How to ripen an avocado at home: quick ways to bring it to ripeness

Determining the ripeness of an avocado

If the purchased fruit is “oaky” and hard, this should not be alarming. Determining ripeness at once is not so easy. Much also depends on the variety - there are some that are useless to ripen at home; they were and will remain hard until they become overripe and rot. In addition, the following signs should be taken into account:

Peel color. But the main thing here is the variety. There are varieties of avocados that remain green, and there are those that turn purple as they ripen. Fuerte and Pinkerton are usually found in stores. Their skin is grass-colored, without white streaks or spots. The Fuerte fruit is almost pear-like, hard and smooth. If the selected avocado is pimply, light green in color and has a pear-shaped shape, it is a Pinkerton. Expert opinion
Anna Petrova
There should be no dark brown spots on the skin of the fruit; they indicate that rotting has begun. Dark green color, even with a purple tint, are signs of a ripe avocado. Fruit that is overripe and blackened even on one side should not be taken. If the avocado is light green, it is fresh and you can buy it in order to ripen it at home.
Elasticity. An avocado will definitely not be soft like a pear. Normally, after light pressure with a finger, the hole will quickly straighten.
Color and density of the stalk. A ripe avocado has a light brown tail that comes off easily when pulled. If you have to tear it off with force, it means the fruit is not ripe.

There is another simple way to determine whether the fruit has time to ripen. Just take it in your hand and shake it. If you hear a light tapping inside, you can take the fruit you like. The secret is simple: as the fruit matures, the attachment of the bone to the walls gradually weakens.

It happens that people have already paid for the fruit and brought what they bought into the house. They didn’t bother to remember how ripe it was. There is no need to despair; you can cut one fruit and, if necessary, send it to ripen at home - for as long as necessary.

Determining the ripeness of fruit by pulp

It’s easy to check the condition of the fruit by looking at its “insides.” If the fruit is ripe, its flesh will be light in color and moderately moist. Too much wateriness indicates that the avocado is overripe. But dry, hard pulp is a sign that the store sold an unripe fruit.

You should taste the cut avocado. Moderate sweetness is a sign that the fruit is safe to eat. An unripe avocado is bitter, and nothing can overcome this bitterness, so you should not add such fruit to salads in the hope that eaters will not notice anything. The dish will be irrevocably spoiled

Therefore, it is important to immediately buy ripe fruit rather than try to make it soft, risking ruining the treat

So the question is what to do if the avocado is unripe and hard. It cannot be returned to the store. But there is no need to despair. It is necessary to properly help the fruit to ripen before eating

Therefore, it is important to know how to properly store avocados so that they ripen and do not spoil.

Rules for recognizing ripe and unripe fruit

If the purchased fruit turns out to be hard, you need to find out in advance how to store the avocado so that it ripens faster. If all the rules are followed, the fruit will not ripen for long.

To distinguish a ripe avocado from an unripe one, you need to pay attention to the color, stem, pit and hardness of the fruit.

Two types of alligator pear are most often eaten: large fruits and small Hass fruits. You can often judge the ripeness of an avocado by the color of its peel:

dark brown with black spots - the fruit has rotted and deteriorated;
dark green - the fruit has already ripened;
light green - the fruit needs ripening, it is almost ready to eat;
yellowish - the avocado has not yet ripened.

To prevent avocados from being unripe, before purchasing they must not only be inspected, but also touched.

Hardness

The ripeness of the fruit can be determined by its hardness, as well as by the color of the skin. Overripe fruits are too soft; when pressed, dents remain on their surface; it takes a long time to restore their shape.

It is impossible to press on an unripe avocado - the fruit is quite hard.

If the fruit is relatively soft, and after pressing the shape is restored after 15-20 seconds, after 2-3 days, provided that it is properly stored, it can be eaten.

Ripe fruits are moderately soft and regain their shape in a few seconds. Their skin is elastic, without roughness. The softness of the fruit largely depends on the variety of avocado.

Most often found in stores:

California avocado. The ripe fruit has a hard, dark green or brown skin. The hardness is moderate, the flesh does not spring under your fingers.
Variety "Pinkerton". Based on the color and thickness of the peel, it is considered a universal type of avocado. The ripe fruit is elongated, quite soft to the touch, with slight roughness on the skin. There is a lot of pulp in it, the bone is small.
Variety "Florida". Fruits with smooth thin skin of a rich green color. The pulp is dense, ripe fruit retains its shape for a long time.

Completely black fruits (a variety rarely found on sale) have a dense, hard skin and, even when ripe, remain hard to the touch.

