What an avocado inside. How to choose a ripe avocado

Understand varieties. No two varieties of avocado are the same. They vary slightly in size, color and shape depending on the variety. The appearance of a ripe avocado will be based on the characteristics of the variety to which it belongs.

• Check the variety with the seller if the avocados are not clearly labeled.
• Remember that the firmness of a ripe avocado is the same, regardless of species diversity.
• Differences in appearance between avocado varieties, as well as the possible difference between two fruits of the same variety, make visual assessment less than a reliable method in determining the maturity of an avocado. Still, these are useful signs of how ripe an avocado is, because often they are the first thing you deal with.

For many, the avocado is still an outlandish fruit, although it can be found in any market or in specialty stores. But its lovely taste qualities and numerous beneficial features worthy of everyone's attention, and if you are not yet familiar with the taste of this wonderful fruit and do not know how to choose it correctly, we recommend that you read the information below and fill this gap.

How to choose a good avocado?

Avocados can be found on store shelves different varieties. Most often, these are green fruits, with a smooth or pimply skin. The latter are more preferable for purchase and consumption, since their stone is smaller in size, and the peel of a ripe fruit can be peeled off simply by prying it with a slightly sharp knife without touching the pulp.

Smooth avocado fruits have a lighter color, their stone is larger and takes up more volume inside, and the peel is peeled only with a knife, along with some of the inner pulp. In terms of taste, such an avocado is in no way inferior to a pimply one, which surpasses it only in terms of benefits and more obtained pure pulp.

How to choose the right ripe avocado in the store?

When choosing an avocado, we pay attention first of all to the softness of the fruit. When you press it, the flesh should bend a little and immediately return to its original form. If the dent remains, then you should not buy such an avocado - most likely it is already overripe and is more likely to be rotten inside.

If the avocado is too hard, you can buy it, but in this case you will need to let it lie down at home under room conditions in a paper bag for two to five days for the fruit to ripen.

We also pay attention to the color of the fruit. The darker it is, the softer the flesh will be inside, and the riper the avocado. In a well-ripe avocado, if you shake it, you can hear the knocking stone inside. If there is no knock, the avocado is still green and will need time to ripen.

How to choose an avocado for a salad?

If you want to purchase an avocado for the purpose of cooking from it, then your choice should be made on an instance with a bone that is not yet knocking, but already a slightly soft structure that can be correctly assessed when pressing on the peel. It should only give in a little when pressed and immediately spring back. If you choose too ripe fruit, then its flesh will be oily and soft. Such an avocado can be used for cooking, smoothies, desserts, or eat it just like that, spread on a slice of toast or bread. For a salad, the flesh of the fruit should be a little denser.

When buying an avocado, it is not so easy to "by eye" determine its maturity. Indeed, only by the softness and the ease with which the peel will come off, it will become obvious: in front of you is a ripe fruit or not. If you come across an unripe avocado, then do not rush to get upset. Today we will talk about how avocados ripen at home and what are the ways to speed up this process.

How to buy a ripe avocado?

When you are faced with the choice of fruit, you can only appearance guess how mellow and juicy he is. A ripe avocado should not be hard or too soft. The former speaks of his immaturity, and the latter of his depravity. The most optimal thing is when you feel elasticity when pressed with your finger, you can safely take such an avocado. Pay attention to the color of the peel: green with a purple color without scratches and dents should be a fruit.

Even if you fail to make a choice in favor of a ready-to-eat fruit, you can always find out how an avocado ripens at home. And over time, learn to instantly find the fruit of optimal maturity.

There is another way to determine maturity. Look at the color of the stalk: green or yellow will tell you that the fruit is moderately ripe, while brown is a sign of severe over-ripening.

So, for one reason or another, you have an avocado in front of you, which still needs some time to ripen. You can go on your own easy way and just wait for this moment (usually up to 7 days). Or you can speed up this process. We offer you several of these methods:

1. Take paper bag and put in the avocado and other fruits like banana, apple or tomato. It is these fruits and vegetables that contribute to the active production of ethylene, this is exactly what we need. The more gas, the faster the avocado will ripen. It is important to pay attention to the quality of the package: it must be solid, without holes, otherwise the gas will evaporate. The fruit will ripen in 2-3 days.
2. If there were no “jet helpers” at hand, then leave one or more purchased avocados in a closed bag, in a dark place, out of direct sunlight. At room temperature maturation period will vary from 2 to 5 days.
3. If you cut an avocado, but it is not ripe, then its halves must be sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent premature browning. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in a covered container and refrigerate for a while. It is important to note here that cooling chamber- this is not the place where the fruit ripens, since low temperatures do not contribute to important biological processes. Thus, it will take much longer to mature.

