Avocados are a unique fruit in that where other fruits are generally sweet, they are fatty and almost savory. The fats contained in avocados are a good type of fat, making them a staple among vegans and many other diets.
Avocados are multifaceted and can be used in many dishes. From salads to smoothies, they add a unique flavor to a meal.
Avocados are generally grown in warm humid temperatures, which is generally the Central America and Caribbean region. They are generally harvested when they are not quite ripe to ensure they last a longer time. So what do you do if the avocado you grabbed from the grocery store shelf isn’t as ripe as you’d like?
Well, continue reading below for some great tips to quickly ripen your avocado.
How Do You Know When Avocados Are Ripe?
Feel
You might instinctively move to feel if the fruit is ripe and that’s actually one of the best ways to check for ripeness. Ripe avocados are soft to the touch and should give a little when pressed lightly. Be careful not to press too hard as the fruit is fragile.
Color of the Skin
Another way to distinguish ripe from green avocados is by the color of the skin. Depending on the variety, ripe avocados can be red to purple or light green in color. Unripe avocados are also generally shiny looking while the ripe variety is matte and generally a duller hue.
Look at the Stem
You can also tell if your avocados are ripe is by looking at the space where the stem was connected to the fruit. If it is brown, the avocado is likely ripe or close to being ripe. If it is green or you are unable to break away the stem easily, then you’ve got an unripe fruit.
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Best Ways to Ripen Avocados Faster
Avocados are one of the few fruits that do not ripen on the tree. They ripen after being harvested or when they fall from the tree.
Green avocados are not generally consumed and can make you sick if eaten.
So how do you speed up ripening your avocado?
Ripen Avocados By Placing Them in a Warm Room
Avocados kept in warm temperatures will ripen faster than those kept in a cool or cold place. For many people the kitchen will be the warmest place in the house.
By simply keeping the avocado on a shelf in your kitchen you could help speed up the ripening process.
At warm room temperatures, a mature avocado should take a maximum of 5 days to ripen.
Place the Avocado in a Paper Bag with a Banana or Apple
This hack works for many fruits and avocado is no different. Simply take any old paper bag and place the fruit inside before setting it down in a location where it will be undisturbed.
Alternatively, you can wrap the fruit in two sheets of newspaper and leave undisturbed as well.
Using this method, you can have ripe fruit in as little as 24 hours depending on how mature the avocado was when it was reaped.
To kick things up a notch, you can place a ripe banana or apple alongside the avocado in the paper bag or newspaper. These fruits produce a chemical caller ethylene that will further help the ripening process.
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Ripen Avocados in The Oven
Ripening avocados in the oven is the way to go if you only have minutes or a few hours to spare. For this method you will need to cut the avocados in half and remove the seeds. Next, wrap each half in foil.
Place in the oven for about 15 minutes and test for readiness. If it’s not soft enough, add another 5 minutes and check again.
Once it’s at the ideal level of softness, run the avocados under water to stop the cooking process.
