How Do You Ripen Avocados? Here Are The Ways

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So versatile, creamy and delicious are avocados, that they can be used in salads, soups, either as a dip or just as slices on crisp and toasted bread.

But you know what – avocados as a fruit are high-maintenance.

First of all, they turn rancid very quickly. That’s why you can’t buy ripe avocados on the thought of using them later.

Secondly, you have to wait for the unripe avocados to turn ripe before you consume them. Because the unripe ones are hard as rock.

How To Ripen Avocados:

In short, the task in hand is how do you ripen avocados. In other words, how to ripen an avocado, how to ripen avocados quickly or how to ripen avocado fast. The thing is you have to carefully bring the avocado to ripeness status (perfect ripeness, you know) and creamy tenderness.

Avocado Ripening Tip 1 – Brown Paper Bag

Get a brown paper bag. Place the avocado in the brown paper bag alongside a banana or an apple. Let it lie under the sun for a day. Together the banana or apple and avocado release a gas called “ethylene” which speeds up the ripening process of the avocado.

The other option is –

Place just the avocado inside a paper bag but on a sunny window sill. This might take longer – about 3 to 5 days. Patience is required, but you know what – this is the most effective way to ripen avocado fast.

Heard of renowned Chef Martha Stewart? She swears by this trick, so it is worth trying it out, you see.

Avocado Ripening Tip 2 – Aluminium Foil

Question on how to ripen avocados quickly – is it possible to do it in 10 minutes? Well if you believe in it, it is possible.

To make it happen, wrap an avocado in an aluminium foil. Now bake it in the oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. In fact, you can even put the avocado in a pre-heated oven. Keep checking the progress after every 5 minutes.

DO NOT MICROWAVE the avocados. It will just ruin the taste and your efforts.

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Avocado Ripening Tip 3 – Peas

Got a last minute party at home? Thinking hard how to ripen avocados quickly?

Rub some lime juice on the cut slices of avocado. Now place the two halves back together.

What does this do?

Lime juice is an “acidic agent” itself as you know. This prevents the avocado from becoming brown.

Now wrap the lime-treated avocados tightly in a plastic or cling-film. Alternatively, use an air-tight container if you don’t have either of the plastic or cling film.

Put this in a refrigerator for a day or two until the avocado turns soft. As a sensible measure – keep checking the avocado fruit for ripeness.

Avocado Ripening Tip 5 – Sea Salt

Cut the avocado stem and create a small opening. Fill it with some sea salt. Then place the cut top back like a lid in order to seal the avocado.

Guess what? This works well for how to ripen avocados quickly.

How to Tell If the Avocado Is Ripe:

Cutting into an avocado that you have wanted to ripen? Only to find that brown slimy mess instead of the creamy green texture…

Scrap the stem (or the cap of the avocado). If it comes off easily revealing a green, creamy texture, it is the right time to eat the avocado. But if the avocado is toooo soft, then chances are the avocado has turned over-ripe.

Avocado Ripening Tips:

Make sure that the ripe avocados are always stored in the refrigerator. This slows down their ripening process.

• If your avocado is starting to ripe, it will be less directed by heat. It is easier to grill or bake it then.

• If your avocado took a while to ripen, it should go well in salads and salsas. The slices of avocado will look nice on your dishes!

• Have a bunch of ripe avocados with you? Turn ’em into something cream-based. Think ice cream, or cheesecakes.

Ripe Ready-to-Eat Avocado:

How can one make this out? When the avocado gives in to firm and gentle pressure, that’s the time one can declare this fruit ready for consumption. When the avocado is ripe, it usually has a darker colour. Go by the feel and colour before eating a ripe avocado.

In the “ripeness” stage, the avocado will feel soft. But not “mushy” when touched…
In order to prevent the avocado from becoming overripe or spoiled, store it in the refrigerator (that is if you plan to eat it in a day or two).

How To Pick The Best Fresh Avocado:

Handy Tip –

Check the outside color of the avocado skin. They shouldn’t be very dark as compared to other avocado fruits. Plus there shouldn’t be any large indentations on the fruit skin as it can give a bad impression of ‘bruises’ on the avocado.

 

So how did you find these tips and tricks on how do you ripen avocados? Have any more of these? Write in and tell us.