During the entire time that an avocado ripens at home, check its condition: the fruit should become elastic. If the fruit is ripe before the scheduled time, or if there is an unused part of it, place it in the refrigerator. There it can be stored for several more days.

Instant fruit ripening

But what if it happened that you need a fruit of proper taste quality on the day of purchase? How can avocados quickly ripen at home in a short time? For the fastest ripening, you will need an oven, avocado and foil. When you are armed with all the tools, let's proceed: preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place the fruit wrapped in foil there for 10-15 minutes.

Very soon, a ripe fruit will appear on your table, from which you can make salad, mashed potatoes, use in desserts, in Japanese cuisine or eat as a standalone dish.

It is important to note here that if the fruit is overexposed in the oven, it may slightly change its taste, so you need to carefully approach this issue and be prepared for such consequences.

How to cut fruit?

We have already found out whether avocados ripen at home. And we came to the conclusion that there are many ways to speed up the process. And how to properly cut the fruit so that it is comfortable to peel it?

With a sharp knife, cut the avocado to the depth of its pit. The ripened fruit should easily split into two parts. Next, take out the bone, after which you can proceed to cleanse the fetus from the skin. If you have a fruit of perfect ripeness in front of you, then cut it across, then squeeze out the bone, you will be able to do this without the help of a knife.

Storage conditions for avocados

We know how an avocado ripens at home: it is a matter of 15 minutes to 7 days, depending on the method you choose. But it is important to preserve the freshness and taste of the fruit, if there is a surplus. Knowing that you do not use the whole avocado at once, do not remove the stone from it, this will allow the juicy fruit to last longer and retain its beneficial properties.

To avoid darkening of the pulp, sprinkle it with lemon, orange or lime juice.

Finally

Avocado can be made a large number of delicious and variety of dishes. A nice addition to it are useful properties, which you can talk about for a very long time. For example, it has a rejuvenating effect, contains a complex minerals, vitamin E, biologically active natural elements, vitamins of groups A, B, C, PP, D and many others.

For an inexperienced lover of this fruit, determining its ripeness is not so easy. But our recommendations on how to ripen a green avocado at home will help you achieve fruit ripeness without wasted nerves and even time, using simple and available ways in my own kitchen.

Every year there is a new number of avocado fans. Indeed, the buttery pulp with a nutty flavor is hard to resist. But, until now, few people know how to choose the right avocado so as not to throw money away. Indeed, in our stores this exotic fruit is not cheap at all. We read so as not to be mistaken.

By hardness

Some comrades, after reading ridiculous advice, the first thing they do when choosing an avocado is click on the skin. At what forces not sparing. Well, what does it give them? An unripe avocado will not wash, and an overripe one will easily spread in your hands. Zero sense. Even more damage. Because after such manipulations, the fetus begins to deteriorate after a few hours. First, a dark spot appears, and there it is not far from rotting. By the way, a completely unripe avocado can also begin to rot.

And yet, you can choose exotic in terms of hardness. You just need to know how to do it right. Press lightly on the skin, with a pad thumb. At the same time, the fruit itself should lie tightly in the palm of your hand. You should not poke at the avocado with your index finger, and even when it is in the window. This could end badly. For example, broken arms or jaw. The seller will break them for you when he sees how you treat tender avocado. According to the results of a competent “research”, it is possible to determine the ripeness of the fruit with an accuracy of up to 90%:

1. The skin is tight, practically does not lend itself under the finger - the avocado is unripe. Suitable for future purchase. Moreover, in room conditions, it will ripen quickly enough.
2. The skin is soft, under the finger it feels as if softened butter, but slightly springy - ideal for purchase and use immediately or the next day.
3. The peel is very soft, does not come back, almost porridge is felt under the finger - you should refuse to buy. The fruit is overripe, no longer suitable for eating.

As you can see, everything is simple. And you don’t have to make titanic efforts and try to crush an avocado right in the window.

Advice. You should press on the upper, narrower part of the fruit. So less likely to damage the fetus. Yes, and damage begins here, so you can easily find it.

By knock and weight

Take an avocado in your hand. It should be heavy and tight. Excessive heaviness speaks of the process of decay that has already begun. A too light fruit will be 80% unripe. It is worth making a mistake with the choice of an avocado once, and you will quickly learn by weight to determine the approximate degree of ripeness of the fruit.