By seed and stalk

To increase shelf life and preserve the fruit during long-term transportation, fruits are picked from trees unripe, so a short stalk is often left behind. By its condition you can determine the ripeness of the avocado. Before purchasing, you must tear off the tail and inspect it carefully. A light brown, evenly dried stalk is present only in mature fruits. After removing the stalk, greenish pulp is visible.

An unripe avocado has a brown-green stem that is difficult to break off. Overripe fruits have a black, dry tail. The size of the seed directly depends on the variety. If the avocado is fully ripe during transportation, its bone core is easily separated from the pulp - just cut the fruit lengthwise and, taking it in your hands, turn the halves in the opposite direction to each other. Remove the pit from unripe fruit with a spoon.

Choosing an avocado: how to determine its ripeness and let it ripen at home

Victoria from Volgograd

The family really loves salads with avocado. How to choose the right fruit in the store so that it is ripe?

Exotic avocado is a very tasty fruit if you choose it correctly. Determining its ripeness is not at all difficult if you know some rules. If you do buy a green fruit, don’t be upset. You can let it ripen at home.

Peel color

Not knowing how to determine the ripeness of an avocado, many people first evaluate its appearance and choose fruits with brown skin. This is fundamentally wrong. The color of the peel and the shape of the avocado can tell about its variety and indicate spoilage. In our stores you can find three varieties of this fruit:

The all-season avocado variety is Californian.
Its skin is dark and pimply. The pulp is soft, does not hold its shape, and is not suitable for making rolls or salads. This avocado is irreplaceable in pureed soups, sauces, and pates. Its pulp can simply be spread on bread like butter. Californian avocado
Florida avocados ripen in the fall and appear on our shelves by winter.
Its skin is smooth and always green, the flesh is dense, holds its shape well, and has a delicate taste. Florida avocado
The Pinkerton avocado variety has the smallest seed.
The pimples are clearly visible on the dense, dark green peel. Avocados of this variety are universal in use and are sold all year round. Avocado Pinkerton

Fruit hardness

You can determine the ripeness of an avocado by tactile sensations, namely by assessing its hardness. Take the fruit in your hands and press the peel with your finger without much effort. The result of pressing will tell you about the ripeness of the avocado:

the avocado is hard, there is no dent when pressed - the fruit is unripe, the flesh will be bitter and unpleasant in taste;
there is a “porridge” feeling inside, a deep dent is a signal that the avocado is overripe and most likely rotten inside;

By the hardness of the fruit you can determine the degree of its ripeness;
when pressed, a dent forms and quickly breaks down - you have in your hands a perfectly ripe avocado with the best taste properties.

Advice. Don't be overzealous with pressing the avocado. If the fruit is overripe, it may fall apart right in your hands. Why do you need trouble in the store?

The seed and stem will tell you about ripeness

In a ripe avocado, the pit inside peels off from the pulp, while in a green avocado, it is fused with it. Bring the fruit to your ear and shake it. If you can hear the tapping sound of the pit, rest assured that the avocado is ripe. Deaf silence in response? Let such fruit still ripen.

Fruit of optimal ripeness (left) and overripe (right)

The color of the area under the stem is an indicator of the ripeness of the avocado:

brown – the avocado is already overripe;
with yellowness - it’s too early to eat the fruit;
bright green - here it is, the perfect exotic pulp. If fresh juice is a bonus to the color under the stalk, feel free to buy the fruit.

Ripening at home

Sometimes it happens that, through negligence or intentionally, you have to buy an unripe avocado. Don't despair

You can let it ripen at home.

Avocado ripens well in a paper bag

Wrap the fruit in plain paper (paper towel) and leave it in the room. In 3-4 days it will “arrive”. If you want to speed up ripening, wrap bananas in paper with avocados.

It is better to store ripe avocados in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, first wrapped in paper. It will not last longer than two weeks, take this into account when purchasing.

Avocado is a dietary and very healthy fruit with an unusual taste. You already know how to choose an avocado. Use our tips to avoid throwing money away.

What you need to do to ripen an avocado at home

First you need to determine whether you really have an unripe fetus

Here pay attention to the following points:

The flesh of a ripe avocado is soft. Even with slight pressure, small dents remain on the surface of the peel that do not disappear.
The skin is medium to dark green in color. If it is emerald, then the fruit is not ripe.
The pulp is somewhat similar to slightly frozen butter.
Ripe avocados have a distinct aroma.

If the fruit does not meet these characteristics, then it needs to ripen. To do this you can do the following:

Place the fruits in a sunny place (a south-facing window sill or balcony is suitable) for 2-4 days. This is the easiest way.
Place the avocado in a plastic bag along with ripened bananas or apples. These fruits produce ethylene, which speeds up the ripening of other crops.
Cut the fruit into two parts. Sprinkle lemon juice or vinegar on top to prevent rotting. Connect the two parts and place in a plastic container. Close the lid. Place in a warm place. Check the slices every day. After 2-3 days they will be ready to eat.

