It could be difficult to tell whether an avocado is ripe or not. One reason behind this is because this pear-shaped fruit ripens in an uneven way. To be exact, the part that surrounds the seed tends to ripen fast, while the thick part remains unripe. For those who love avocados, it is important to know if the fruit is ripe for eating before they become brown and start spoiling.
To make sure that you have a ripe avocado, here are the steps to determine whether it is good for eating or not:
1. Check the appearance first. If you know the avocado variety, it will be easier for you to spot a ripe avocado. You can ask the seller or the grocer regarding the variety or you can check the label. While you’re at it, you should also know when the fruit was harvested. The size can tell you whether the avocado is mature or not, but this will depend on the variety. For instance, if you have a bacon avocado, mature ones are medium in size, which range from 170 grams to 340 grams. The color will also tell you if the avocado is ripe. Taking the previous example, bacon avocados have that smooth, green skin.
2. Inspect the firmness of the avocado. You can do this by holding the fruit in the palm of your hand, not just pressing with your fingertips. This way, you don’t bruise the ripe avocado as you spread the pressure. Don’t choose a mushy avocado as this is already overripe. Don’t check just one place of the fruit; squeeze a few more places by applying gentle pressure. A ripe avocado is soft in numerous places.
3. Listen to the avocado. Gently shake the avocado and if you hear some rattling inside, the fruit is usually overripe.
If the avocado is already ripe, you may want to store it in the refrigerator if you don’t plan to eat it just yet. You can eat it raw or you can use it for your favorite salads. You can also make an avocado salad out of it. Stuffed avocados are actually tasty and nutritious. To give you an idea, you can add chumus on it.
Meanwhile, if you have an overripe avocado, don’t be disappointed as it can still be eaten. However, there will be some bitter spots that are very soft and mushy. An unripe avocado will meet resistance when you cut through its skin. Leave the fruit for at least a day before checking it again.