The Best Ways to Store Mangoes

Ripe mangoes are very juicy.

A well-ripened mango is one of the world's most luscious fruits, combining the texture of a juicy peach with a complex flavor combining fruity, floral and pine-like notes. Eating a fresh, ripe mango is a joyously messy experience, usually requiring a great deal of washing up afterwards. Mangoes are at their best when bought and consumed fully ripe, but can easily be stored for short periods or preserved for longer storage. Does this Spark an idea?

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Fresh Mangoes
- Like most tropical fruits, mangoes will not ripen in the refrigerator. If your mangoes are hard and under-ripe, let them sit for up to five days at room temperature until soft. Mangoes are sensitive to ethylene, the so-called ripening gas, so placing an under-ripe mango in a paper bag with a ripe mango or apple will speed ripening. Once ripe, mangoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to another week.
Long Storage: Drying
- Dried mangoes are a common snack in much of the world, especially in areas where they are grown. To dry slices of mango for storage, select perfectly ripe, unblemished fruit. Peel the mango and slice the flesh away from the stone in 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch strips. Arrange the fruit on your dehydrator's trays with space between the strips for air circulation. Dehydrate the fruit at 125 degrees Fahrenheit until quite dry and leathery. Store airtight in a cool, dark place. In India, green mangoes are dried and ground to make a sour seasoning.
Long Storage: Freezing
- Freezing maintains the fresh taste of mangoes beautifully, though it is detrimental to their texture unless done in a commercial-quality blast freezer. To freeze mangoes at home, cut the fruit into thick spears or cubes. Arrange the fruit in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap and cover with more plastic wrap. Freeze the fruit, then transfer from the sheet pan to a heavy-duty freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container. Store for up to a year, removing pieces as needed for baking or other purposes.
Long Storage: Canning
- Canning does not preserve the fresh flavor of mangoes as well as freezing does, but the texture of the fruit is better. As a rule of thumb, use frozen mangoes for baking or cooking and keep the canned mangoes for eating or in desserts. To can, cut the mangoes into thick spears or dice into large cubes. Pack the fresh mangoes in light or medium syrup with lemon juice or a commercial acidifier, such as Fruit Fresh, and process the jars in a water-bath canner. Consult an authoritative canning guide for detailed instructions.