Author's note Natalya Papanova Blog author

In mature specimens, the peel is separated from the pulp without problems and much effort.

To learn about the benefits of eating avocados for the body, watch the video:

So that you don’t have to worry about choosing quality fruits, find out how to grow avocados from seeds at home. Ultimately, you will harvest your harvest from exotics.

How to buy ripe avocado?

When you are faced with choosing a fruit, you can only guess by its appearance how ripe and juicy it is. A ripe avocado should not be hard or too soft. The first speaks of its unripeness, and the latter - of depravity. The most optimal thing is when you feel elasticity when pressing with your finger, you can safely take such an avocado

Pay attention to the color of the peel: the fruit should be green with a purple color without scratches or dents

Even if you fail to choose a ready-to-eat fruit, you can always find out how an avocado ripens at home. And over time, you will learn to instantly find the fruit of optimal ripeness.

There is another way to determine maturity. Look at the color of the stalk: green or yellow will tell you that the fruit is moderately ripe, while brown is a sign of severe overripeness.

Useful tips

And finally, a few more tips that will help you choose a ripe fruit and store it correctly.

If you put a banana or apple in a bag with an avocado to ripen an exotic fruit, remember that the fruit must be ripe.
When sending the fruit to ripen on the shelf, remember that there should not be high humidity in the room, otherwise it will begin to deteriorate. The ideal place is a dry and dark shelf.
The “tail” of a fruit can also indicate its ripeness. If it comes off easily and the skin underneath is green, the avocado is ripe. If the stalk holds tightly, then you should leave the fruit alone until it is fully ripe.
Try not to store the fruit open in the refrigerator, as it will darken and absorb unnecessary odors.

To learn how avocados ripen at home, watch the following video.

A tasty and healthy product that is recommended to be included regularly in your diet is avocado. The ripe fruit has a delicate, oily texture with a soft, slightly specific taste. Most often, stores sell unripe specimens. Therefore, you need to know how to properly speed up the ripening of avocados in order to quickly enjoy its unsurpassed taste.

Blackened peel

Some avocados undergo distinct changes in skin color as they ripen, especially the Hass variety, which accounts for about 80% of avocados eaten worldwide (3).

When Hass avocados are not fully ripe, they have a bumpy, bright green skin. When ripe, it turns dark green or brown. If the skin looks almost black and the fruit feels soft when touched, it is overripe and probably spoiled.

Hass, the most common variety of avocado, has blackened skin when overripe or spoiled. However, other varieties retain their green color when overripe.

In the oven

Before placing the avocado in the oven, it is wrapped in aluminum foil - tightly and without gaps. The temperature should be 180–200 degrees. Five minutes - and everything is ready. Don't keep it for 10-15 minutes, as some people advise, you'll just bake it! Remove the foil after cooling to avoid burning your hands.

How to store the fruit

When buying exotic, you need to realize that its storage conditions depend on several factors.

Whole and cut fruits retain their condition for different times. What matters is the degree of ripeness of the fruit and where the avocados are stored.

Ripe and green

Whole ripe or unripe fruits require different storage conditions.

A container or compartment for vegetables and fruits in the refrigerator is suitable for ripe ones. The second option is a ziplock bag. After placing the fruit, the air is removed from it. The refrigerator will keep the ripe exotic fruit for five to six days. This solves the problem of how to preserve a ripe avocado until the New Year. The fruit may lie on the table for a day or two.
Unripe whole specimens are stored only at room temperature until they ripen. The refrigerator is not suitable - they will never be able to ripen there.

With any storage method, you need to remember: the riper the exotic, the shorter its shelf life.

Cut

The cut fruits are stored as follows:

Sprinkle the pulp sections with lemon or lime juice to prevent them from darkening;
connect the halves, wrap in cling film or put in a bag;
place in the refrigerator (not freezer).

The exotic will retain its color and taste for three to four days. The darkened areas of the pulp are cut off to a clean layer. The product can be eaten.

Is freezing possible?

The short shelf life of ripe fruits makes the question of whether avocados can be frozen relevant. Freezing is the only way to preserve exotics for a long time. However, this method is not for whole specimens: after defrosting, the pulp will turn into puree. It will be difficult to separate it from the peel.

Therefore proceed as follows:

The washed, dried exotic fruit is peeled, cut in half, and the pit is removed.
The pulp is ground in a blender or cut into very small pieces.
Add lemon (or lime) juice to the puree or sprinkle the pieces with it to prevent them from darkening.
Place the puree or pieces into molds. Suitable containers for making ice or small baked goods.
The molds are sent to the freezer.

