How can I speed up the ripening of my pears?

How to Ripen Pears (the Quick and Easy Way)

For more information, please visit How to Quickly Ripen Pears.

Pears are tricky. They’re usually not ripe when you purchase them from the grocery store or farmers’ market, so they require a little patience. Plus, you can’t necessarily tell when they’re ripe just by looking at them. Here’s everything you need to know about ripening and storing pears:

When Are Pears In Season?

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mrs/Getty Images

Most pears in the U.S. come from western states like California and Oregon. You can find pears in grocery stores nationwide year-round, but peak season is August through October.

How Long Do Pears Last?

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anilakkus/Getty Images

It depends on when they were picked. Unlike many fruits, pears don’t ripen on the tree. Growers pick the fruit when it’s mature and then leave it at room temperature until it’s at peak ripeness. This can take one to five days, depending on what measures you take to speed or slow ripening.

Once the pear is ripe, the window is relatively short. Plan to eat ripe pears within a few days.

Related: 40 Perfect Pear Recipes

How to Ripen Pears

Pears in bag Getty 9/3/20

Credit: Miguel Guasch Fuxa/Getty Images

Miguel Guasch Fuxa/Getty Images

Pears naturally release ethylene gas as they ripen. This hormone actually speeds ripening along, which can act to your favor or your detriment.

You can expedite this process by placing the pear in a brown paper bag, trapping the gas near the fruit.

To really speed up ripening, store pears with other ethylene-producing fruits (like bananas or avocados). You can do this in a fruit bowl or in a paper bag, depending on when you need the pears.

Of course, if you want your pears to last more than a few days, allow them to ripen naturally at room temperature.

Tip: Don’t store unripe pears in the fridge. Cool temperatures slow the ripening process.

How to Tell When a Pear Is Ripe

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WIN-Initiative/Getty Images

Pears ripen from the inside out, so don’t bite into an outwardly perfect pear until you’ve performed a simple test.

According to USA Pears, the best way to check a pear’s ripeness is to apply gentle pressure to the neck (the narrow part closest to the stem) with your thumb. If it yields slightly, it’s ripe and ready to eat. If it’s rock solid, it probably needs more time.

If your pear is squishy, bruised, blemished, or soft and brown on the inside, don’t eat it. It’s past its prime.

How to Store Ripe Pears

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Westend61/Getty Images

Unripe pears should never see the inside of a fridge, but ripe pears are a different story. Once pears are fully ripe, refrigeration can keep them fresh for a week or so.

Pears are a juicy fruit that are often the crowning glory of any fruit basket. Delicious to enjoy on their own or in a recipe, their sweet and buttery texture make them an easy favorite. What isn’t quite as straightforward is when to know if pears are actually ripe, because just glancing at the skin of a pear won’t tell you much.

If you’ve hauled home a collection of pears from the grocery store or farmer's market, chances are they aren’t ripe yet, because they do not ripen on trees. It most likely leaves you wondering about how to ripen pears. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy and there are two methods you can try at home.

Chelsea Edwards is a Registered Dietician and the owner of Huntsville Nutrition Collective in Huntsville, Alabama. 

The Best Ways To Ripen Pears

It’s easy to ripen pears at home and there are two easy ways to get the job done.

Give them proper time. If you're not in a rush, you can simply leave a pear sitting out on the counter at room temperature and it will slowly ripen, usually within four to seven days, according to Edwards.

Speed up the process. If you'd like to ripen your pears faster, you can put them in a paper bag with ripe apples and/or bananas. “Doing so exposes them to ethylene, a natural gas emitted by ripe fruit that ripens the fruit around it,” says Edwards, adding this method takes about two to four days to ripen the pears.

How To Tell When A Pear Is Ripe?

Edwards says that unripe pears are typically hard and more tart, and Bartlett pears will get brighter in color when ripe.

USA Pears recommends their trademarked "Check the Neck" method to determine ripeness of non-Bartlett varieties. "Check the Neck for Ripeness daily by applying gentle pressure to the neck or stem end of the pear with your thumb,” their website states. “If it yields to pressure, then it’s ripe and ready to eat.”

Edwards explains that making sure a pear is ripe and passes USA Pears’ “press test” prior to eating is important. “This will give you the texture of a pear that's most enjoyable,” she says.

Store Pears Properly

When a pear has ripened, it should be moved to the fridge to lengthen shelf life. Prior to ripening, pears should be stored at room temperature to allow them to ripen on their own. “Once in the fridge, pears are generally best within three to five days,” Edwards says. “Refrigerating an unripe pear will delay the ripening process.”

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are pears ripe when you buy them?

  Usually not, because pears do not ripen on the tree.

• Can pears be refrigerated?

  Yes, but only after ripening. Refrigerating an unripe pear will delay ripening.

• Should overripe pears be thrown away?

  Overripe pears may not be as crisp to eat on their own, but can be blended for soups or sauces.

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