I had to sit down from shock last week when I saw someone post a photo of Tesco's new bags of frozen avocado! I literally couldn't believe my eyes or that i'd never even thought of this before.
Avocados have always been a fresh product for me and one that can often lead to extreme happiness or tears of frustration. Any avocado addict like me will be able to relate to the struggle of eating a perfectly ripe avocado. On my weekly shop I tend to buy a pack of 'ready to eat' and a pack of 'ripen at home' and throughout the week it can often feel like i'm playing a game of Russian roulette as to what I will find inside my freshly cut avocado. And yes I pretty much eat avocado daily!
I'm not sure there's a feeling that compares to cutting in half a perfectly ripe avocado? It's just pure happiness and elation in the form of a green fruit. There's nothing more satisfying too see or to eat!
So of course I jumped straight on the internet to order my weekly shop from Tesco and quickly added a bag of these frozen avocados to my basket. I wasn't sure any supermarket was going to draw me away from my beloved vegan friendly Ocado but this was something I just had to try.
A 500g bag of frozen avocados from Tesco's will set you back an extremely reasonable £2.50 for approximately 10 halves. This is roughly half the price of what 5 whole fresh avocados would cost you which seems like a great deal. But is it?
Well, following lots of requests from my followers I am pleased to say that I have now put the frozen avocado to the test and I can report back!
I de-frosted my avocado at room temperature for the recommended time of 4 hours (8 hours in a fridge). And now we reach the first hurdle. As with a lot of other frozen food you need to plan ahead for your avo. Instead of just heading over to my fruit bowl at lunch time to grab one I would need to think either the night before or in the morning if I was going to fancy an avocado for lunch. But I guess this isn't too much of an issue when the answer is always yes!
Once the avocado had defrosted it was clear to see that it looked different to a normal fresh avocado. Instead of the usual smooth and creamy consistency which i'm used to it appeared wet and almost slightly spongey. I think it was at this point I knew that it wasn't going to taste quite the same.
Before eating I did what I would usually do with any avocado and seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika. On tasting I have to say that I was pretty disappointed but also not surprised at all. It didn't taste like normal avocado does and instead it was like a much more watered down version, which I guess is to be expected when considering it's been sat defrosting for a few hours. By being frozen they also appear to completely loose all of their smooth creaminess which makes them so unique. I often hear people who don't like avocados say that they think they taste like soap which i've never really understood myself until now. This frozen avocado really did taste soapy to me which wasn't enjoyable at all!
Despite their convenience, this is definitely not a product I will be looking to replace my fresh avocados with. Taste is everything when it comes to avocado and in my opinion these aren't a patch on the real thing. They might however be useful in something like a smoothie or a recipe where the full taste sensation of an avocado isn't required.
Once the avocado had defrosted it was clear to see that it looked different to a normal fresh avocado. Instead of the usual smooth and creamy consistency which i'm used to it appeared wet and almost slightly spongey. I think it was at this point I knew that it wasn't going to taste quite the same.
Before eating I did what I would usually do with any avocado and seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika. On tasting I have to say that I was pretty disappointed but also not surprised at all. It didn't taste like normal avocado does and instead it was like a much more watered down version, which I guess is to be expected when considering it's been sat defrosting for a few hours. By being frozen they also appear to completely loose all of their smooth creaminess which makes them so unique. I often hear people who don't like avocados say that they think they taste like soap which i've never really understood myself until now. This frozen avocado really did taste soapy to me which wasn't enjoyable at all!
Despite their convenience, this is definitely not a product I will be looking to replace my fresh avocados with. Taste is everything when it comes to avocado and in my opinion these aren't a patch on the real thing. They might however be useful in something like a smoothie or a recipe where the full taste sensation of an avocado isn't required.
A great idea in principle from Tesco but sadly one that doesn't work!
Have you tried these frozen avocados yet? What did you think?
Thanks for trying these out! I nearly bought them yesterday but glad I didn't now - I'll stick to fresh ones :)
ReplyDeleteJessica x
They might be good for recipes that involve blending up the avocados? good review!
ReplyDeleteYou're exactly right, I use them for my Avocado aioli. But other than that,fresh is always the best way to go :)
DeleteDid you try them in smoothies at all? I won't get them because of the plastic, but I'm curious about freezing fresh ones myself, when I have too many and don't want to waste them. I suppose I can experiment myself too though, just asking in case you already did :)
ReplyDeleteAs I suspected, the act of freezing destroys the quality of the avocado.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you. I tried them a while ago and what a let down they were.... Just not a patch to the real ones. We'll have to stick to the real McCoy, I'm afraid. An excellent idea in theory but definitely not worth it. :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review, I've actually never tried avocado at all! I think I'll still try them frozen but maybe in a smoothie.
ReplyDeleteOh I'm so gutted these didn't wrk out, I was going to buy some! It is great value for money though!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review!
MadeFromBeauty.co.uk
Ah no, gutted these aren't that great! I saw the tweet about them too and was much excited!
ReplyDeleteI love these avocados! It makes my life so much easier and saves me money too! I make smoothies on daily basis and these work perfectly on smoothies! They are good for sauces too! You should use it in the same manner as any frozen fruit, use them frozen as we would not defrost fruit and expect to have the same texture and quality!
ReplyDeleteExactly. This is the first sensible response to the article so far. I use my frozen avocadoes in smoothies, sauces, and dressings. They are quite versatile and the possibilities are endless with some creativity.
DeleteI love these avocados! It makes my life so much easier and saves me money too! I make smoothies on daily basis and these work perfectly on smoothies! They are good for sauces too! You should use it in the same manner as any frozen fruit, use them frozen as we would not defrost fruit and expect to have the same texture and quality!
ReplyDeleteMine was spongy too, and had a sharp taste that I don't associate with avocado. Didn't like it, I'll go back to playing roulette with fresh ones!
ReplyDeleteTesco actually says on the packet that these are for dips, guacamole, and smoothies. There is no suggestion that they can be eaten like fresh avocado so no-one should expect them to taste the same.
ReplyDeleteSaw them while I was doing my online shop I'm glad I didn't order them.
ReplyDeleteAhh, commoanery!
ReplyDeleteAnyone tried thawed frozen strawberries? They're nothing like the real thing either! I would have thought any cook would know freezing & thawing large cell fruits changes the structure, but then...
Good on you Tesco for offering a product that is convenient, cheaper, less prone to wastage from slow usage and works fine as you recommend they be used. Brilliant mashed-up as a side with scrambled eggs, on organic buttered grain toast with a strong cup of filter coffee. Mmmm!
I have no connection with Tesco.
I love these! I defrost overnight in the fridge and leave them out of the fridge for an hour before eating then have them on toast with black salt 👌 each to their own I suppose.
ReplyDelete