Avocado is a rather delicate fruit that rots quickly when ripe, especially if it has been cut. Properly storing the avocados you bought will allow you to make them last a long time and eat them when they are tastier. If the fruits are still unripe, place them in a paper bag and let them ripen on the kitchen counter for 3-5 days until ready to eat. If the avocados are ripe or if you have already sliced them, store them in the refrigerator wrapped in cling film or in a plastic bag. When the fruits that were unripe are ripe, take advantage of them and eat them within a couple of days to fully enjoy their delicious taste.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Store an Unripe Avocado
Step 1. Tap the avocado to see how ripe it is
You can determine whether it is unripe or ripe through sight and touch. Ripe fruits have a rough and dark skin, while unripe ones have a smooth and bright green color. Inspect and touch the peel, then try to gently mash the avocados: if they are slightly saggy, they are ripe; if they are hard and difficult to press, they are certainly still immature.
- Once ripe, the avocado should be eaten within a couple of days.
- When you mash it, a ripe avocado has a texture similar to that of an orange, while when it is unripe it is as hard as an apple. If it's very immature it can be as tough as a baseball.
Suggestion:
crushing the avocado risks damaging it. In order not to compromise its ripening, crush the part close to the petiole.
Step 2. Place the avocado in a paper bread bag for it to ripen
Make sure the bag is empty and place the avocado on the bottom. Fold the edge of the bag to partially seal it to trap the ethylene gas released by the fruit as it ripens. That same gas will allow the avocado to ripen faster.
- Store the avocado at a temperature between 18 and 24 ° C to allow it to ripen evenly.
- If you are not in a hurry to eat avocado and are willing to wait, you can let it ripen in the fruit bowl without the need to put it in a bag. In this case it should ripen within 3-5 days, while inside the bag it will ripen within 2-3 days.
- Some say that if you put an apple or banana in the paper bag, avocados can ripen faster. However, there are no scientific data to support this thesis.
Step 3. Check the avocados daily until ripe
Allow at least 24 hours to pass before opening the paper bag. After a day, inspect the peel, color and texture of the fruit to see if they have ripened. If they are ready, try to eat them within a couple of days.
Put some flour in the bag with the avocados if you want to improve the taste. They will be softer and creamier
Method 2 of 4: Storing a Ripe Avocado
Step 1. Place the avocado in a resealable plastic bag
Place the avocado in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate it to make it last longer. If the fruit is intact, it should take 3-5 days before it starts to go bad.
- When cutting the avocado, you may notice that the pulp has darkened slightly, even if you have kept it in the refrigerator for a short time.
- If you prefer, you can use a vacuum-sealed bag to replace the resealable bag.
Suggestion:
the use of the plastic bag is optional, it serves more than anything else to prevent the avocado from absorbing the odors of other foods in the refrigerator.
Step 2. Let the air out of the bag before zipping it up
After putting the avocado in the bag, close the zip for 3/4. At that point, squeeze the bag starting from the bottom to let the air out. Place your palms or fingers on either side of the bag and slowly push the air towards the portion that is still open. After removing most of the air, seal the bag.
If you don't have a suitable bag, you can wrap the avocado in plastic wrap
Step 3. Place the avocado in the refrigerator and keep it up to 3-5 days
Store it in the vegetable drawer or on a free shelf. Leave the fruit in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Keep in mind that if it is very soft and ripe it may start to rot within a couple of days.
When you take it out of the fridge, cut it right away as you normally do. If you let it return to room temperature it could become mushy
Method 3 of 4: Store a Sliced Avocado
Step 1. Arrange the avocado slices on the cutting board or paper towel
If you've cut the avocado but don't intend to eat it all, you can store it in the refrigerator. This method works with both unripe and ripe fruit, what changes is the duration. If the avocado is ripe, you can store it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you found that it was still unripe when you cut it and you want to wait for it to ripen, you will need to leave it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Once cut it is not advisable to leave the avocado out of the refrigerator, otherwise it will acquire a mushy and generally unpleasant texture
Suggestion:
the presence of the pit does not affect the flavor of the avocado, so you can remove it or leave it, as you like. However, note that if you remove it, the pulp will be more exposed to the air and may blacken. On the other hand, however, the fruit will have a more homogeneous consistency if the exposure to oxygen is uniform. Decide based on your preferences.
