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• Method 1 of 4: Choosing the right mangoes
• Method 2 of 4: Choosing a mango variety
• Method 3 of 4: Harvesting mangoes
• Method 4 of 4: Ripen and cut mangoes

Roughly 1,100 varieties of mangoes grow worldwide, most of which come from India. They also grow in Mexico, throughout South America, and a host of other tropical locations. Depending on the time of year and the region they come from, mangoes come in various colors, shapes and sizes. In order to find a good mango, it is useful to learn about the most common varieties and learn what to look for in order to find the best one.

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Method 1 of 4: Choosing the right mangoes

1. Touch the whole mango and feel good. Ripe mangoes will feel slightly soft, like avocados and peaches, but not so soft and mushy that your fingers will easily pass through or sink into the skin.
   • On the other hand, if you don't plan on eating the mango in a few days, you could choose a mango with firmer skin and let the mango ripen further at home. Ripening mangoes is discussed in a method below.
2. Take a good look at the mango. The ideal mango should be in the shape of a rugby ball, so you should choose mangoes that are full, firm and round, especially around the stem. Sometimes ripe mangoes have brown spots or spots, which is quite normal.
   • Do not choose flat or thin mangoes, as they are likely to be stringy. Also, do not choose mangoes with wrinkled or shriveled skin, as they will not ripen further.
   • Ataulfo ​​mangoes, on the other hand, are often very wrinkly and soft before they are properly ripe, so try to learn about the different varieties before deciding. The differences are discussed below in a later section.
3. Smell the mangoes by their stems. Ripe mangoes have a strong, sweet and fruity aroma around the stem. A ripe mango has a smell that is a bit like melon, but also a bit like pineapple, with a little bit of carrot in it. Ripe mangoes smell delicious and sweet. If it smells like something you want to eat, you've got a good one.
   • Since mangoes contain a lot of natural sugars, they will ferment naturally. A sour, alcoholic smell is therefore a clear sign that the mango is no longer ripe. Stay away from mangoes that smell sour or alcoholic as these mangoes are likely to be overripe.
4. Finally, look at the color. In general, the color is not the best way to tell if a mango is ripe. Ripe mangoes can be bright yellow, green, pink or red, depending on the variety and the season. The color alone does not have to say anything about the ripeness of a mango. Instead, familiarize yourself with the different types of mangoes and the seasons in which they thrive to learn more about what you are looking for.
5. Learn about the different types and varieties of mangoes. Because mangoes vary in different colors and slightly in taste depending on the season and the region they come from, it is good to learn how to recognize certain types and increase your general knowledge about the fruits. There are six different types of mangoes.

Method 2 of 4: Choosing a mango variety

1. Choose Ataulfo ​​mangoes for a sweet and creamy taste. Ataulfos have smaller seeds and more flesh. They are bright yellow in color and small and oval-shaped. Ataulfos are ripe when their skin turns a deep golden color and they start to have small wrinkles. Ataulfos come from Mexico and are usually available from March to July.
2. Choose Francis mangoes if you like rich, spicy and sweet flavors. Francis mangoes have a bright yellow skin with green overtones, and are usually elongated, or shaped when the letter S. Francis mangoes are ripe when their green overtones begin to fade and the yellow hue becomes more golden. Francis mangoes are grown on small farms all over Haiti. They are usually available from May to July.
3. The Haden mangoes are a good choice if you like rich flavors with aromatic overtones. Haden mangoes are medium to large in size, with oval or round shapes. They are ripe when the green overtones start to turn yellow. Haden mangoes come from Mexico and are only available in April and May.
4. For a sweet, fruity taste you can choose the Keitt mango. Keitts are oval in shape and medium green to dark green, with a pinkish blush. The skin of Keitt mangoes will remain green even when ripe. Grown in both Mexico and the United States, Keitt mangoes are generally available in August and September.
5. The Kent mango has a sweet and rich taste. Kent mangoes have a large oval shape and are dark green with a dark red blush. Kent mangoes are ripe when yellow overtones or dots begin to spread across the mango skin. Kent mangoes come from Mexico, Peru and Ecuador. They are available from January to March and from June to August.
6. If you prefer a mild and sweet taste, the Tommy Atkins is a good choice. Tommy Atkins mangoes will have a dark red blush with some green, orange and yellow accents. They are elongated in shape or oval. The only way to test the ripeness of a Tommy Atkins mango is to feel it, as their color does not change. Tommy Atkins mangoes are grown in Mexico and other regions of South America and are available March to July and October to January.

