There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh, creamy avocado on toast, but it can be frustrating when you’re halfway through slicing the fruit only to find it’s not ripe.
If you’re looking to speed up the ripening process of an avocado, it can be done swiftly and naturally.
However, it’s crucial not to resort to baking it in the oven or popping it in the microwave, despite the popularity of this hack online.
Cooking an unripe avocado won’t typically hasten its ripening but will instead result in a rubbery, ruined fruit with a bland taste.
Avocados won’t ripen when subjected to high heat as this just merely cooks the outer layer of the fruit, resulting in a mushy exterior while the core remains underripe.
However, there is a nifty trick that will work, and all you need is a paper bag.
@kerrydenevan took to TikTok to share an avocado ripening tip she had only just learned. She captioned the video: “I’m sure everybody already knows this, but if I can help one person then my job is done.”
Kerry said: “I don’t know if everybody and their mothers know this trick already but last night I wanted an avocado so bad with dinner and it was hard as a rock.
“Then I remembered if you put them in a brown paper bag they ripen up overnight.
Showing the camera the now-ripened avocados, she said: “These two avocados were so hard last night and now they’re legitimately ready to eat.”
So how does this work? Well. Since avocados naturally release a ripening agent called ethylene gas, trapping the little green guy in a paper bag speeds up maturation.
Taking to the comments section, fellow TikTokers shared their thoughts on this tip. @stephw said: “I did this yesterday and it softened up straight away.”
@enus wrote: “Yes I always tell people this trick! Shocked how many don’t know.”
@sammiegk commented: “A brown paper bag is game-changing but it works faster if you pop in an apple or banana.”
One user had an alternative method. @itsjoss_ said: “Not just a brown bag! You can also put them in any enclosed space. I put it in the drawer under my microwave and it works the same.”
