Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 6: Preserve a whole unripe avocado
• Method 2 of 6: Preserve an unripe sliced ​​avocado
• Method 3 of 6: Keep a whole ripe avocado
• Method 4 of 6: Store sliced ​​ripe avocado without the pit
• Method 5 of 6: Store ripe avocado with stone
• Method 6 of 6: Freezing avocado
• Necessities

Avocados are delicate fruits and do not keep for long, especially if they are cut, but keeping an avocado in the right way will keep the avocado tasty for as long as possible. In this article, you'll find everything you need to know about storing unripe, ripe, whole, and sliced ​​avocados.

To step

Method 1 of 6: Preserve a whole unripe avocado

1. If desired, put the avocado in a paper bag. You can skip this step, but putting an unripe avocado in a paper bag will help the fruit ripen sooner.
   • Without a paper bag, it can take up to 7 days for the avocado to ripen.
   • With a paper bag, an unripe avocado is ripe in 3 to 5 days.
   • You can speed up the ripening process by putting an apple or banana in the paper bag. Then the avocado is ripe in 2 to 3 days.
   • A paper bag retains the ethylene gas that is released when fruit ripens. Apples and bananas make a lot of ethylene hormones when they ripen, so putting an apple or banana in the paper bag with the avocado will ripen all the fruit in the bag faster.
2. Keep the avocado at room temperature. Place the avocado on the counter or in a kitchen cupboard, away from direct sunlight.
   • The ideal storage temperature for avocados is between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius.
   • Never keep an unripe avocado in the refrigerator. Doing so will slow the ripening process significantly and the avocado may not ripen properly at all.
3. Check the avocado every day. Gently squeeze the avocado to determine if the fruit is already ripe. A ripe avocado should give slightly when you squeeze it gently.
   • An unripe avocado can keep at room temperature for about a week.
   • The avocado should only give a little when you press it. If you press the skin with your thumb and you keep seeing a dent or damage, the avocado is probably already too ripe.

Method 2 of 6: Preserve an unripe sliced ​​avocado

1. Cover both halves with lemon or lime juice. Brush the exposed surface of the avocado with enough acidic juice to cover it completely.
   • Cutting open an avocado damages the cell walls inside the fruit, fueling the oxidation process. Oxidation is the process that causes certain fruits to turn brown.
   • A medium with a high acid content will slow down oxidation.
   • In addition to lemon juice and lime juice, you can also use orange juice, vinegar or tomato juice.
2. Place the two halves on top of each other. Place the two halves on top of each other as well as possible by placing the half without pit on the half with pit.
   • The intention is to minimize exposure to air. If both halves of the avocado are still intact, all exposed pulp will be covered again when you place the halves on top of each other. You cannot repair the damaged cell membranes, so oxidation will occur anyway, but this step will slow the oxidation down by minimizing exposure to oxygen.
3. Wrap the avocado in cling film. Wrap the avocado tightly in cling film to create an airtight container.
   • You can also place the avocado in an airtight container, a vacuum bag, or a resealable plastic bag. The most important thing about this step is to stop air circulation.
   • The airtight packaging reduces the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with the surface of the pulp, slowing down the oxidation process.
4. Place the avocado in the fridge. Place the wrapped avocado in the refrigerator for a few days or until the fruit is ripe.
   • Place the avocado on the fruit shelf or in the back of the refrigerator, as the temperature is at its lowest there.
   • Do not keep the avocado on the counter or in a kitchen cupboard at room temperature. Once the fruit has been cut, keep it refrigerated to ensure quality and flavor.
5. Keep an eye on the progress. Because you keep the avocado in the fridge, it will take longer for the avocado to ripen.
   • Sliced, unripe avocados are more difficult to store. Depending on how ripe the avocado was, it can take a few days to a week for the avocado to ripen. Sometimes the pulp starts to oxidize before the avocado is fully ripe.
   • A ripe avocado should only give a little when you press it with your fingers. Mushy avocados are too ripe.

Method 3 of 6: Keep a whole ripe avocado

1. Place the avocado in a plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag.
   • Because the fruit has not yet been cut open and the cell membranes are still intact, it is not strictly necessary to put the avocado in a plastic bag or container. This could extend the life of the fruit by about a day, but opinions are divided on that.
2. Place the avocado in the fridge. Place the avocado on the fruit shelf or in the back of the refrigerator.
   • Do not keep a ripe avocado on the counter at room temperature, even if the fruit is still whole and intact. The cold temperature of the refrigerator can slow down the ripening process. As a result, it will take much longer for an avocado in the refrigerator to become overripe or spoil, compared to an avocado that you keep at room temperature.
3. Check the avocado regularly. A ripe, whole avocado stored this way can keep for three to five days.
   • If the avocado feels mushy or if the fruit gets bruised or dented when you press it, the avocado is too ripe and probably no longer suitable for eating.

