How to ripen avacados?

For dinner tomorrow.

[limbo]

Hi folks

I am hosting a fiesta tomorrow night. First of the year :)

Anybody got any good tips for ripening avocados? The 3 I have seem a little hard and I don't want to botch the Guac!

Cheers, Limbo

[Marcia]

Actually, they take a while to ripen so it's best to buy them when there's at least a little bit of give. Overnight is kind of pushing it. But to speed up ripening, put them in a small paper bag (like lunch size) and fold the top over so they're enclosed.

[arieng]

This may sound weird (and I've never actually tried it) but my grandma used to say that placing avacados in a bag of flour will ripen them in a day or two.

Disclaimer: If you try this technique, I take no blame for botched guac.

Good luck!

[netchicken1]

I heard similar about putting the with apples or bananas. The fumes they give off ripens the avocardo.

But time might be the only sure way.

[MatthewHSE]

Almost any fruit will ripen quickly in a closed paper sack with a few bananas. I don't know if this would work with avocados or not.

[limbo]

Thanks folks

They are in a paper bag in the fruit bowl...

I'll relay back the results - the test is in the guac :)

[limbo]

Well - I thought it might have been a bit of an 'ol wives tale' - as it turns out the guac didn't stand a chance - wish I had made more ;)

Great tips. Ta, Limbo.

[rocker]

limbo, care to share your guac recipe with the rest of us :)

[grandpa]

1) Start with 3 fresh, unripened avocados

[LifeinAsia]

1) Start with 3 fresh, unripened avocados

2) Post to WebmasterWorld

[deejay]

limbo - make sure you put an apple in that bag with them. It's the ethylene that the apples give off that makes them ripen. Better yet - put as many apples in the bag as you can - more gas, more ripe. Make sure you keep them at room temp - fridge temps will slow ethylene production.

If you put them in a bag in the fruitbowl without the apple, you're effectively insulating them from whatever ethylene the other fruit in the bowl is giving off - it'll slow them ripening, not speed it up.

Bananas will do the same, though I don't know if it's ethylene that bananas give off or another gas.

[limbo]

Cheers DJ - It seemed to work anyway - they weren't too hard in the first place... will bear that ethylene info in mind - Love how WebmasterWorld has some many experts about so many things.

Making Salsa and Guac something I have always done, it's from (luckily) having a Californian family, happy hour rages good and fast at our place :)

Easy Guacamole Recipe -

3 Avocados
A clump of fresh coriander
1/2 medium sized white onion
Salt
Lemon Pepper
1 Lime (juice)
1 Red chilli (careful)
1 Clove of garlic
1 or 2 (very tasty) Tomato's
Water

Dice the onion, garlic, tomato and chilli. Add them and lemon pepper, salt, and lime juice to a bowl and mash to a paste. Slice the avocados and add them to the bowl, mash to thick consistency - not too fine. Add water to loosen a little and stir through (I pour in the excess juice from making salsa if I have it). Add one Avocado nut to sedate 'browning' and serve in a bowl with tortilla chips and cold beers (Pacificos?).

Added: I used to leave the guac to my Stepmom - but as I get older I have been entrusted... hence the naivety

[rocker]

@limbo - Thanks for the recipe.
@grandpa - I walked right into that one. Should have seen it coming :)

[King_Fisher]

Back over them with your car! Instant guacamole!

[rocker]

Back over them with your car! Instant guacamole!

King_Fisher, I think I'll stick with limbo's recipe :)