Content

• Method 2 of 3: Let the pears ripen
• Method 3 of 3: Check the ripeness of the pear
• What do you need
• Tips

1 Choose fruits that are free of dents and damage on the surface. If the peel of pears is colored unevenly or there are specks on it, it's okay. However, if the surface of the fruit is covered with dents or the skin is damaged so that the pulp is visible, it is better not to take such fruits - you are unlikely to like their taste.

2 If you buy pears from the store, choose hard fruits. Pears ripen after they are removed from the tree, so be sure to choose hard fruits if you buy them at the market or in the store. You need exactly hard, unripe pears - they will ripen perfectly in your home.

• Most often, you can find light green pears on sale, but some varieties (for example, Asian pear) have yellow or light brown fruits.
• If you've picked pears that feel firm to you, don't worry. A few days will pass - and they will become soft.

3 If you are harvesting pears from a tree, twist them to determine when it is time to remove the fruit from the branches. If you have a pear tree growing in your garden and you want to understand if it's time to harvest, gently grasp the pear with your hand and twist left and right. If the tail easily breaks off the branch, the pears have reached the correct size and can be harvested. However, if you have to make an effort to pull the fruit off the branch, it is too early to harvest and you should wait a little longer.

• Pears ripen after they are removed from the tree, so harvest without waiting for the fruits to soften.
• When you remove the pears from the tree, it is recommended to keep them in a cool place (for example, in the refrigerator) for several days - this will help the fruit ripen properly. (This tip only applies to handpicked fruits - store-bought pears do not need to be refrigerated.)

Method 2 of 3: Let the pears ripen

1. 1 Leave the fruit at room temperature - it will ripen in four to seven days. If you bought pears or picked them in the garden, just leave the fruits on the kitchen table to ripen. Check the pears daily - if the fruit is soft, you can eat them.
   • Try not to lay the pears on top of one another, otherwise dents may appear on the skin. The fruits of Asian pear varieties should be especially carefully handled.
2. 2 Put the pears in a paper bag and they will ripen in two to four days. Ethylene gas released during ripening of fruits will accumulate in the bag, accelerating their ripening. Place the pear neatly in a paper bag and wrap the top edge of the bag several times to keep the gas from escaping.
   • Check your pears daily to make sure they don't go bad.
   • Do not put pears in plastic bags - they accumulate all emitted substances, including water vapor.
3. 3 Put a ripe apple or banana in a paper bag - and the pears will ripen in one to three days. If you can't wait to taste ripe pears, put them in a paper bag and add a ripe apple or banana to it. Ripe fruits release ethylene, which significantly speeds up the ripening of pears and allows you to get soft fruits in just one to three days.
   • Make sure that there are no rotten fruits in the bag, otherwise all of your fruits may go bad.
   • If you don't have a paper bag on hand, just place the pears next to ripe apples or bananas - ethylene will act on the pears, speeding up ripening.
4. 4 Don't put unripe pears in the refrigerator. You should not keep pears in the refrigerator if they are not yet ripe - the low temperature stops the ripening process. Wait until the pears are soft and then refrigerate if desired. This way you can enjoy cool fruit on a hot day, and ripe pears will last longer if kept cold.
   • If you yourself have collected pears from the tree, put them in the refrigerator.If you bought pears in a store, they have already been kept in a cool place for the required time and you need to leave the fruit to ripen at room temperature.

Method 3 of 3: Check the ripeness of the pear

1. 1 Check if the pear is soft. Gently press your finger on the skin of the pear - if the pear has become soft, then it is ripe and you can eat it. Don't worry if the skin color hasn't changed - pears usually stay the same color even when ripe.
   • Do not wait until the pear becomes too soft - just enough for the fruit pulp to squeeze slightly when pressed with your finger.
2. 2 Check your pears daily to ensure they don't spoil. Ripe pears start to spoil very quickly, so check them often so you don't miss the moment when the pears are ripe. This is especially important if you are keeping pears in a paper bag or if you have ripe fruits nearby to speed up ripening.
   • In order not to forget when you put the pears in the ripening bag, write the date on it.
3. 3 Eat ripe pears in a few days. Pears are at their most ripe and aromatic as they ripen. So eat them as soon as possible, before they ripen. If you do not have time to eat the pears right away, put the ripe fruits in a hermetically sealed container and place them in the refrigerator - this will help to extend the shelf life of the fruits by several days.
   • Ripe Asian pears can last longer in the refrigerator than other fruits.

What do you need

• Paper bag (optional)
• Apples or bananas (optional)
• Hermetically sealed container (optional)

Tips

• If the pears are overripe, they can be used to make pies or cakes, or even added to a roast.
• Do not put pears in several layers - this can damage the skin of the fruit.
• Be sure to wash pears before eating them, even if you peel them off.
• If you have several pears singing, be sure to check to see if any of them are spoiled. One rotten pear can spoil all other fruits.
• Asian pear varieties, unlike other varieties of these fruits, ripen on the tree.