Many thanks to all who read my previous post 'Not Everyone Loves Avocados', which you can see here, and special thanks to all who took time to leave a comment. It became evident, that like me, many of you experience problems when getting a perfectly ripe avocado. Which leads me to todays post and helpful tips about:-
Whether you want to pick a ripe-right-now avocado or one you plan to eat in a few days, understanding the signs associated with each stage of ripeness will help you choose the right one. To do so, focus on the way the avocado feels and looks. You may want to choose Haas avocados over any other variety, as they give a better idea of what is going on beneath the skin than other varieties do.
Under-ripe
An under-ripe Haas avocado will range from bright to mid-green in colour and have a relatively smooth peel. It will feel very firm and not give at all when gently pressed. If you don't need to use the avocado for another three to five days, then buy avocados like this, set them on your counter, and wait it out.
Just About Ripe
Avocados that are just about ripe will vary a little in colour, but are usually dark green with flecks of black here and there. The skin will have a slightly bumpier texture than under-ripe avocados, and it will feel softer in your hand than an under-ripe avocado; it still won't give to gentle pressure. Choose these if you plan to eat them within a day or two.
Perfectly Ripe
A ready-to-eat avocado will range from very dark green to dark brown to eggplant (aubergine) purple, and the skin will be the bumpiest texture yet. It will yield to gentle pressure, but shouldn't feel mushy or leave any indentations. If you find an avocado with these indicators, it's go-time, and you should plan to eat it the same day.
Over-ripe
An over-ripe avocado will be very dark and may show signs of wear and tear, like deep indentations and black bruising. The peel will be bumpy and it will feel mushy when gentle pressure is applied. Avoid these, unless they are on super sale and you may want to use them in a smoothie.
How to Ripen an Avocado Quickly
To ripen an avocado quickly, place it in a brown paper bag along with another ethylene-producing fruit like a banana or apple. Ethylene is a naturally occurring gas that causes certain fruits to ripen. The additional fruit doubles down on gas production, and the bag traps it. With this method, you will be able to ripen a firm avocado in a day or two.
How to Slow Down Avocado Ripening
If you bought perfectly ripe avocados, but you're not ready to use them, slow down the maturation process by storing them in the refrigerator. The avocados should be fully ripe before you move them from counter to refrigerator, though; doing so will halt the ripening process.
How to Store Half an Avocado
If you end up using half of an avocado, store the other half by lightly coating the surface with cooking spray then wrapping it with plastic wrap. The oil forms an extra-protective layer over the fruit, which slows down browning caused by air exposure. You can also freeze avocados - but be warned, the texture will not be good for anything other than smoothies.
Words above taken from article here
Related Recipe Posts
Sail Away on a delicious Avocado Boat - see hereCourgette / Zucchini Pizza Boats - see here
All the best Jan
26 comments:
Hi Jan, This is great information and answers all the questions I had about avocados in the previous post. Thank you so much! John
Have a good day.
Thank you for this very useful information. Bookmarking now!
Hey Jan! I've never tried the apple and banana trick with the bag. I'll have to give that a go next time I buy a sack of the mini avocados on sale. Thanks!
Gracias por los consejos. Te mando un beso.
Thank you.
I find it difficult to find an avocado without brown spots in the flesh - whatever state of ripeness I purchase them. Sigh.
I have three avocados sitting on my butcher block that are ready to be made. We love avocados, they are so good and so healthy. They have a ton of fiber, so you have to be careful how much you eat so as not to feel too bloated.
Well it's good know when they are ripe Jan, even though I'm not a fan I still buy one occasionly.
Thank you! I´, try to buy avos that need to ripen and join them with a banana!
Usually we have overripe ones at the stores, so we sadly rarely buy them here.
No idea why it´s so difficult in Germany! Or our region of Germany!
One half... we use lemon juice for that...? As we don´t have cooking spray (I might buy some for the cold season, though, thank you for that tip!)
Really useful information Jan - I have often bought an avocado and been very disappointed when I have cut it open - now I realise that I should probably have used it straight away.
Thanks for the tip and info.
I have pick a few unripe avocados.
Take care, have a great day!
I discovered the fridge trick by accident and it works like a charm. I didn't know about the preserving half with oil and wrap -- that's an excellent idea and one I'll definitely use!
...this is something that I don't know much about.
Great tips, we buy avocados and sometimes a few of them are no good. Hopefully, these tips will make the avocados great again.
Thank you! Your post is be helpful.
Your information is very valuable. I'll use it next time.
Hugs and greetings.
Thank you for sharing these tips about avocados
You can check out my new post here: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2023/10/retirement-dilemma-selling-your-home-for-care-costs.html
Avocados are so tricky! These tips are very helpful. I've used the paper bag trick and it does work. I used to hate avocados when I was younger, but at some point, I started loving them. Same with cilantro. Go figure. Happy weekend! Hope Babet isn't causing you any trouble.
It's all good information Jan. Unfortunately you will not convince me to eat an avocado. Once bitten twice shy. I'm just munching on a Cox's apple while supporting Kent orchards. Sorry you got wet. It's hardly rained here even though it is pretty windy. Nothing new!
Great info about avocados ~ they are nutritious and delicious ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your day,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
good to know, thanks!
I like avocado's now but I didn't when I first tried them.
I often run a cut lemon over the cut edge of an avocado - this seems to stop it discolouring. What I don't like are the avocados which look medium green but then when you cut into them they are quite dark. Luckily they taste okay, (if a bit overripe) but they don't look good at all.
It took me a long time to learn this. This avocado page has it all in one place. Helpful!
Muy buena explicación. Besos.
I doubt I'll ever have them.
Post a Comment