The Newspaper Hack For Ripening Avocados More Quickly

Avocados can be a great choice for salads, smoothies, pasta dishes, or guacamole, but first, you'll want to make sure they are ripe. These fruits ripen after harvest and can take up to eight days to reach maturity. They're usually ready to eat when they yield slightly to gentle pressure and the stem comes off easily. Hass avocados and other varieties may also become darker in color as they mature.

But, as we all know, some avocados never seem to ripen. And let's face it — waiting a whole week to enjoy a ripe avocado isn't exactly convenient. Luckily, there are a couple of tricks you can use to speed things up. For example, you could try the oven hack for ripening avocados more quickly. Simply heat them in the oven for 10 minutes or so. Although they may not taste as good as you'd expect, they'll be soft enough to be mashed or blended with other foods.

Another option is to wrap them in newspaper. This method can speed up the ripening process without sacrificing flavor. It's not as fast as the oven hack, but the wait will be worth it.

Apples, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, and other fruits release ethylene as they ripen. This gas allows them to fully mature, contributing to their soft texture and visual appeal. When you wrap an avocado in newspaper, the ethylene becomes more concentrated. The same thing happens when you put the fruit in a paper bag, leading to faster ripening.

Avocados should be stored at a temperature of around 68 degrees Fahrenheit to ripen properly, according to 2018 research published in the journal Postharvest Biology and Technology. Wrapping them in a newspaper helps create a slightly warmer and darker environment, which can speed up the ripening process. Ideally, the fruits should be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

For even better results, place the avocados next to a banana, mango, apple, or other ethylene-producing fruits — and then wrap them in a newspaper or put them in a brown paper bag. This will increase the ethylene concentration, causing the fruits to ripen faster. 

There are situations where you simply can't wait for an avocado to ripen. Perhaps you want to make a green smoothie to refuel after hitting the gym, or realize at the last moment that a recipe calls for avocado. These fruits don't taste too great when unripe, but you can still use them in homemade meals, dressings, and snacks.

For starters, try this classic fresh guacamole recipe, which takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Simply peel the fruit, cut it into small pieces, and then crush it with a pestle until smooth. After that, combine it with cilantro, garlic, red onions, lime juice, and other ingredients. Another option is to peel and grate the avocado and then mix it into pancakes, waffles, salads, or scrambled eggs.

Unripe avocados can also be a delicious addition to enchiladas, stir-fries, and baked goods. For example, you can mash the fruits and use them in brownies, cookies, cakes, or sweet bread. The heat will soften them and bring out their flavor. Alternatively, grill or bake slices of unripe avocados seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil and serve them as a snack or side dish. You can also coat the fruits in flour and spices, then bake or fry them until golden brown. This will give them a crispy coating while softening their flesh.