Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Choosing pears
• Part 2 of 3: Ripening pears
• Part 3 of 3: Identifying a ripe pear
• Necessities
• Tips

Pears are unique fruits, as they ripen after being picked. To taste the delicious taste of a pear, choose pears that are firm and have no pressure marks, and let the pears ripen at home. Pears will ripen on their own if you leave them on the counter for a few days, but you can ripen them faster by using a paper bag or placing the pears next to other fruit. Check every day whether the pears are ripe by touching the skin. When the pears feel soft, you can eat them.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Choosing pears

1. Look for pears without pressure marks and cracks in the skin. It's okay if the pears have different colors or natural blotches, but don't eat pears with large pressure marks and areas where you can see the pulp. These pears don't taste nearly as good as undamaged pears.
2. Turn ripe pears off the tree if you pick them by hand. If you have a pear tree in your yard, grab a pear and try to unscrew it horizontally. When the stem breaks off easily, the pear is ripe and ready to be picked. If the pear does not let go, you have to let it hang on the tree longer.
   • Pears don't have to be left on the tree to ripen, so don't wait to pick them until they are soft.
   • After harvesting the pears, it is customary to keep them in a cold place like the refrigerator for a few days so that they continue to ripen. However, this is only done with pears that have been picked by hand.

Part 2 of 3: Ripening pears

1. Do not refrigerate pears until ripe. Placing unripe pears in the refrigerator may prevent them from fully ripening. Wait until the pears are soft and then put them in the fridge to eat them cold or keep them for a few days longer.
   • Only pears that have been picked from the tree should be kept cold. Pears that you buy in the store have already gone through this process and should not be kept in the refrigerator until they are ripe.

Part 3 of 3: Identifying a ripe pear

1. Eat the pears within a few days when they are ripe. Pears taste best when you eat them when they are just ripe, so don't wait too long when the pulp is soft. If you don't eat the ripe pears right away, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator so that they will last a few days longer.
   • Asian pears last a little longer than other pear varieties if you keep them in the refrigerator when they are ripe.

Necessities

• Paper bag (optional)
• Apples or bananas (optional)
• Airtight storage box (optional)

Tips

• If you have overripe pears, use them in a pie, cake, or stew.
• To avoid pressure marks, do not stack your pears on top of each other.
• Wash the pears before eating them, even if you peel them.
• If you're ripening multiple pears, check them regularly to make sure they don't rot. A single rotting pear can affect the rest of the pears.
• Asian pears are the only pear variety that ripens on the tree instead of after picking.