What is the fastest way to ripen pears?

What is the fastest way to ripen pears?

Ripe and juicy pears are one of the best fruits. A little-known fact is that pears are harvested before they are fully ripe to prevent them from becoming mushy while they are on the tree. As a result, they are usually not ripe and not ready to eat in the store. Our guide on how to ripen pears will save you from the disappointment of biting into a hard, tasteless piece of fruit.

Pears picked from the tree will ripen naturally, as long as they have not been exposed to cold temperatures. Read on for several different ways to ripen pears, and remember that room temperature is a prerequisite across the board.

pears

Checking if a pear is ripe

There is little change in the appearance of ripe and unripe pears, and the easiest way to determine if a pear is ripe is to examine the neck. Gently push the flesh of the pear toward the top of the stem. If the neck yields to the pressure, the pear is ripe and ready to eat.

If the pear is very soft all over and covered with dark spots, then the inside is probably worse. Too soft means the inside is likely to be mushy and powdery.

To choose a ripe Asian pear, look for more brown or yellow pears without green undertones. They should be firm, have no soft spots, and give off a sweet smell. You can take home the green ones and they will also ripen within a few days, just like the varieties mentioned earlier. 

A few ways to ripen pears

1. Room temperature

Pears will ripen naturally when left at room temperature on the kitchen counter. That said, this non-interference method requires a bit of patience, as unripe pears take about 4 to 7 days to reach their peak. It is also worth noting that pears stored on the kitchen counter should be kept out of direct sunlight, otherwise they may go from unripe directly to ripe and mushy. Also, keep in mind that pears ripen at different rates, so be sure to check your fruit daily for ripeness.

2. Fruit trays

If a 4 to 7-day wait for a juicy pear seems too long, USA Pears staff recommends speeding things up by storing unripe pears in a fruit bowl with other ripe fruits, such as bananas. The ethylene gas released by the surrounding fruit will speed up the ripening process, so you can bite into a juicy pear a day or two earlier. Again, you need to keep a close eye on your pears - that is, once they've peaked, it won't take long for them to become overripe and unappetizing 

3. Paper bags

Storing pears in a bowl with other fruits will help move things along, but there is a more effective way to encourage ripening. For this method, simply store the pears in a loosely sealed paper bag. This traps the ethylene gas released by the pears, and the end result is rapid ripening. When using this method, the fruit must be checked daily. However, it is important to note that this should never be attempted with plastic bags, as this will suffocate the pears and cause rot, not ripening.

4. Paper bags + ripe fruit

Ripe fruits emit ethylene gas, which is absorbed by paper bags, so the fastest way to ripen pears is to store them in loosely sealed paper bags with other ripe fruits (such as apples and bananas).

How to store ripe pears?

If you have a large number of ripe pears, the best way is to keep them in the refrigerator and use them after keeping them for a maximum of five days. When storing ripe pears in the refrigerator, it is best to keep them separate from other fruits and certain vegetables that produce ethylene.

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