Step 2. Brush the avocado pulp with lemon juice
Squeeze a lemon and pour the juice into a bowl (about 20ml is needed for each avocado). Take a pastry brush and dip the tips of the bristles into the juice. Spread the lemon juice over the exposed pulp, re-moistening the brush as needed.
- The lemon juice will prevent the pulp from oxidizing by darkening the surface.
- You can substitute lemon juice for orange, tomato or vinegar if you want, but keep in mind that these options will affect the flavor of the avocado in a marked way.
Step 3. Return the avocado to its original shape if possible
If you have cut it in half or in quarters, put the fruit back together by joining the individual parts. Press the pieces gently against each other before wrapping them in plastic wrap to minimize exposure to air.
Skip this step if the avocado is cut into several pieces or if you have already discarded a portion. Wrap the slices individually to preserve them
Step 4. Wrap the avocado in cling film to protect it from the air
Tear off a piece of film about 30-45cm long. Place the avocado near the edge and wrap the plastic wrap around it. Hold the plastic taut and roll the avocado, then seal the edges by folding them over each other.
If you prefer, you can use a vacuum food storage bag
Step 5. Store the avocado in the refrigerator for 3-5 days
Store it in an empty space of the refrigerator; the vegetable drawer is the ideal place to protect it from the air, but a shelf is also good if the drawer is full. If the avocado is ripe, remember to use it within 3 days. If you found that it was still unripe when you cut it, let it ripen in the refrigerator for 3 days before checking if it is ready.
You can store the avocado in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, after which it will start to go bad. Remember that if it is ripe it is best to eat it within 3 days
Method 4 of 4: Freeze an Avocado
Step 1. Store avocado in the freezer if you don't have a chance to eat it soon
Whether they are unripe or ripe, avocados will last a long time if you freeze them, however, as they don't hold up well in the cold, this isn't the best way to store them. In particular, once thawed, they could have an uneven consistency. If you want to make sure they are delicious, the best thing to do is find ways to use them before you need to freeze them.
If the avocado is ripe, you can store it in the freezer for 3-4 months before it begins to spoil. If it is unripe, it can last up to 5-6 months
Step 2. Cut the avocado in half and remove the skin and pit
If you freeze it whole, when you have to defrost it, the skin and the stone will negatively affect its taste and freshness. To avoid this, cut the fruit in half with a large knife, then remove the stone with a spoon or the tip of the knife. Remove the peel with your fingers or using a smaller knife.
Suggestion:
if the avocado is ripe the peel will come off very easily, you should be able to peel it off the pulp without effort. If the avocado is unripe, chances are you will need to peel it with the help of a knife.
Step 3. Brush the pulp with lemon juice
Squeeze a lemon, pour the juice into a bowl and apply it to the entire surface of the fruit using a kitchen brush. Brush the avocado halves thoroughly to protect them from the cold.
Step 4. Wrap the avocado in cling film
Tear off two sheets of foil about 30-45 cm long, then place each half of the fruit next to the edge of the respective foil sheet. Fold the ends over the avocado, then roll the two halves to the opposite edge of the foil sheet before overlapping the corners to completely seal the two parts of the fruit.
If you prefer, you can use a vacuum food storage bag. Bags of this type are extremely useful when it comes to freezing fruit
Step 5. Store the avocado in the freezer for 3-6 months
After wrapping them in cling film, place the two halves of the fruit in a plastic bag and let out as much air as possible before sealing it. Finally, return the bag to the freezer. If the avocado is ripe, it is best to use it within 3-4 months. If it is unripe, you can keep it for up to 5-6 months.