In such conditions, the exotic is stored for six months.

In the microwave

Sometimes it is necessary for an avocado to ripen as quickly as possible. Accelerated methods by which you can obtain almost instant results are associated with processing at elevated temperatures.

The avocado will ripen in literally 0.5–1 minute in the microwave. Before the procedure, it is pricked in several places with a fork, placed on a plate and sent to ripen in a microwave oven. The degree of ripeness can be easily checked with a toothpick or simply by pressing with your finger: a slight dent remains - it’s time to take it out. No, that means you need to hold it for another half a minute.

This method has two nuances:

When putting the fruit in the microwave, be sure to cover it with a paper napkin or lid to prevent it from exploding.
Before eating or slicing for cooking, the ripe fruit must be allowed to cool to room temperature.

Ways to speed up ripening at home

If you purchased an unripe avocado, few people know what to do with it. Often, having tried such a fruit, the desire to consume it in the future disappears. Juicy, soft, well-ripened fruit will delight you with a pleasant taste and rich aroma. Therefore, you need to figure out what you need to do to enjoy a ripe avocado as quickly as possible.

Warming up in the oven

If you follow simple recommendations, the ripening process will go faster. Necessary:

Wrap the washed fruits in foil.
Preheat the oven. You will need 200 °C.
Place the preparations on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Hold for 10 minutes.

High-speed in the microwave

This method is suitable when avocado urgently needs to be added to a dish:

Peel the fruit. Cut into cubes.
Place in a heat-resistant container and place in the microwave.
Warm up on maximum mode for half a minute.

Disadvantages of this method:

color is lost;
the aroma becomes less intense;
a lot of juice is released.

In a paper bag

The gas that promotes fruit ripening is ethylene. The package is a simple trap that can hold him. You can use any store bought or McDonald's. Important rules:

Place a tomato, apple or banana in the bag along with the avocado. The latter fits best. Fruits emit ethylene in large quantities. Plenty of gas helps it ripen faster. Close the package.
Store in the room. You cannot put it in the refrigerator. The package should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Ideal temperature is +18…+24 °C.
Check the contents periodically. If there are other fruits in the package, the avocado will reach technical maturity in 3 days. It's better to check by touch. If an avocado is placed in a bag without other fruits, it will ripen no earlier than in 5 days.

Using newspaper

To ripen an avocado faster, you can use the oldest method - newspaper. How to use:

Wrap unripe specimens in a sheet of newspaper and place in a warm place.
A hot, but turned off oven, in which the fruit is placed and left for 2 days, can help ripening.

Make alligator pear ripe in foil

If the fruit needs to be used directly on the day of purchase, then a proven method will help - using foil:

Wrap the fruit in two layers of foil.
Place in a hot oven (210°C).
Leave for 10 minutes.

It should be noted that this method slightly changes the taste of the avocado.

Using boiling water

Boiling water will help quickly bring it to readiness:

Peel the skin. Cut out the bone. Cut into strips.
Place in a sieve and lower into boiling water. Leave for 2 minutes.

The method is very simple. After cooling, it is immediately suitable for adding to salads.

A way to quickly soften the fruit

Avocados usually take several days to ripen. If you urgently need fruit for a salad, you can use the microwave.

You can make avocados soft in just a few minutes:

Using a fork, pierce the fruit on all sides. Place on a plate. Cover with a plastic lid. This is a mandatory condition, since without shelter the fruit may explode.
Set the maximum mode and time to 30 seconds.
If during this time it was not possible to soften the avocado, then heat for another 30 seconds.

Cool and use as usual.

Benefits of avocado for the body

This fruit is often recommended to be included in the menu by professional nutritionists. What are its benefits:

Contains many vitamins and nutrients and has a very rich composition.
It contains a lot of healthy fats for the body, although avocados are high in calories.
Rich in dietary fiber. Its regular use heals the intestines.
Improves the condition of blood vessels and heart.
Prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, reduces total cholesterol levels.
Protects the organs of vision, prevents damage to the retina, reduces the risk of developing senile blindness.

Helps prevent malignant tumors of various organs.
Strengthens the musculoskeletal system, protects cartilage and bones from damage.
Normalizes metabolic processes.
Has an antibacterial and antifungal effect.
Prevents infectious diseases of the oral cavity and the development of intestinal infections.
Helps absorb nutrients into the blood.
Moisturizes facial skin and makes it more elastic.

Helps skin recover faster after tanning.
Prevents infectious rashes on the skin.
Promotes weight loss.
Strengthens the immune system.
Increases human lifespan.

