A molcajete is not just a decorative bowl used to serve guacamole, it's an extremely versatile, precolonial stone tool with its use dating back to ancient times. I grew up watching my mother use this tool to make a variety of salsas, soup boosters, and spice blends. Like everything having to do with Mexican cooking, I'm sort of a newbie so when my mom taught me how to "season" or "cure" my very own molcajete, I just had to share. This kitchen tool comes with two parts: the molcajete (molcaxitl in Nahuatl) which is the bowl piece, similar to a mortar and the tejolote (texōlōtl in Nahuatl) which is the grinding stone, similar to a pestle.
A good molcajete is made out of 100% pure volcanic rock and nothing else, I repeat, nothing else. Volcanic rock is usually a darker, porous stone hence the purpose of curing it. When shopping for one, give it a quick grind - if it lets off a lot of powder, you may be looking at a cement molcajete. Avoid using a cement molcajete to grind. It can be used for aesthetic purposes but not cooking unless you like to eat cement particles... Artisans will spend long laborious hours (up to 6+ on just one!) carving a chunk of volcanic rock into the beautiful masterpiece found in millions of homes today. Traditionally, molcajetes come from the central part of Mexico where there are vast volcanic fields - usually places like Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Puebla, and Mexico City.
Now to the fun part. So you have your brand new molcajete and you’re obsessed.. what now? Do you immediately take it to your kitchen and make a salsa? NOPE! A new molcajete is not ready to be used, in fact, you probably won't be able to use it until 2 days later. The curing process is not instant but believe me, you will reap all the rewards. Tip: Even if your molcajete is inherited or hasn't been used in a while, it is recommended to re-season a couple of times a year.
What you will need:
Molcajete
Tejolote
Dry rice
Dry beans (or dry maize kernels)
Coarse salt
3-5 garlic cloves
Water
Step 1:
Fill a large container with water and fully submerge your molcajete (bowl facing down) and tejolote. Soak them for about 3-5 hours. You will start to see the loose volcanic debris fall to the bottom. After the time is up, wash both pieces with soap and water as you would any dish, scrubbing it with a brush to get into the pores as much as possible. Fully rinse all of the soap then re-submerge in clean water and leave soaking overnight if possible. Once 6-8 hours have passed, rewash and let air dry completely.
Step 2:
Throw in about 1 spoonful of rice and grind it until you get a coarse powder. You want to make sure you grind the rice around the entire bowl, not just the center. Looking at the ground rice, you will notice specks of rock which is good - the grinding process helps seal up small holes and smooth out the bowl's surface. Throw away the grinds.
Step 3:
Next, you will add a pinch of rice again and a few beans (or maize kernels) and repeat Step 2.
Step 4:
For this grind, you will use equal parts dry rice and coarse salt. You will notice this is a much easier grind and the powder will start coming out whiter, this is a good sign. This means we are starting to smooth out the surface and less rock debris is falling off. Repeat this step until the grind comes out more or less a bright white. May take about 3 rounds.
Step 5:
The hardest part is over, give yourself a pat on the back! For this step, add about 1/4 cup of water and another spoonful of rice. Let this sit and soak for about 10 minutes then grind. Repeat this step until your water/rice solution no longer has a grey hue to it. This may take another 2-3 rounds. Rinse your entire molcajete with water (no soap) and let it partially dry. Hey, no one said this process was quick but remember, I did say it was worth it. Notice in the picture below, that rice has clogged some of the larger pores which is exactly what we want.
Step 6:
Finally, the last step to properly season your molcajete is by grinding garlic cloves one by one separately until there are no particles in your garlic paste. Make sure to discard your garlic paste after each round. Once you have a clean paste, let the garlic sit until it dries. Wash with light soap and water and let air dry completely. Your molcajete is finally ready to use! I recommend making a salsa de molcajete in it to enjoy your tool in its entirety.
You can tell you have a quality seasoned molcajete when it can hold and retain water without it seeping out. Well technically, it should be able to retain water even before the curing process but each stone differs. If you notice the water level drop, your tool is too porous - you will have to grind more dry rice and beans to seal it up. If you still notice seepage, the molcajete should only be used for guac, spice grinding, or aesthetic purposes and not salsas as they will leak through. However, extremely porous tools are not too common since experienced artisans are masters of their craft and only choose the right stone.
Yes, this process is not for the faint of heart but it is necessary - it's about doing things the right way, not always the easiest. These curing methods have been used for centuries and will be used for many more as long as we pass them on. Now it's time to fully enjoy your new tool, take proper care of it and it will last you a lifetime.
Cocinera's Note: I have to add that it is extremely important to understand how much time and effort goes into creating just one molcajete - I recommend watching videos that show the process. Knowing just how these tools are made can help you better understand why they cost as much as they do. Once you have found the perfect one, please please PLEASE don't try and haggle for a low price, artesan@s deserve to be paid for their perfected craft. I will always advocate for Mexican artisans and prefer purchasing directly from them and am also strongly against haggling when it comes to priceless items like this. That being said, there are a lot of companies out there trying to sell these products at an extremely high price without being transparent on how exactly they work with artisans or if they provide a fair wage. Steer clear from those sin vergüenzas and always do your research!