Tuesday, 06 September 2011
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Avocados: How To Pick, Ripen & Cut Them
I love guacamole and I especially love preparing guacamole. But unfortunately for me, I have the WORST luck picking out ripe avocados. Here's a quick break down on how to pick good avocados, how to ripen them and how to cut them.
How to pick avocados
- Pick an avocado without bruises and scars
- A ripe avocado's stem should be easily removed.
- Feel the avocado. Unripe avocados will feel like a rock and over-ripened avocados will feel too mushy. A perfectly ripe avocado should feel firm, but soft--much like the palms of your hands.
How to ripen avocados
Unripe avocados can take up to 5 days to ripen. Place 2-3 avocados in a brown paper bag in room temperature. To fasten the ripening process, add an apple, ripe banana or tomato. How does this work? These fruits give off a plant hormone called ethylene which triggers the ripening process. When placed together in a brown bag, the bag traps the ethylene gases and causes the fruits to ripen faster.
How to preserve a ripe avocado
If you need your avocado to last a few more days without going bad, then place them in your refrigerator to freeze the ripening process.
How to cut avocados
Avocado pits and peels are not meant to be consumed. Here's a quick video that shows you how to properly cut an avocado:
How to prevent an avocado from browning
Adding lemon or lime juice prevents the avocado from browning since the juice slows the oxidation process.
What's your favorite avocado dish?
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- From: sbaral@xanga
- About Me: I'm a Rutgers University graduate who discovered a passion for writing in college when I found myself enjoying researching for and writing papers instead of working at biology labs. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking and watching movies--I am in pursuit of learning to fluently speak French and Italian after developing an interest in these languages from watching foreign films. Apart from foreign films and cooking, my interests include photography, traveling, art history and interior design. twitter.com/sushbaral
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Comments (11)
Thanks! I eat avocados on anything I can, my favorite being tuna fish sandwiches, homemade tacos and sesame crackers. My biggest issue is keeping them after cutting them. I had a friend tell me that keeping the pit in with the avocada after storing it instead of throwing it directly away will also help. I will have to try the lemon/lime juice trick though. I have a avocado currently browning in my fridge as we speak.
omg thanks for sharing! i cut myself while trying to make homemade guacamole a couple months ago and never knew the secret about browning. this video saved me!
fried avocados look amazing!
Avocados are by far one of my most favorite treats. =)
I've read that giving halved avocado (with or without the pit) a quick rinse under ice cold water after cutting helps slow the oxidation process better and longer than lemon/lime juice. I haven't tried it though...I've been buying my guac premade lately because either all the avocados at the store are rock hard or way too expensive.
Definitely guacamole, if I'm not eating the avocados by themselves.
Here in Arizona, it is hard to come across a good Avocado. I usually only find Avocados from Mexico, but if you've ever had a California Avocado nothing compares!
We use newspapers to ripen our avocados. It does the same trick as the brown paper bags.
I love avocado! Most of the time I eat them just with salt, but I like guacamole and they're good in sushi, too. I have a hard time telling if they're ripe, but this was helpful. Thanks!
Good tip. I like to scoop the flesh out and eat it fresh or add it to salad or make juice it.
I love avocados.. I like to scoop it into a bowl, mix it with a little olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and eat it on salad or bread. Mmmmm.