Composition and beneficial properties

Avocado is an exotic fruit that is included in the daily diet of many people. And all this is thanks to the beneficial properties that this fruit has. Despite its calorie content, this fruit is included in many diets. Per one hundred grams of product, this fruit contains two hundred and forty-five kilocalories. The fact is that avocado does not contain sugar or harmful fats, only all the healthiest things.

The pulp of this fruit, which is also called the “alligator pear,” contains a large amount of oleic acid, which is beneficial for humans because it lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, the fruit contains a large amount of vitamin E, which is considered to be the beauty vitamin. Avocados also contain vitamins A, C, PP, D and group B. This fruit is able to saturate the human body with useful substances, bringing only benefits.

In addition to vitamins, this fruit contains a large amount of various minerals, such as potassium, sodium and magnesium. Knowing all the beneficial properties of this “pear”, many people consume this fruit every day, which has only a positive effect on health. Its regular use helps normalize blood circulation, reduces the risk of vascular plaques, improves heart function and helps cope with stress.

This fruit with oily pulp is a storehouse of healthy vitamins and minerals. It is suitable for both underweight people and larger people who want to lose weight. Contains a lot of iron, potassium, phosphorus, selenium and other elements.

Recommended:

for problems of the gastrointestinal tract;
to strengthen the immune system;
used as an aphrodisiac and to improve potency;
Regular consumption relieves women from pain during menstruation.

When it has not reached ripeness, it tastes like pumpkin; when fully ripe, it evokes different associations in people; for some it resembles butter with the addition of nuts, for others it resembles fried chicken, for others it resembles fried zucchini.

How to store ripe avocado

To prevent the avocado pulp from losing its taste, the fruit must be stored properly. The taste of the fruit preserved in suitable conditions will be revealed when preparing sauces, avocado paste, in salads and a number of other dishes where this exotic product is used.

Fridge

Ripe avocados are best stored in the refrigerator. This option is suitable for both whole fruits and cut into pieces.

Whole fruit

The whole fruit is placed in a sealed package. A plastic zip-lock bag or storage container with a tight lid is suitable for this. An alternative option is cling film. The packaged product is placed in the refrigerator in the fruit compartment at a temperature of +2…+4°C.

During storage, the fruit is inspected for signs of overripeness: if the fruit is soft to the touch, it is eaten within several days.

In such conditions, the shelf life of the fruit is 3-5 days.

Cut fruit

With this storage method, the presence of a seed plays an important role, which directly affects the shelf life of the fruit in the refrigerator. Cut avocados can be stored for 1-2 days.

The pit extends the shelf life of the product:

it represents a natural barrier that limits the access of air to the main pulp of the fruit;
reduces damage to cell membranes (the structure of the pulp is preserved);
prevents sunlight from reaching the pulp.

A cut avocado with a pit is stored according to standards similar to those for the whole fruit.

If the fruit remains pitted, this means that a large area of the pulp is exposed to air. Under the influence of oxygen, it begins to oxidize and darken, as happens with apples. To preserve the presentable appearance of the avocado from the inside (this is especially true when the product is used for serving), there are some tricks:

put the onion cut into large pieces on the bottom of a plastic container, place a part of the avocado on top, skin down, cut side up, tightly close the lid and put it in the refrigerator;
smear the cut pulp with lemon juice or lime juice (this slows down the oxidation process), regular table vinegar is also suitable, then the fruit is placed in a container, skin side down, and covered with a lid;
Lubricate the cut with olive oil.

After preparing the product, it is placed in storage. The processed pitted half is tightly wrapped in cling film or placed in a plastic container with a lid, then placed in the refrigerator in the fruit compartment, where the temperature is +2...+4°C.

During storage, check whether the fruit has begun to deteriorate and overripe. To do this, press the peel with your fingers. If this leaves deep indentations in the flesh, use the avocado as quickly as possible.

Freezer

Deep freezing will significantly increase the shelf life of avocados. It is not recommended to place it entirely in the freezer. The simplest and most convenient options are cutting into halves or grinding the pulp to a puree. This method is suitable for those who purchase food in advance and are wondering how to preserve avocados at home until the new year.

Preparing for freezing:

Rinse the fruit with water.
Cut into two halves and carefully separate them from each other.
Remove the bone. A regular spoon (pry the pit from the bottom) or a kitchen knife (slowly pierce the pit all the way through, twist the knife and remove it) will help with this.

If you decide to store avocado halves, wrap them tightly in cling film and place them in a ziplock bag. Shelf life – 4 months at a temperature of –18°C.

To store puree:

Peel the fruit. This can be done in any convenient way: make a large mesh on the pulp, then pull it out with a spoon, or peel off the peel with a knife.
Cut the resulting pulp into medium-sized cubes.
Using a blender, grind the pulp to a puree.
Add lemon juice to the resulting mass in a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. juice for 1 avocado.
Mix the finished mixture and place in containers with airtight lids.

