If you’re lucky enough to have enjoyed the perfect Pears from Harry and David company, you will agree they exceed all expectations far beyond normal grocery store pears. My stepmother achieved heroine status by gifting us Harry and David Pears for Christmas delivery.. it’s a phenomenal gift. As the holidays approach, you can find your best gift giving options at Harry and David.com – but we also learned below the best tips and tricks from Harry and David for how to ripen Pears.. So even if you’ve heard the saying “old people don’t buy green bananas… ” think again. as these tips make it easy to hasten the ripening and enjoy the fruit right away!
And if you’d rather let Harry and David do the work, and deliver perfection to your friends and family.. then explore these options!
Harry and Davidv Picnic Basket
1. Cold storage
Unlike a lot of other tree-borne fruits, pears ripen after being picked and not while on the branch. Pears have a fairly narrow ripening stage, so it is best to store them in a cool, dry place.
2. Timing
Not all pears ripen at the same speed. Whereas Bartlett pears should be chilled at 30° F for two to three days, Bosc and Comice (pronounced ko-MEESE) pears should receive the same treatment for two to six weeks. When you receive your pears from Harry & David, they have already gone through the bulk of the chilling process and will usually be ready to eat in two to three days. Important tip! Remove any rotten fruit from the bunch during the ripening process as one bad pear can spoil the whole bunch..
3. Ripening temperatures
Once your pears have been stored for the appropriate amount of time, remove them from the cold and put them in a location that is between 65° and 75° F.
4. The thumb test
Check your pear daily for ripeness by applying gentle pressure to the neck or stem-end of the pear with your thumb. If the pear yields to pressure, it’s ready to eat. Could it get any easier?
5. The banana trick
If you don’t have a lot of time to wait for your pears to ripen, use the tried and true banana trick. Place your pears in a paper bag or an enclosed area with a ripe banana or apple. Ripe apples and bananas give off a gas called ethylene that triggers the ripening process in unripe pears. You gotta love science!
6. Put your pears together
Ripe pears give off ethylene gas too, so storing them together with your un-ripe pears in a sack or bucket will cause the rest to ripen.
7. Slow it down
If you’re not quite ready to enjoy your pears, you can easily slow down the ripening process by storing them in the refrigerator. Yes, it’s that simple.
If all else fails, overripe pears are still viable in the kitchen. Just peel and chop them, and you have the perfect beginning to any number of pear recipes, from a pie to a cake, smoothie, and other fresh delights.