Method 3 of 4: Harvesting mangoes

1. Mangoes are harvested approximately 100 to 150 days after flowering. With most varieties of the mango, any flower you see on a healthy tree will produce fruit. You will see dark green fruits start to form and grow gradually over the next three months. Start checking to see if they have already started to ripen around 90 days after flowering.
2. Notice if the mangoes start to change color. At around three months, the mangoes will start to change color to the hue that indicates they are ripening, and they will soften a little. You may also notice some mangoes falling to the floor. These are signs that the mangoes are ready to be harvested.
   • When you see that some of them are ripe, the other mangoes of roughly the same size will also be ready to be picked. In a few days they will be at their peak maturity if you leave them on the counter. If you plan to sell them in a market then it is probably better if you pick them a little early.
   • Tree-ripened mangoes are much better than mangoes that are picked green and continue to ripen indoors. Do whatever suits you best, but if you can, try to get them as ripe as possible on the tree before picking them. It will be the best mango you have ever tasted.
3. Shake or bump the tree. The easiest and simplest way to get those tall mangoes off the tree is to shake the tree and pick up the fruits, or catch as many as you can. If you are brave, you can stand under the branches with large fruit baskets and try to catch them if they fall. That way you can avoid bruising. But usually it's safer for yourself to get them out of the grass, where they are likely to fall just as softly.
   • When some of them fall by themselves, they are likely ready to be harvested, and may even be overripe. You don't have to wait for them to fall to the ground before you start harvesting them.
   • Young or dry trees should not be shaken, but instead you can throw a rope over the branches and then shake the branches. You can also try it with a long wooden stick. If you're concerned about the thickness of the tree trunk, don't shake it.
4. Use a picking basket for the fruit, or make one. Because mangoes are such fragile fruits when they are ripe, some pickers choose to get to the mangoes in a more decent way, using a picking basket. In fact, this is a long stick with a metal claw at the end, perfect for pulling high-hanging fruit from the tree, such as apples, pears, plums and mangoes. Use the end to gently lift each mango off the tree and gently drop it into the basket. It is a very effective way to pick high hanging fruit and if you have to pick a lot of fruit then this is a good investment. They are widely available at seed vendors and country stores, but you can make your own with the right tools.
   • Buy the longest, lightest stick you can find (or one long enough to use on your tree). Use a small metal bucket, one like those used for golf balls or garden tools. Use duct tape to secure the bucket to the end of the stick. To make a nice pair of pliers for picking, you can grab the head of a metal rake and pin the teeth to the rim of the bucket.

Method 4 of 4: Ripen and cut mangoes

1. Leave them on a table at a cool temperature. If your mango is not fully ripe, leave it on a table at a relatively cool room temperature for a few days to ripen a little further. Most mangoes will soften after two to four days and be ready to eat.
   • Mangoes that were very green at the time of picking will sometimes take a lot longer, and may never ripen as much as you would like. If a mango is not ripe after five to seven days, it will no longer ripen.
   • At higher temperatures mangoes will ripen faster and can go from green to overripe in a very short time. If it's hot and you don't have air conditioning, keep a close eye on them. It will probably be fine.
2. Put them in the fridge when they are ripe enough. If your mango has softened, it's okay to put it in the fridge if you want to leave it for a few more days before eating it. It is also very tasty, because a cold mango is a real treat.
   • In the refrigerator, the cold will slow the ripening process, so the fruit will not ripen any further and will last up to four days longer than if you put it on the table, where the ripening process continues. However, you don't have to put them in the fridge if you want to eat them at short notice.
3. Rinse the mango before cutting it. Although most people choose not to eat the skin of the mango, due to the bitter taste and fibrous texture, it is still advisable to wash the mango thoroughly before cutting it. Especially mangoes that you buy in the store. Traces of chemicals, bacteria and other gunk can get on the fruit in the store. Wash them off, give them a good rub with your hands, and make sure there is a clean surface to cut them on.
   • The peel of the mango is fine to eat, and in fact extremely rich in ingredients that control receptor molecules called PPARs. These help regulate cholesterol and glucose, and are also thought to have anti-cancer properties. Rinse and taste it!
   • If you want to try the skin, you can eat the mango whole, like an apple. Otherwise, you can peel it and start right on the pulp while eating around it.
4. Cut to the side of the stone. The best way to cut a mango is to hold it on its narrow side, stem towards the ceiling. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut into the meat just to the side of the stem, cutting along the pit on the inside. You will feel something hard pushing your knife to the side. That means you are doing fine. Do the same on the other side of the stem, then cut the extra meat on both sides of the fruit.
   • Now you should be left with a fluffy stone, which probably still has a lot of pulp. The chef's right: you can eat that part off.
5. Cut the cheeks on both sides. One of the neatest ways to get the fruit off the skin is to use your knife and cut through the inside of the flesh, making parallel cuts, like a diamond pattern. Depending on the size of the mango, you can cut cubes of about 1 to 2 cm.
   • This is best done while the fruit is on a cutting board, even if it seems easier to hold the cheek in your hand. It is very easy to cut right through the slice of mango and put it in your hand. That can become a nasty wound.
6. Push the back up and cut the cubes off. Once you've cut the fruit into cubes, press the outside to release the fruit cubes and make it easier to cut them off the skin. Carefully cut them loose, in a bowl, or bite them off like candy. Enjoy it!