The shelf life of puree in the freezer is 6 months at a temperature of –18°C.

To “remove” an avocado from the frozen state, a day before use, move the required amount of the product into the refrigerator compartment at a temperature of +2...+4°C. After this, use the pulp to make salads, pastas or sauces.

What to do with an unripe avocado

If the purchased specimen turns out to be unripe, do not worry. You can help him acquire the necessary appearance and taste. There are several simple ways to save the product.

Warming up in the oven

Unripe fruits must be washed, wiped, pricked with a fork in several places and wrapped in food foil. The blanks are placed in an oven preheated to 200-210 °C and left for 10-12 minutes. This method allows you to quickly soften an avocado, even if you get an unripe fruit.

Ripening with boiling water

Boiling water can quickly bring green fruit to a state suitable for consumption. The avocado needs to be peeled, cut into slices and blanched in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. After this, the liquid is allowed to drain; the fruit pulp should cool. This fruit can be used to make salads and sandwich fillings.

In the microwave

Ripening avocados in the microwave is quick and easy. The finished fruit is suitable for salad. It needs to be pricked in several places with a fork and placed in the microwave for 30 seconds. After this, lightly press on the fruit and, if the avocado needs to be softened further, repeat the procedure.

After heating, the fruits should be allowed to cool, after which they are cut into pieces.

In polyethylene

This method of ripening is used if the fruit has already been cut, but it is impossible to use it due to insufficient ripeness.

In this case, the stone is not removed, the halves of the fruit are sprinkled with lemon juice (so as not to darken from a large amount of iron), folded to form a whole fruit, and tightly wrapped in polyethylene. After this, it can ripen in 2-3 days. The fruit must be checked periodically; once it becomes soft, it is ready to use.

Aluminium foil

It will also help speed up the ripening of the avocado if you suddenly bought an unripe fruit. It just needs to be wrapped in foil, tightly and without open areas, and placed in a heated oven.

On the windowsill

If you have a few days left, you can ripen an avocado wrapped in foil or paper on a warm windowsill. To make the avocado soft, it should be carefully wrapped and left for several days to ripen.

Using newspaper or paper bag

Another old way to get ripe fruit. Avocados should be tightly packed in a newspaper or paper bag. In such conditions it ripens quickly, retaining its taste.

How to choose ripe fruit

The avocado got its unusual name “alligator pear” for its characteristic appearance: the fruit is shaped like a pear, and its color is exactly the same as that of the famous American crocodile - rich green. In addition, the avocado peel itself is not smooth, but ribbed, like the back of an alligator. Despite such a repulsive appearance, avocados enjoy great love both in their homeland - Mexico - and throughout the world in general. This is explained by its beneficial properties.

Green fruits contain a huge amount of healthy oils, vitamins, mineral salts and proteins. Avocado pulp, which tastes like a cross between an egg yolk and a walnut, is highly nutritious, so just one alligator pear can be a complete breakfast or dinner.

Of course, the most valuable properties are possessed by a high-quality, ripe fruit, which is distinguished by characteristic features:

Softness. The hardness of the fruit indicates that it is not yet ripe, and excessive softness indicates that it is overripe. A good fruit has a medium density, at which you can press the peel with your fingers without leaving lasting marks on it.
Fruit color. A mature alligator pear is green in color, turning purple in places. A dense specimen with a soft green color will definitely be immature.
Stalk color. The ripening of the alligator pear is indicated by the yellow stem. A green stem is a sign of insufficient ripeness of the avocado.

Many people, having learned about the beneficial properties of avocado, want to buy the fruit to include it in their daily diet.

And here it is important to choose the right ripe and high-quality fruit

We are used to seeing only green avocados in pictures, but in fact there are many varieties of this fruit and they differ in color. For example, a ripe fruit may well be dark green or yellow-green in color. But there are varieties when the color of the fruit is almost black or black-violet

Therefore, when choosing fruits, you should not pay attention only to color.

An unripe avocado is hard. Take the fruit in your hands and lightly press it with your finger. If the fruit is hard and there is no dent left on the surface from your finger, then it is definitely not ripe enough. If a dent from your finger remains, which soon disappears, then you have a ripe fruit in your hands that you can safely buy. If the fruit is too soft and a hole remains from finger pressure, the fruit is considered overripe.

