Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Jerran Boyer. Chef Jerran Boyer is a Nutrition-Focused Professional Chef and the CEO of Health Nut Chefs. Chef Jerran has over 20 years of experience as a private chef. She and her team specialize in providing healthy, fresh-prepared meals designed with each client’s taste and dietary needs in mind. She and her team offer both personal, part-time chef services and private, full-time chef services in New York, New Jersey, and the Los Angeles area. Chef Jerran received her BS in Business Administration from the University of South Florida, a degree in Culinary Arts from Florida Culinary Institute, and a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through Cornell University.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
How.com.vn marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 19 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 437,200 times.
Few things are as tasty as a juicy, ripe peach, and few things are as disappointing as biting into a peach that's rock hard. If you suffer the unfortunate woe of unripe peaches, don't despair! They are easy to ripen quickly, and can promptly be eaten fresh or used for cooking.
Steps
Get a paper bag. Brown paper bags are perfect for ripening peaches. The fruit releases ethylene gas naturally, and the thin paper traps the gas without also trapping moisture. Plastic bags on the other hand, cause peaches to ripen too quickly and then rot.[1]
Add your fruit to the bag. Place the unripe peaches into the bag. For added ripening powers, place a banana or apple into the bag with the peaches. These fruits give off high levels of ethylene gas and will cause the peaches to ripen faster.[2]Advertisement
Let the peaches ripen. Leave the bag in a dry area at room temperature for 24 hours.[3] The number of peaches and the original ripeness will determine the total amount of time to ripen the peaches fully.
Check the peaches. After 24 hours, check your peaches to see how ripe they are. If they give off a soft scent and are slightly soft to the touch, then they are ripe and ready to eat.[4] If not, then replace them in the bag for an additional 24 hours. Repeat this process until they are ready.- If they are not ripened, leave in for another 12-24 hours.
Enjoy your peaches. Once all your peaches are ripened, they are ready to eat! They are good stored at room temperature for several days, but can be kept longer when placed in the fridge.
Lay out a linen napkin. Select a clean, dry area (such as a space on your kitchen counter) to lay out a linen or cotton napkin. Make sure that it is flat for optimum use of space.
Lay out your peaches. Place your peaches stem-end down on the linen towel. Spread them out so that they are equidistant from each other, and so none of them are touching (even if you are ripening many peaches).
Cover the peaches. Place a second linen or cotton towel over the top of the peaches.[5] Cover them completely, and if possible tuck the sides so that the edges are closed off to fresh air.
Wait for them to ripen. Ripening your peaches with a linen towel may take several days, but will provide juicier fruit. Check your peaches 2-3 days later, paying attention to their softness and looking for that classic peachy smell. If they aren't quite ready, replace the towel and check back a day later.
Enjoy your ripe peaches. When your peaches are soft to the touch and have a great aroma, they are ready to be eaten! Have them fresh or store them in your fridge if you have a surplus you want to extend the life of.[6]
Community Q&A
- QuestionDo peaches need to be refrigerated?
How.com.vn Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerHow.com.vn Staff EditorStaff AnswerRipe peaches can be refrigerated and will stay good for about 2 to 3 days in the fridge. Unripe peaches should not be refrigerated until ripe because chilling disrupts the ripening changes in a negative way and can cause the peaches to become mealy or "spongy." Wait until they’re ripe before chilling them. - QuestionWhy do peaches get pasty?How.com.vn Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerHow.com.vn Staff EditorStaff AnswerPeaches can become "pasty" or mealy on the tree or at home. At home, this can happen if the peaches are refrigerated before fully ripe, as this disrupts the ripening process and cannot be fully restored once the peaches are chilled too early. If it happens on the tree, this may have been caused by the tree's defense mechanisms to ward off insect pests or excessive moisture (to prevent rot). - QuestionCan you ripen a peach in the microwave?How.com.vn Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerHow.com.vn Staff EditorStaff AnswerUsing the microwave will only work to help start the ripening process; it isn’t a case of putting the unripe peach into the microwave and having it come out ripe. To start the ripening process, place the peach on a microwave-suitable plate. Put into the microwave oven, set to medium heat and microwave it for 15 seconds. Remove the unripe and now heated peach and place into a paper bag, with a banana or an apple. The ethylene released from all the fruit in the bag will ripen the peach and it will work a little faster thanks to the zap in the microwave oven.
Video
Tips
- When handling your peaches, don't squeeze them firmly or else you will cause a bruise.[7] Unlike most fruits, this bruise will continue to spread and cause the entire fruit to go bad within a day or two.Thanks
- The aforementioned methods of ripening peaches also work for nectarines, apricots, kiwis, mangoes, pears, plums, bananas, and avocados.Thanks
- Most peaches left out in the hot sun will ripen in one day.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/how-to-ripen-peaches/
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way-to-pick-pears-tips-from-the-kitchn-207857
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-fastest-way-to-ripen-a-peach-246260
- ↑ https://parleefarms.com/peach-ripe-eating/
- ↑ http://tallcloverfarm.com/74/the-best-way-to-ripen-peaches
- ↑ http://tallcloverfarm.com/74/the-best-way-to-ripen-peaches
- ↑ http://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/news/pdf/peachripen.pdf
- How to Ripen Pears
About This Article
To ripen peaches quickly, store them in a brown paper bag, which will trap the ethylene gas that causes the fruit to ripen. To ripen the peaches even faster, put a banana or apple in the bag with them so there's more ethylene gas being emitted. If you want to learn how to ripen peaches using a linen cloth, keep reading the article!
Reader Success Stories
"After having cut open countless pieces of "green" fruit, I knew I had to get organized and do some research. I was delighted to come across this site, which, besides telling you what to do to ripen the fruit, also explains what is going on with the fruit."..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
