In the supermarket you will mostly find hard fruit specimens, because they should look fresh on the shelf for as long as possible. There are a few tricks you can use to speed up post-ripening. These don't require much effort.
Apples help pears to ripen
Identify ripe fruit
Pears are characterized by a special feature, because they do not ripen evenly. The ripening process begins on the inside and moves outwards through the pulp. Therefore, a fruit whose skin is firm to the touch may have ripened well. The coloring is not a reliable feature for determining the degree of ripeness. So check the handle. The pear is ripe when it gives way when you apply light pressure to the base.
cloth method
A gentle post-ripening is the storage of the fruit between a cotton cloth. Dry and mild room conditions favor the ripening process. The method is suitable for fruit picked early and was carried out in the 19th century to refine imported goods. Flavor and texture of such severely underripe fruit will improve in two to four weeks, depending on room temperature.
paper bag
The process will be faster if you put the fruit in a paper bag. Pears give off ethylene, which acts as a ripening gas. This causes the green plant pigments to break down, so that different colored pigments emerge. This increases enzyme activity and sugar production. The consistency changes as pectins are broken down. With this variant, fruits bought in the supermarket are ripe after two to four days.
tips
Do not use plastic bags, because the gases cannot escape here and moisture forms. This increases the risk of rotting.
apple method
Ripe apples also give off gases, which further accelerate the ripening process. Overripe fallen fruit reduces the after-ripening to one day if you place it in the fruit bag. Do not leave the bag for too long to avoid overripeness. As a precaution, it is a good idea to pierce the paper in several places. Along with bananas, pears and apples are among the fruits that secrete particularly large amounts of ripening gas. The holes provide additional ventilation and allow gas to escape.
Good to know:
- Alternatively, place the harvest in a bowl
- do not store on top of each other as they are sensitive to pressure points
- dented areas turn brown and rot faster
Store ripe fruit
When the pears are soft, put them in the fridge. Due to the cold temperatures, the ripening stagnates, so that the sweet aroma and the soft consistency are retained for some time. After about five days you should consume the yield at the latest.
Varieties suitable for storage
Precocious varieties such as Williams Christ and Gellert's Butter Pear are less suitable for long storage. They ripen quickly and quickly lose their shelf life. Late pear varieties, which are ready for harvest in autumn, can be stored for up to two months. The post-ripening works less well for them.