Buzz
Pears are a delicious fruit that have been loved since ancient Roman times. However, eating a pear while it's still green won't give you the best flavor. To truly enjoy its juiciness and sweetness, the pear needs to ripen first. If you have unripe pears, follow these steps below to ripen this wonderful fruit:
Steps
Why Pears Bought from Stores are Often Not Fully Ripe
Note that pears are often picked while still green. This is because pears do not ripen well while still on the tree, but they will ripen when stored in a cool place. In fact, the ripening process of pears is fairly short, and they can ripen and spoil in just a few hours.
- If you buy or pick pears that are already ripe, they should be eaten immediately after harvesting.
Ripening Pears
Speed up the ripening process of pears with the following methods:
- Remove the pears from the refrigerator and leave them at room temperature (18ºC to 24ºC). Pears will ripen faster when stored in a cool place, typically within 1-7 days. The longer pears are stored in a cool environment, the faster they will ripen once placed at room temperature.
- Place a ripe banana or apple in a brown paper bag with the pears to take advantage of the ethylene gas (a natural ripening agent) released by the banana/apple. However, be cautious, as pears can ripen too much or spoil quickly. If this happens, follow the guide for dealing with overripe pears below. If you want to avoid overripe pears, simply place the pears next to a bunch of bananas and eat them as soon as they ripen.
Identifying Different Types of Pears. Knowing the type of pear helps to understand how to ripen it at room temperature. For example:
- Bartlett Pears: 4-5 days
- Bosc and Comice Pears: 5-7 days
- Anjou Pears: 7-10 days
Signs That a Pear is Ripe
Check the flesh near the stem. As mentioned earlier, pears ripen quickly and can spoil just as fast. A pear that is ripe for eating will feel soft near the stem and the skin will slightly indent when you press it with your finger.
Slow down the ripening process
Storing pears in the fridge will help slow down the ripening process.
Use overripe or damaged pears
Prepare dishes with overripe pears. Simply peel and chop the pear to incorporate into cakes, fruit tarts, or baked goods. Since pears are naturally sweet, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar used when baking.
- Here are some ideas: chocolate and pear cake, vegan pear cake, and pear cake.
Stew overripe pears. Stewed overripe pears are the most delicious as they break apart easily and don't need to maintain their shape like when blanched. However, they will taste even better when stewed with berries or apples to create a delightful dessert. You can drizzle yogurt or cream over the stewed pears and sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg on top.
Items You Need
- Paper bag (optional)
- Thermometer to measure room/storage temperature