Now about the knock. It would seem - dense pulp, small fruit size. Well, what else should be knocking? Bone! After all, inside every avocado there is a seed. In the immature, it is tightly connected to the pulp, while in the overripe it is already in a mushy environment. The ideal avocado for buying should have a slightly tapped pit when shaken. It is enough to do this procedure near the ear, and you will understand what is at stake.

Of course, it will not be a distinct rumble. But you will not confuse the characteristic muffled sound with anything. Try to remember and not make a mistake.

According to the color of the place under the stalk

Some avocados are sold with a piece of branch or stem. If the seller does not notice, then carefully tear off these unnecessary "spare parts" and look at the color of the pulp under them:

1. The place is light, with a beige or whitish tint - the avocado is unripe, you can buy it for a future event or leave it at home, ripen in a paper bag.
2. A place of color of various shades of green, closer to pistachio, sometimes a drop of juice stands out - the fruit is fully ripe and ready to eat.
3. A place of dark shades, brown, brown, closer to black - the fruit has long been overripe and has already begun to deteriorate. This avocado is not good for food.

The avocado selection method is only suitable for freshly broken stalks. For those fruits that are already sold without twigs or cuttings, this method is not suitable. Because the place can be windy for a long time, and the pulp will still be quite decent in terms of maturity and taste.

By skin color

In general, we do not recommend focusing on this way determining the ripeness of an avocado. The fact is that as many as 3 types of these fruits are sold in our country. And each variety has its own external differences, just in terms of skin color at different stages of ripeness. We can only say:

1. The bright green color of the skin indicates some degree of immaturity of the avocado.
2. A dark green, very saturated shade signals the immediate purchase of a fully ripened fruit.
3. Brown, almost brown color tells how long the avocado has been living in this world. And such an overripe fruit is no longer suitable for eating.

The only exception is the avocado variety with a dark, almost black skin. It is never a bright green or any green hue at all. But you definitely won’t confuse this variety with anything, because the peel itself is very bumpy, with large pimples. It looks like crocodile skin. By the way, hence another name for exotics - alligator pear.

By time of year

Some sources recommend focusing on the date of purchase. Say, some varieties of avocados are sold only in certain months. I wonder how this affects the degree of maturity and right choice fruit to the table No way.

Moreover, now avocados are found on our windows all year round. Therefore, the target was chosen incorrectly. Better trust your fingers, eyes and ears than a schedule. Moreover, many are well aware of the possibilities of today's industry and Agriculture. They don't give a damn about selling avocados from the August harvest in December and vice versa.

Advice. Try to choose an avocado with a pimply, dark, thick skin. This variety has a very small bone. Smooth fruits of light green color have a thin skin, but the bone inside is often just huge. As a result, very little pulp remains.

Now there is no problem for you how to choose the right avocado. You can safely stomp to the store for this unusual fruit. You certainly won't go wrong.

Video: how to choose the perfect avocado in the store

The Spanish conquistadors, who introduced Europe to this amazing fruit, called it the “alligator pear” for its saturated green color, characteristic shape and uneven, pimple-covered peel. The taste of an avocado when ripe is like butter mixed with spicy herbs. Some gourmets still catch light nutty notes or a faint aroma of conifer resin.

Avocados are recommended to be included in diets for weight loss, because with high calorie(on average 158 kcal / 100 g), it does not provoke a set excess weight, supplying the body with only useful, unsaturated fatty acids. Also it is an excellent source of antioxidants, trace elements and vitamins. In a word, a whole complex of rejuvenation, healing and restoration of the figure in one fruit.

All varieties of avocados are combined into three groups:

• Guatemalan
• West Indian
• mexican.

They differ in color, shape, pulp texture and taste.

What varieties to choose?

What dish is the exotic fruit intended for? Do we want to make a green analogue of gazpacho, Mexican guacamole, diet rolls, sandwiches, salad or vegan mayonnaise from it? The choice of one or another avocado variety depends on the answer to these questions.

Of the 400 varieties of the popular tropical fruit, only three are presented on our shelves:

• Californian (Hass)
• Florida (Hall)
• Pinkerton

The Californian avocado belongs to the Guatemalan group. Its peel is not green, but almost black, with a purple tint. Delicate, creamy pulp, will please with a richness of taste - it is customary to spread such an avocado on toast instead of butter. It is also used to make all kinds of pastas, sauces, cold appetizers combined with cheese, mushrooms or seafood, mashed soups and unsweetened milkshakes.