Chemical composition

Alligator pear oil is a source of a huge number of health benefits. So, it contains:

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, which are very well balanced with each other.
Phosphatides, lecithin, various amino acids.
A large number of different macro- and microelements, such as iodine, calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, silver, iron, potassium, cobalt, manganese, sodium, zinc, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
Vitamin F, involved in the development of cells necessary for the removal of toxic substances, heavy metals and radionuclides from the body, normalization of metabolic processes and blood circulation.
Vitamin E, important for maintaining beauty and youth. In addition to the fact that the vitamin slows down the aging process, it also prevents the development of arthritis, thrombosis, atherosclerosis and cancer.
B vitamins, in particular 1, 2, 3, can improve blood composition and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Ways to accelerate ripening

To speed up the ripening process of avocados at home, it is important to understand that this will take from 2 to 7 days, depending on the initial condition

The main ways to ripen the fruit at home:

Parchment paper, thick paper bag. Place an unripe avocado and a banana (can be replaced with an apple or tomato) in thick parchment paper or a paper bag, wrap tightly to prevent oxygen from entering and put in a dark place for 2-3 days. Ethylene carbon dioxide released by fruits accelerates ripening.
If you don’t have vegetables and fruits on hand that emit ethylene gas, then an avocado in a paper bag can ripen without them in 3-4 days. This is the simplest home method to speed up natural ripening without extreme conditions.
Newspaper. Wrap the product tightly in several layers of newspaper and place in a warm place for 2 days. This could be: an oven with a temperature of no more than 40°, a heating boiler or radiator, a warm windowsill, sun rays.
Food grade aluminum foil. Wrap the avocado in 2-3 layers of foil and place in a warm place as in the above method. Let stand for 2-3 days depending on the initial degree of ripeness.

The above methods help to ripen avocados at home without loss of taste and nutritional qualities within 2-4 days.

How to help it ripen?

It often happens that many people purchase unripe fruits. Nobody wants to eat hard and unripe fruit. Therefore, you need to let it ripen in the right conditions. In order to soften an avocado and bring this fruit to ripeness, there are several proven methods.

Maybe someone would like to help ripen the fruit in an unconventional way. For example, many people advise using a microwave for this. This method is strictly not recommended. It will only spoil the fruit, its taste and destroy some beneficial properties.

Is it possible to eat unripe?

Unripe fruit is not recommended for consumption. Especially in large quantities, as this can lead to serious food poisoning. The fact is that unripe fruit contains a large amount of toxins that are harmful to the human body. In addition, the peel of this fruit is considered poisonous; a person may well be poisoned by it.

And for some animals it can become real poison. Therefore, if you love avocado and only want to get benefits from it, then let it ripen and only then eat it.

Simple methods of ripening

There are several of them:

Place the unripe fruit in a paper bag. And to speed up ripening, add a banana or apple along with it. This will help soften the fruit, making it soft and edible. Don't forget to check the ripeness of the fruit to avoid spoilage.
This exotic fruit can easily ripen in a bag of flour. You need to completely immerse the fruit in flour and in a couple of days it will be perfectly ripe.
You can also use foil. Wrap the unripe fruit in it and leave it in a dark place for a couple of days. Of course, you can put it in a preheated oven for just a few minutes. This will help the fruit become softer, but its taste will be slightly spoiled.
Newspaper ripening method. To do this, carefully wrap the fruit in newspaper and put it in a dark place. After a few days, the avocado should be ripe. Don't forget to periodically check the fruit for ripeness. Otherwise, if the fruit is overripe, it will only be possible to make puree from it.

Storing cut avocados

Before moving on to methods for storing the fruit after cutting, consider the shelf life of avocados. This period depends on the degree of ripeness and room temperature:

ripe fruits in conditions of 4-6 degrees Celsius: 10-14 days.
ripening fruits in conditions of 18-24 degrees Celsius (in a dark place): up to 14 days.

The situation becomes more complicated if you store avocados at home sliced. The question arises of how not to lose the beneficial properties of the fruit. The duration of storage is determined by the conditions - room, refrigerator or freezer. To understand how to preserve a cut avocado, let's look at each method.

At room temperature

Storage of avocados without freezing is designed for a short time - up to 48 hours. After cutting the avocado, the fruit is placed in an airtight container, otherwise the flesh will darken. To extend the shelf life of the fruit, follow the instructions:

Apply freshly squeezed lemon juice to the cut.
Fold the cut avocado so that the edges of the cuts match.
Wrap the fruit in paper or put it in a paper bag.

If you only have part of the avocado left, wrap the half with cling film. The material must adhere tightly to the cut surface to prevent contact with air.

There is an alternative storage method: the cut avocado is placed in a container with ice water, which replaces the refrigerator. But keeping the fruit in an aquatic environment negatively affects the taste - it becomes watery and loses its former richness. The pulp itself loses its density.

