Pears are a unique fruit, whose ripening continues even after they have been picked. To choose the best pears, prefer those with a firm consistency, without bruises, and let them ripen in the fruit bowl in the kitchen; after a few days they will be ready to eat. If you want, you can speed up the ripening process by using a paper bag or by keeping them next to other fruits. Check daily if the pears are ripe: if they are soft to the touch it means that they are ready to be eaten.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Best Pears
Step 1. Discard the bruised pears
By their nature, pears have a colorful and spotted skin, but it is better to discard those that have spots, dents or scratches. Pears with damaged skin are generally not as good as pears with perfect skin.
Step 2. When buying, choose firmer pears
Pears continue to ripen after being picked, so don't worry if they are still tough when you buy them from the greengrocer or at the market. In general it is best to choose a pear that is still hard and let it ripen in the fruit bowl.
- Most pears have a light green skin, but there are also some varieties that tend to yellow or brown.
- Don't worry if the pears you have chosen are very hard: they will turn soft within a few days.
Step 3. If you are the lucky owner of a pear tree, you can wait for the fruit to ripen on the tree
If you have a pear in the garden, hold a pear and rotate it horizontally. If the stalk breaks easily, it means that the fruit is ripe and ready to be picked. If, on the other hand, the petiole resists, it is better to leave the pear on the tree for some more time.
- The ripening process of pears continues even after picking them from the tree and it is better not to wait until they are soft to pick them.
- After picking the pears directly from the tree it is best to keep them for a few days in the cold (for example in the refrigerator) to facilitate the ripening process. This advice is valid only for freshly harvested pears.
Part 2 of 3: Ripening the Pears
Step 1. Store the pears at room temperature to ripen them in 4-7 days
Whether you picked them by hand or bought them from the greengrocer, pears will soon ripen if you keep them in your fruit bowl. Check them daily until they are ripe.
It is better not to overlap the pears, to prevent the peel from being damaged. In particular, the pears of the "nashi" variety (also called Asian pear) have a very delicate skin
Step 2. Place the pears in a bag to ripen them within 2-4 days
The gases produced by the fruits themselves will accelerate the ripening process. Use a paper bag and close it to keep the gases inside.
- Check the pears every day to make sure they don't spoil.
- Unlike plastic, paper is a breathable material. Use a paper bag rather than a plastic bag to allow air to pass through.
Step 3. Place a ripe banana or apple in the bag if you want to eat pears within a couple of days
If you want to speed up the ripening process of pears to be able to eat them within a maximum of 2-3 days, add a ripe banana or apple to the bag. Ripe fruits release a large amount of ethylene gas, so pears will ripen faster.
- Check the condition of the pears frequently. A single rotten fruit can accelerate the deterioration of all the others.
- If you don't have a paper bag at home, put the pears in the fruit bowl and add some ripe apples or bananas to take advantage of the ethylene effect.
Step 4. Do not refrigerate pears until ripe
If you put the pears in the refrigerator when they are still unripe, you risk blocking the ripening process, which therefore will never arrive. Wait for them to become soft to the touch before placing them in the refrigerator to serve cold or to simply extend their shelf life.
Only pears that you have picked ripe from the tree can be stored in the refrigerator. Pears for sale from the greengrocer or supermarket have already undergone this process and it is best not to refrigerate them until they are ripe
Part 3 of 3: Recognizing a Ripe Pear
Step 1. Feel the pear to see if it is soft
Gently press the neck of the pear between your fingers; if it seems to you that the pulp has softened, it means that the ripening process is over and it's time to eat it. Don't worry if the peel hasn't changed color: in most cases, pears don't change their appearance as they ripen.
Pears don't have to be mushy; it is sufficient that they are soft to be eaten. If the pulp gives way under the pressure of the fingers, it means that the pear is ripe
Step 2. Check the pears daily to make sure they are not spoiling
Once ripe, pears spoil quickly, so check them once a day. Especially if you have placed them in a bag or close to other fruits to make them ripen faster, it is very important to inspect them every day so as not to miss the ripe fruit.
You can write the purchase date of the pears on the bag to keep track of the ripening days
Step 3. When the pears are ripe, eat them within a couple of days
The best pears are those that have just ripened, so don't wait too long to eat them after they become soft. If you can't eat them right away, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator. They will keep for a couple of days.
Generally, "nashi" pears can be kept a little longer than those of other varieties
Advice
- If you have overripe pears, use them to make a cake or jam.
- Remember that a single rotten fruit can speed up the ripening process of all the others, so check pears frequently, especially if there are a lot of them.
- Do not overlap the pears to avoid causing damage to the peel.
- The "nashi" pears need to ripen on the tree.
- Wash the pears before eating them, even if you intend to peel them.
