OUTASIGHT Molcajete authentic Handmade Mexican Mortar and Pestle 8.5"

Okay, first and foremost, ignore ANYONE who insists that "real" molcajetes are slick, black river rock basalt. They are insane. Unless you are shipping basalt from the Pacific North West, don't expect to find this kind of basalt used in a Mexican Molcajete.A real molcajete *IS* made of basalt, but it needn't be made of river rock basalt (as is the case for the MAJORITY of ones used in Mexico).This is in fact an actual volcanic rock molcajete. It has the mottled color, the porous surface, the noticeable tool marks when it was made, and...well...if you can't tell the difference between volcanic rock and concrete, molcajetes are not for you (hahahaha). Now, it is also important to note that basalt comes in a WIDE range of colors: black (usually in rivers) to light greys, sometime with white splotches all over.If yours is not jet black, that is A-okay as long as it is still basalt...which this one is.Now, you need to cure it.What I did:I started with 120 grit sandpaper and I SANDED EVERYTHING! I sanded the feet, the sides, the inside...EVERYTHING! Do a few extra passes on the tejolote because the sides of that never grind against anything, so it doesn't smooth as well during the grinding as the rest of the bowl portion.Once it is smooth enough that it no longer hurts to move your hand across it, it is time to start grinding.Start with 4 runs of dried corn (1 cup for each run). Add small portions and grind in a smooth motion that lets your wrist slightly rotate as you come along the sides.After the corn, it is time for 4 runs of dried pinto beans. After the beans, do 4 runs of white rice.By this point, it should be smoothing up nicely, and the rice should be white.If it is not, you need to go back a stage or two. This is a lengthy process. If you stretch it out over a few day, it is fine. Otherwise, if you are like me, be prepared to accept blisters, but get it done in a day or two.Once it is smooth and no longer gritting the rice, we need a final curing.I first roasted 3 serrano chiles. Grind those into a paste. Toss in 3-4 cloves of garlic and grind them. Add some cumin, salt, pepper, and Mexican oregano. Now, here comes the real important part. When you look at a well used Molcajete, you will notice the inside is actually black. How did this happen? Oil. Oils from avocados. So, you can grind some avocado into your curing paste and/or add a little olive oil.Then stick it in a 400-450*F (depending on what oil you used) oven for a good half an hour or an hour with the tejolote in it. Then just turn off the oven and let it chill overnight inside the oven (it takes a LONG time to cool...cause it's volcanic rock).The next day, take a stiff brush and some water and clean it out. It should be nice, smooth, blackened, and seasoned. Now you're ready for guacamole!I've been using mine 2-3 times/week for the past 6 months. It works like a charm and just gets smoother and smoother. By this point, mine is well-seasoned. The bowl and tejolote are smooth and black, and have a slight spicy aroma at all times.If yours is gritty, you have more elbow work to do. It's just that simple. I know, it's 2011...people hate effort, especially in America. But, trust me. It is worth it. The guacamole is as good as you are hoping.This is a good size and makes enough salsa verde for about 3 days worth of using as a condiment with the food I eat.It's a good shape and if you sanded the feet smooth, it doesn't scratch surfaces when you set it upon them (though I still always grind with it on a pot holder).

This is clearly an authentic handmade molcajete which appears to be from volcanic basalt - the way they’re supposed to be. There are slight imperfections with it which don’t appear to have any negative effect on its function. That just adds character to its handmade authenticity. Both the molcajete and tejolote were packaged well in bubble wrap and arrived without any issues.I studied many different recommendations for curing it, and here’s what I ultimately decided to do:1. Wash the molcajete and tejolote thoroughly with water and then allow them to air dry. Try to wipe up as much of the the grit as possible without letting it run down the drain for the sake of your plumbing. Work on a plastic cutting board or towel to avoid scratching your sink, countertops or tables.2. Lightly go over the molcajete and tejolote surfaces with 120-grit sandpaper just to add a smooth finish and remove some of the ridges that may be present. Wash both and scrub with a plastic-bristled brush then allow to air dry once more. I recommend having a dedicated brush just for the molcajete simply so soap doesn't inadvertently creep into your cleaning process.3. Grind a small handful of rice (just rice for the first batch) until it’s a ground to a powder. Work up along the sides and top of bowl cure all working surfaces.4. Discard rice, wipe off with brush, and repeat with an even mixture of rice and coarse salt. Repeat as many times as needed until rice/salt powder comes out mostly white with no grit. Many have reported that it takes 8-10 batches to remove all grit. I found that mine was clean after only 5 - I think the 'pre-cleaning' process helped to remove much of the initial grit.5. Season with a couple of cloves of garlic, coarse salt, a few pepper corns and cumin seeds, and grind it down, covering all interior surfaces. Allow paste to sit for a few hours, then wash it out and clean with brush. One last air dry, and it’s now ready to take your salsa game to the next level!*Final note: Never use soap during the cleaning, curing, or cooking process as the soap flavor will leach into the food. Including an out-of-the-box and cured/seasoned "before/after" pictures for reference on what it should look like once it's ready to start making salsas and guacamoles.