In a refrigerator

Before storing your avocado in the refrigerator, make sure it is ripe. It is not advisable to keep unripe fruits at sub-zero temperatures - they will remain green. A ripe avocado, when cut, will remain in such conditions without changes in taste for up to 7 days. Before this, the fruit is processed. There are several ways to prepare avocados using:

lemon juice. Sprinkle sliced avocado with lemon juice. Place the slices in a container and place in the refrigerator.
olive oil. Coat the cut side of the avocado with oil and place in an airtight container.
onion. Prepare a clean container and line the bottom with onion slices. Place avocado slices with the flesh side up.

The principle of operation of the listed products is simple: they are all natural preservatives. Onions release sulfur, which slows down the decay process. Avocados do not absorb the smell of onions, so you don’t have to worry about the edibility of the fruit. Lemon juice prevents the oxidation of the pulp and helps keep the fruit at home longer.

Without seeds, fruit has a shorter shelf life. The reason is that the pit covers the fibers inside the avocado, which protects the flesh from premature oxidation. Therefore, you should first eat the pitted half. If you cut the fruit correctly, it will not lose its beneficial qualities and will retain its original consistency.

Freezing

Questions about whether it is possible to freeze avocados and how long to store the fruit in this form depend on the conditions in which the fruit is located. Avocado is found in the freezer in two forms:

puree – up to five months;
peeled and cut into pieces – up to 3 months.

There is nothing complicated about making puree. The only condition is the presence of a blender, since grinding the fruit with improvised means is not easy. Preparing fruit for storage in the freezer consists of five stages:

Peel the fruit and remove the seed.
Grind the pulp using a blender or fork.
Pour the mixture into molds.
Sprinkle the puree with lemon juice and cover with a lid.
Place the product in the freezer compartment and store at a constant temperature.

Signs that an avocado is hard

Let's take a closer look at each of the signs so that we don't make mistakes when buying an exotic product. Determining ripeness is not too difficult, but it should be borne in mind that ripe fruits have little storage and are easily damaged during transportation and storage, so alligator pear (another name for it) comes to us unripe.

Peel shade

An unripe fruit will have a deep green skin color. Ripe fruit has a darker green skin. An overripe specimen will have a very dark, almost black skin.

In a ripe fruit, the seed is easily separated from the pulp, and if the stalk is removed, the indentation will be light green. A brown tint to the pulp after removing the stalk indicates that the alligator pear is overripe, while yellow indicates insufficient ripeness.

Fruit hardness

This is one of the main indicators of ripeness. If the selected specimen is hard, the skin is difficult to peel even with a knife - the fruit is not ripe. Firm avocados can ripen at home, but sometimes it takes several days.

You can check ripeness by lightly pressing the fruit. If it is slightly pressed, but the flesh quickly returns to its original state, you have a ripe specimen. If, after lightly pressing, a dent remains on the fruit, it seems too soft - you have come across an overripe fruit.

If an avocado is ripe, it is soft. It can be safely used in culinary experiments. The degree of maturity can be checked by the following characteristics:

Color. A light green tint indicates that the fruit needs approximately 5 more days to ripen. Moderately green - 3 days, deeply green - 24 hours, dark green, close to brown - the fruit is ready for consumption.
Subjective hardness. If the avocado gives way when pressed, it is soft enough. However, this method is not accurate enough: sometimes the top layer can be soft and tasty, but closer to the bone it can be hard.
Cutting. Ripeness can also be determined by the condition of the fruit around the cutting: the area should be light yellow. If the shade is light brown, the avocado, on the contrary, is overripe and should not be taken.

In our country, where avocados are brought from distant countries, buyers see hard fruits on store shelves. But waiting until the goods sold become soft is impractical: good copies will be sold out, leaving spoiled fruit at the bottom of the box.

However, unripe fruit is not only hard and tasteless, but also dangerous to health. Eating such fruits in large quantities can cause food poisoning.

Ready-to-eat avocado fruit has the following characteristics:

It is quite soft; when pressed with a little force, a small dent remains on the surface of the skin.
The peel is not emerald green, but moderate or dark green.
The texture of the pulp resembles slightly frozen butter.
The characteristic aroma and taste are clearly felt.

This fruit can be eaten immediately or stored in the refrigerator until used to prepare any dish. But be sure to remember that long-term storage is unacceptable.

In polyethylene

It happens that inexperienced housewives cannot determine by touch whether the avocado is ripe, so they cut it. And it turns out that, alas, it is still unripe. Everything is lost? Isn't it ripe anymore? No! There is a good way to improve the situation. The cuts are sprinkled with squeezed lemon juice. Both halves, without removing the seeds, are folded “as it was” and wrapped in cling film. Then they put it on a shelf in the refrigerator and wait 2-3 days. Checking: is it ripe? If yes, remove the film and use it for its intended purpose within a day or two.