How to Ripen Pears

Pears are a unique fruit—they ripen off of the tree! To taste a pear's delicious flavors, choose pears that are unbruised and firm, and let the pears ripen at home. Pears ripen when they're left on the counter for several days, but you can speed up the ripening process by using a paper bag or placing the pears next to other fruits. Check whether the pears are ripe or not each day by feeling the skin—once the pear feels soft, it's ready to eat!

How to Ripen Pears at Home

Store firm, bruise-free pears at room temperature to ripen over 4-7 days.
To ripen pears in 2-4 days, place them in a brown paper bag.
Place ripe bananas or apples in the paper bag with the pears to ripen them in 1-3 days.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Selecting a Pear

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It’s okay if your pears are different colors or have natural spots on them, but avoid pears with large bruises or exposed flesh. These won’t taste nearly as good as unblemished ones! ^{[1]
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2
Purchase pears that are firm if you’re selecting them in a store. Pears ripen after they’re picked, so don’t worry if your pear doesn’t feel soft when you select it from the grocery store or farmer’s market. It’s best to choose a pear that’s still firm to the touch so that you can let it ripen at home. ^{[2]
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- Most pears are a light green color, though other types (such as Asian pears) are yellow or light brown.
- If you pick out pears that have hard exteriors, don’t worry! They’ll become soft in a few days.
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3
Twist mature pears off of the tree if you’re hand-picking them. If you have your own pear tree, take a pear in your hand and try to twist it horizontally. If the stem breaks off easily, it’s mature and ready to be picked. If the pear resists, it needs more time on the tree. ^{[3]
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- Pears ripen off of the tree, so don’t wait until the pear is soft to pull it from the tree.
- After you’ve harvested your pears, it’s common to keep them in cold storage (such as a refrigerator) for a few days to help them continue to ripen, but this is only done for hand-picked pears.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Ripening Pears

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1
Store pears at room temperature to ripen them in 4-7 days. Whether you picked the pears yourself or brought them home from the grocery store, pears will ripen when left on the kitchen counter or tabletop. Check the pears daily to see if they’re ripe. ^{[4]
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- Try not to stack pears on top of one another to avoid bruising, especially Asian pears.
2
Set the pears in a paper bag to ripen them in 2-4 days. The gases produced by the pear in the bag will quicken the pears’ ripening time. Place a pear gently in a paper bag, lightly folding the top of the bag to close it.
- Check these pears daily to make sure they haven’t spoiled.
- Avoid using a plastic bag, as this traps all gases and doesn’t allow the bag to breathe.
3
Add ripe bananas or apples to the paper bag to ripen pears in 1-3 days. To produce ripe pears in just 1-3 days, place a banana or apple in the paper bag with your pears. The ripe fruits give off ethylene gas, which causes the pears to ripen very quickly. ^{[5]
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- Check to make sure none of the fruit has spoiled in the bag—one rotten fruit will affect the others.
- If you don't have a paper bag, simply place the pears next to ripe bananas or apples to take advantage of the ethylene gases.
4
Avoid refrigerating pears until they’re ripe. Putting unripe pears in the refrigerator before they’re truly ripe can stunt their ability to ripen in the first place. Wait until your pear is soft to place it in the fridge for cold pears or just to save the pears for a few more days. ^{[6]
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- Only pears that are picked right off the tree go into cold storage—pears that you purchase from the store have already gone through this process and shouldn't be placed in the fridge until they're ripe.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Spotting a Ripe Pear

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1
Feel the pear’s flesh to see if it’s soft. Use your finger to press down gently on the pear’s neck—if the flesh feels soft instead of hard, your pear is ripe and ready to be eaten. Don’t worry if your pear hasn’t changed colors, as most pears stay the same color even when they’re ripe. ^{[7]
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- The pear doesn't need to be overly soft to be ready to eat—as long as the flesh gives a little when you touch it, it's ripe.
2
Check your pears daily to make sure they aren’t rotting. Pears go from ripe to rotten quickly, so feel your pears each day to make sure you don’t miss out on their ripe days. This is especially important if your pears are with other fruit, or if you placed pears in a paper bag to speed up ripening. ^{[8]
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- If necessary, write the date you got the pears on the paper bag to help you remember how long they've been in there.
3
Eat your pear within a couple days once it’s ripe. The tastiest pears are eaten right when they become ripe, so don’t wait too long once their flesh becomes soft. If you can’t eat the ripe pears right away, place the pears in an airtight container in the refrigerator to save them for a couple more days. ^{[9]
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- Asian pears can last a bit longer than other types of pears when stored in the fridge once ripe.

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What's the best way to ripen pears?

karen mcmenomy

Community Answer

Put them in brown paper bag with ripe bananas or apples and close the bag.

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My yellow pears from the supermarket have been in a brown bag for at least 8 days. They remain as hard as they were the day they were purchased. What is wrong?

Community Answer

Try putting two apples and a ripe banana in the bag with the pears for a couple of days. Seal your brown paper bag and store in a dark place.

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Should I close the brown paper bag?

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Yes. Otherwise the ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process, will escape from the bag.

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Things You'll Need

Paper bag (optional)
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Tips

If you have overripe pears, use them in a pie, cake, or stew.

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Avoid stacking your pears to keep them from bruising.

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Wash your pears before you eat them, even if you're cutting off the skin.

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How to Ripen Pears