How to Choose a Ripe Avocado

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By Patti Winters
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Choose a Ripe Avocado

Unlike most fruits and vegetables, avocados won't ripen on the tree. They have to be picked and then will ripen. This is why it is often more difficult to choose a ripe avocado than other fruits and vegetables. Here are a few tips to choosing the right avocados and how to best ripen them at home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

COLOR:
When avocados are first picked from the tree they are almost a bright color of green (they will always stay this color on the tree, where they will not ripen). Although this may be a more appealing color, you are looking for a dark green to almost black when looking for a ripe avocado.
Step 2

FEEL:
An under ripe avocado will be quite hard to the touch, while an over ripe one will be very mushy. We are looking for something in the middle. When you press lightly with your thumb, there should feel some give. Be careful not to push too hard, or the avocado can bruise.
Step 3

RIPENING AT HOME:
Often you will not be able to find a ripe avocado in the store and will want to let it ripen at home, especially if you will not be using them right away. Keeping an avocado on the counter will ripen it at a average to slow pace. If you want to ripen it faster, placing it in a paper bag will speed up the process. To slow down the ripening process they can be stored in the refrigerator.

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Comments

Wordart said

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on 3/4/2009 Thanks for the information. Choosing a ripe avocado is a difficult task, I find. I can pick one that's not yet ripe, take it home and wait for it to ripen, only to find that I waited too long. Someday I'll hit it right.