Method 4 of 6: Store sliced ​​ripe avocado without the pit

1. Apply some lemon or lime juice to the pulp with a brush. Cover the pulp of the avocado with just enough acidic juice to cover the surface.
   • Cutting open an avocado breaks down the cell walls inside the fruit, fueling the oxidation process. Oxidation is the process that causes certain fruits to turn brown.
   • A medium with a high acid content will slow down oxidation. In addition to lemon juice and lime juice, you can also use orange juice, vinegar or tomato juice.
2. Apply olive oil to the pulp. If you don't have lemon or lime juice around the house, or you don't want to use it for some reason, cover the exposed pulp of the avocado with just enough olive oil to cover the entire surface.
   • The oil will not immediately slow down the oxidation process, but the use of olive oil will ensure a very good airtight seal. If the pulp of the avocado is exposed to less oxygen, the oxidation process will slow down.
3. Wrap the avocado in cling film. Wrap the avocado tightly in cling film to create an airtight container.
   • You can also place the avocado in an airtight container, a vacuum bag, or a resealable plastic bag. The most important thing about this step is to stop air circulation.
   • However, if you're using olive oil instead of sour juice, cling film is the way to go, as the oil and foil combination creates a strong airtight seal.
   • The airtight packaging reduces the amount of oxygen exposed to the surface of the pulp, slowing down the oxidation process.
4. Place the avocado in the fridge. Place the wrapped avocado in the fruit drawer or in the back of the refrigerator.
   • Do not keep the avocado on the counter or in a kitchen cupboard at room temperature, especially if the avocado has already been cut. The cold temperature of the refrigerator slows down the ripening process, preventing the fruit from over-ripening quickly.
5. Check the avocado regularly. A ripe, whole avocado stored this way can keep for about two days.
   • If the avocado feels mushy or if the fruit gets bruised or dented when you press it, the avocado is too ripe and probably no longer suitable for eating.

Method 5 of 6: Store ripe avocado with stone

1. Leave the stone in an avocado half. Leave the stone in one of the avocado halves to slow down the oxidation process.
   • Leaving the wick in place will reduce the breakdown of cell membranes. In addition, the kernel protects the pulp by not allowing air and light in, which reduces the amount of oxygen the pulp is exposed to and thus the degree of oxidation.
2. Wrap the avocado in cling film. Wrap the avocado tightly in cling film to create an airtight container.
   • You can also place the avocado in an airtight container, vacuum bag, or resealable plastic bag. The most important thing about this step is to stop air circulation.
   • The airtight packaging reduces the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with the surface of the pulp, slowing down the oxidation process.
3. Place the avocado in the fridge. Place the sliced ​​avocado in the fruit drawer or in the back of the refrigerator.
   • Do not store the avocado at room temperature, especially if the avocado has already been cut. The cold temperature of the refrigerator slows down the ripening process, preventing the fruit from over-ripening quickly.
4. Check the avocado regularly. A ripe, whole avocado stored this way can keep for about two days.
   • If the avocado feels mushy or if the fruit gets bruised or dented when you press it, the avocado is too ripe and probably no longer suitable for eating.

Method 6 of 6: Freezing avocado

1. Cut the avocado open. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise with a sharp knife.
   • Make sure the fruit is clean before you start.
   • Place the avocado on a clean, safe surface and use a sharp knife to cut.
   • Turn the two halves to separate them.
2. Remove the pit. Remove the stone from the pulp with a large tablespoon.
   • Instead of using a spoon, you can also remove the pit by gently hitting a knife on the pit until the knife is attached to the pit. Then gently turn the blade to loosen and lift the wick.
3. Peel the avocado. Scoop the pulp from the avocado with a spoon or peel the skin off the pulp with your fingers.
   • To peel off the skin, cut the avocado into quarters. Grab the tip of the peel with your fingertips and pull it straight down, just like a banana peel.
   • You can also remove the pulp in one go by sliding a large metal tablespoon between the pulp and the peel. Once the pulp is free from the skin, you can lift it out.
4. Puree the pulp. Put the pulp in a food processor or blender and mash the pulp until it is nice and smooth.
   • An avocado must first be mashed to be able to freeze properly. Whole, sliced, or mashed avocados will rapidly deteriorate in the freezer in appearance, texture, flavor and overall quality.
5. Add half to a whole teaspoon of lemon or lime juice. Place the pulp in a food processor or blender and puree until you have a smooth consistency.
   • The acid slows down oxidation and makes the avocado puree last longer.
6. Place the avocado puree in an airtight container. Leave 1-2 cm space at the top of the container to allow the avocado puree to expand when it freezes.
   • Use an airtight container, a vacuum bag, or a resealable plastic bag. Check first whether the container or bag is suitable for use in the freezer.
   • Write on the package what is in it, when you freeze it and how much it is.
7. Keep the avocado puree in the freezer. In this way, avocado can keep for 3 to 6 months.
   • If the avocado turns brown or discolored in some other way, it is probably no longer good.

Necessities

• Paper bag
• Apple or banana
• Brush or spoon
• Lemon juice, lime juice, or other edible substance with a high acid content
• Knife
• Metal spoon
• Olive oil
• Refrigerator
• Freezer
• Airtight bag or container
• Food processor or blender