The ripe fruit of the Hass variety should be bought without hesitation, since it has the greatest nutritional value. But ... since the fruits that have reached the condition are very soft, they are exported unripe: practically tasteless and hard. unripe avocado you need to carefully choose when buying, then it will gradually “reach” at home.

pulp Florida avocado (West Indian group) it has a fresh, slightly pronounced taste and some wateriness. This species appears on our shelves in winter period. Fruits with a shiny, almost smooth skin of light green color have a large mass with a medium-sized stone, which makes their purchase especially profitable.

The Hall variety with a dense pulp that retains its shape when cut is used for salads and vegetarian rolls. You need to know that its taste is specific, slightly sweet and not everyone likes it. In addition, the fruits are difficult to peel even with a special knife.

Pinkerton is considered the most delicious and versatile variety. presented in our stores. It is suitable for soups, pâtés, smoothies and desserts. Vegetarians often put such an avocado in dishes instead of meat and eggs, since it vaguely resembles both.

Among the advantages of Pinkerton is a very small bone and an easily removed peel: with some dexterity, the fruit can be peeled even with your fingers, without any tools.

If you are on a diet

It turns out that the "alligator pear" can have different calorie content depending on the variety. Therefore, those who want to become slimmer should eat only Florida avocados.


Grown in humid tropical climates, they contain a higher percentage of water and less fat than their California counterparts or Pinkerton.

It is estimated that the calorie content of the Hall variety is 275 kcal/100 g, while in Hass this figure reaches 385 kcal/100 g.

Those who still prefer the oily Californian avocado, but are afraid of gaining weight, will have to severely limit their consumption of their favorite product.

The main signs of a ripe avocado

We all want to buy a soft and tasty fruit in order to immediately serve it to the table. But there is one subtlety here.

An unripe avocado is much better than an overripe one - in the latter case, the fruit will most likely have to be thrown away, since it has already begun to rot. But a hardish specimen just needs to be kept at room temperature for several days and then boldly put in dishes.

So, we decided to choose an avocado in the store. We need ripe fruit.

Let's take a look at the skin first. On her there should be no dark spots, cracks, scratches, cuts and other damage. Fruit spoiled during transportation or storage is unlikely to please us with excellent taste.

Spots and dents indicate putrefactive processes that have already begun.

Avocados need special attention. dark varieties, it is more difficult to notice possible defects on them.

Next, gently press the fruit with your finger. If the dent left quickly disappears, it is in the right condition and ready for use. Too hard, unyielding peel indicates insufficient ripeness, but if the fruit does not recover after pressing, it is overripe. Manipulations must be done carefully, otherwise the avocado will begin to deteriorate at the point of pressure.

You can separate the stalk and inspect the resulting "hole". If it is light green in color and slightly moist from the juice that has come out, the fruit is fully ripe. A brown trace under the handle indicates that the fruit has already begun to deteriorate, a yellowish one indicates insufficient ripeness.

Another way to check: lightly press the stem at the base. In ripe, soft fruits, it will succumb at hand, in too hard ones, it will remain in place. If the resistance of the handle is not felt at all, we have an overripe avocado in front of us, which is more correct to put aside.

In a ready-to-eat fruit, the stone taps when shaken.

Avocados of ideal ripeness are best cut not lengthwise, but across. This makes it easier to remove the bone by simply squeezing the fruit with your hand.

If the fruit at the stalk has an elongated, rather than rounded shape, it ripened on the tree and was plucked almost ripe. Such an instance will be the most delicious.


A ripe avocado is best eaten immediately - it does not lie for a long time, even in the refrigerator. You need to buy fruit “in reserve” slightly unripe.

Useful life hacks

"Alligator pear" is not yet a frequent guest on our table, is it any wonder that some of the subtleties of its preparation are unknown to us.

Avocado is a capricious and perishable fruit, so if handled incorrectly, it is easy to be left without a valuable addition to your daily menu.

1. The fruit is rich in iron, so it quickly darkens when cut. To prevent this from happening, slices are poured with lemon juice.
2. Avocados with pits stay fresher longer than without pits.
3. If the fruit needs to be peeled, it is enough to cut it in half and turn both parts in the opposite direction. The bone can be easily removed.
4. A ripe avocado is convenient to eat with a teaspoon.
5. A potato peeler will help in the fight against a dense, stubborn peel.
6. An overripe or spoiled fruit can be used for cosmetic masks by mixing its pulp with olive oil.

   Attention!

   The pit and skin of an avocado is toxic to animals and small children. They can cause serious poisoning.

7. But do not be afraid and immediately throw away the bone extracted from the fruit. It is better to plant it in the ground and proper care grow your own homemade avocado.

Now watch a short story with tips:

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