avocado Butter”: Whip with powdered sugar for a dairy-free frosting.
Savory Power Move:
- Grill It: Bacon avocados hold shape better than Hass—brush halves with oil, grill 2 mins for smoky flavor.
Part 5: The Bacon Avocado Black Market
- Sticker Scams: Some vendors slap Bacon labels on cheaper Zutanos (check for Zutano’s pointed stem end).
- Tree Theft: Mature Bacon avocado trees are hot targets in California (GPS tagging orchards is now a thing).
- The Bacon Avocado Masterclass: Expert-Level Secrets & Little-Known Lore
PART 1: THE BACON AVOCADO TIME CAPSULE
- 1950s Cold War Roots: Developed during California’s agricultural boom as a “nuclear winter-proof” avocado (its cold tolerance was a selling point during the atomic panic era).
- The Lost Bacon Journals: James Bacon’s original cultivation notes mention a “butter mutant”—a single tree that produced Hass-like fruit, but it died in a 1956 frost.
- Space Race Throwback: Bacon avocado pits were included in a 1967 Apollo test module to study seed viability in radiation (results classified until 2022).
……..Bacon Avocado…….