Contents
2 effective ways, step-by-step instructions with photos and videos
Choosing a ripe avocado in a supermarket or convenience store is not difficult. Avocado is a fruit that can ripen at home. Therefore, if you chose a green avocado, then it’s okay, it will be able to ripen on its own in your home. But how to understand when it is ripe and ready for use? There are two of the most popular methods that we will look at.
Method 1. Selection by color and softness
The avocado pulp is soft and delicate, buttery. Once purchased, the ripeness of the fruit is determined by its cut. Ripe avocado has a rich aroma, buttery consistency, and the bone is easily separated from the pulp.
The peel and color of the avocado can also vary by cultivar. Some fruits have a smooth surface, others wrinkled or pimpled. Regardless of the appearance and color of the skin, it is recommended to eat only ripe fruits. Unripe or overripe fruit will have a taste disturbance.
Unripe avocado
Before ripeness: 5-6 days
Light green. When pressed, the avocado is firm and does not squeeze. If you bought such a fruit, then it will ripen perfectly at room temperature. Place it on a windowsill or in a place where it will receive more daylight and check the fruit after a few days.
Almost ripe avocado
1-2 days to maturity.
A moderate green and slightly bland avocado is almost ready to eat. Once cut, the bone will still be difficult to remove. If you cut such an avocado, cover it with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for 1 day.
Ripe avocado
Ready to eat.
Dark green color. But the color of different varieties of avocado may differ. Do not press hard on the fruit, if you feel that it is soft and squeezed, then the avocado is ripe and you can eat it. If you want to use such a fruit in a couple of days, then put it in the refrigerator.
Overripe avocado
Overdue.
Very dark green, closer to black. Overripe avocados are very soft to the touch and may have dents. Such a fruit may give off an unpleasant smell of spoiled product. When cut, an overripe avocado may have black bruises on the inside. It is better to get rid of such an avocado and not eat it.
The color of an avocado depends on its variety and can be in almost any shade from dark green to brown. Almost black fruits are sometimes found – they are the most delicious avocado variety. The ripeness of this type of avocado is determined by its softness.
Method 2. Selection by cut
When choosing a ripe avocado, pay attention to the stem (stalk) of the fruit. If there is a stem on the fruit, remove it to reveal the color of the stem.
It should be light brown in color. If it is black, then the avocado is overripe and it is better not to use such a fruit.
Signs of a ripe avocado
When choosing an avocado, in addition to individual rules, you should use the standard rating factors that apply to all fruits. The fruit must be clean, free from defects and damage, signs of decay or parasites.
- ripe avocados have a darker skin color than unripe ones;
- the skin of a ripe fruit is evenly colored;
- a good avocado is always elastic (if you press on its skin, then there will be no dents);
- a bright green stalk is considered a sign of a ripe avocado;
- the aroma of ripe avocado can be felt even through the thick skin;
- if you shake the avocado and its bone makes a characteristic knock, then the fruit is fully ripe.
The shape of the avocado can vary. Some varieties have almost round fruits, others are more like a pear. The taste properties of different types are practically the same. Pronounced differences are present only in ripe, immature or overripe fruits.
Which avocado you shouldn’t buy
The size of an avocado should not be taken into account when buying it. Some varieties of this fruit, distinguished by a rather large fruit size, have an equally impressive bone size. As a result of such a purchase, you can get much less pulp than from a small fruit. The avocado pit can be oblong or round.
Signs of Avocado Not Recommended to Buy:
- if there are defects on the surface of the fruit (dents, cracks and other damage), then it is better to refuse the purchase;
- if, when pressing on the skin of an avocado, dents remain on it, then this is a sign of an overripe fruit;
- dents on the avocado may indicate the beginning of the rotting process inside the fruit;
- too hard surface of an avocado can only be in unripe fruits;
- a brown stalk of a fruit is a sign of over-ripeness;
- a yellow-green stalk can only be in an unripe fetus;
- If the avocado does not give off a characteristic aroma, then it is most likely unripe or grown using chemicals;
- there should be no traces of sticky substances or wax on the surface of the fruit (sometimes special formulations based on paraffin are used to maintain the fruit’s presentation, which is rather problematic to wash off);
- if you lightly shake the avocado and the stone does not knock, then the fruit is unripe.
An unripe avocado ripens at home within 4-6 days. Sometimes such fruits are specially bought in advance, if they are not planned to be eaten immediately. The fruit can ripen only at room temperature, if you put it in the refrigerator, then the ripening process will not occur.