How to store avocado: ripe and unripe, whole and peeled, in the refrigerator and without it

General recommendations

Avocados are quite fiddly to store, so many housewives have difficulty storing them. Often, when buying fruit in a store, it is still in an unripe state, so it needs to be given another 5-7 days until it ripens. And then it begins to quickly deteriorate, even if you did not have time to cut it.

To preserve the taste and valuable properties of the fruit, avoiding its spoilage, follow the rules and tips:

Low temperature. To keep avocados ripe longer, store them at temperatures between +2 and +12 degrees Celsius.
High humidity. Preserving the ripeness, freshness and usefulness of the fruit is also ensured by humidity - from 85 to 95%.
No sudden temperature changes. You don't need to constantly cool and heat your avocado by taking it out of the refrigerator and putting it back in, as this can cause it to rot.

It is recommended to store the fruit in an upright position with the tail facing up.
After cutting, do not remove the bone from it, this will increase the shelf life.
There is no need to store avocados in a cooked or sliced state, as this will reduce their shelf life to 1-2 days.
Limit access to air. Oxygen leads to oxidation of the fruit, the emergence of pathogenic microflora in it and premature spoilage, so it is recommended to wrap it tightly in foil, parchment paper or cling film.

Most often, avocados are stored in the refrigerator, since it is there that the temperature and humidity suitable for the fruit are maintained. However, when storing the opened fruit, make sure that there are no strong-smelling foods near it (for example, smoked fish).

A better place to place avocados is in the fruit and vegetable compartment or the top shelves in the refrigerator. The door should not be used for this because of the unstable temperature.

Storing unripe avocados

In the CIS countries, purchasing ripe avocados suitable for consumption is quite rare. Often the fruits are sold in stores while still unripe, but are finally ripened at home.

Your main task at this stage is to allow the fruit to fully ripen, avoiding its premature spoilage in this state.

To ensure your avocados ripen on their own, follow these guidelines:

Store it at room temperature. It should range from +18 to +24 degrees Celsius.
Putting it in a paper bag will help speed up the ripening process by a couple of days.
Place some ripe fruit on it - apple, banana, pear, etc. It is believed that this symbiosis accelerates the ripening of the fruit.
Do not store unripe avocados in the refrigerator. Low temperatures will not allow it to ripen, but will lead to premature spoilage and rotting.

Most often, the ripening of a not quite ripe avocado takes up to 4-6 days, but if you follow the recommendations, you can speed up this process and enjoy the taste of your favorite delicacy in 2-3 days.

Be sure to check the ripeness of the fruit every day so as not to miss the moment when it is ripe enough. To do this, lightly press on it and look at the surface of the peel - if there is a dent on it from your finger, you can safely peel and eat the fruit.

Storing ripe avocados

If the avocado is already ripe and you don’t need it right now, put the fruit in the refrigerator. At low temperatures it will last much longer.

It is not recommended to wash the fruit before this - just put it in a plastic or vacuum bag, sealing it tightly. To do this, expel all the air from the bag so that its contents remain in a vacuum.

You can store avocados this way in the vegetable compartment or on any other shelf in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Check it daily for ripeness - the fruit should not become too soft, as this sign may be the first indicator of rotting of the fruit. There is no need to store it for a long time, since over time it loses some of its beneficial properties and taste.

When you need the avocado, take it out of the refrigerator and immediately chop it while it still has a fairly dense consistency. As it heats up, it will become softer and more pliable, making it much more difficult to cut the fruit with a knife.

Also watch a video on how to store avocados:

Results

Avocado is a healthy and tasty fruit that retains its properties well during storage. In the refrigerator and at room temperature, the fruit retains its quality perfectly for several months, so this condition should be taken into account when planning to purchase it with a reserve. The recommended storage period is reduced to several days after cutting it, but it can be extended by using certain techniques. It is possible to freeze avocados, but after defrosting, the product loses not only its structure, but also its beneficial properties, so this should only be done in extreme cases.

Video: how to properly store avocados

HOW TO PROPERLY STORE AVOCADOS.

Watch this video on YouTube

Do you want to understand better than others?

How long can fresh, smoked and dried fish be stored in the refrigerator - Fish and seafood are good for the human body, they contain a large amount of nutrients, micro- and macroelements, vitamins, amino acids and other necessary...
Methods for storing lard in various forms in the refrigerator - Lard is animal fat in a solid state. The product is eaten in different ways of preparation: salted, smoked, boiled or fried. Depending on the…
Terms and conditions for storing raw and processed meat in a household refrigerator - Meat products are a necessary part of the human diet. They contain many vitamins, macro- and microelements, as well as other substances without which the human body cannot…
Peculiarities of propolis storage - Bee propolis is considered practically the most useful beekeeping product. It has medicinal properties. Therefore, it is often used for the prevention and treatment of various…
Shelf life of boiled buckwheat in the refrigerator - The habit of stocking up on food is good because it saves time and effort, but the issue of saving ready-made food should be treated with special attention, because eating spoiled...

Storing cut avocados

Not always, after cutting an avocado, it is completely used, unless we are talking about preparing a large portion of a salad with it or another dish where the fruit plays an important role.

Immediately after cutting an avocado, do not try to get rid of the pit, since it is necessary to store the fruit with it. And for cooking, first of all, use the half that was without the kernel.

the remaining part with the pit in parchment paper, foil or cling film and put it back in the refrigerator. It is not recommended to use a plastic bag for these purposes, since the avocado in it may fade and lose its former appearance.

There are also several ways that will help you prolong the freshness of the fruit and preserve its valuable properties and pleasant taste:

1	Lemon juice	More details
2	Onion pillow	More details
3	Vegetable oil	More details
4	Cold water	More details

Lemon juice

An excellent remedy to help avoid darkening of the avocado after cutting, as well as premature spoilage, since the increased acidity of lemon juice helps to avoid the development of pathogenic microflora.rnLemon juice just needs to be sprayed or lubricated on the cut of the fruit, and only then put the fruit in parchment, foil or cling film.

Onion pillow

A method that can be used if you plan to use avocado in the future as part of a multi-component dish, since the fruit can take on the smell of onions. At the bottom of the container you need to lay out a thick layer of onion cut into rings, and then place half of the fruit on it. After this, close the lid of the container tightly and put the treat in the refrigerator.

Vegetable oil

As with lemon juice, simply sprinkle or coat the cut avocado with vegetable oil to prevent it from darkening and losing its valuable properties. It is better to use olive oil for this.

Cold water

Pour cold water into a large container, then place the avocado in it and close the lid. Cold water will cool the fruit even further and extend the shelf life by 1-2 days. However, keep in mind that within a day after such storage the fruit will begin to darken.

You can also store cut avocados in a regular vacuum bag. You don’t need to specially cut it for this - just take a larger bag and put the remaining fruit into it, seal it tightly and put it in the refrigerator.

Despite the fact that, according to many sources, it is recommended to store cut avocados for no longer than 1-2 days, if the fruit is sufficiently ripened and you follow the tips for proper storage, you can enjoy the taste of the delicacy for up to 4-5 days.

How to dry an avocado

Another method that will help preserve fruit for a long period is drying.

Wash the fruits. Peel off the skin and remove the pit.
Cut into strips no more than 5 mm thick, otherwise the pulp will not dry out.

Next, select the drying option that suits you:

In the oven. Spread the avocados in a single layer on a baking sheet. Make sure that the pieces do not touch each other. Place in the oven, preheated to 60-70 degrees, for 8-10 hours. Leave the door slightly open.
In the fresh air. Thread avocado slices onto fishing line. Hang it on the sunny side of a window or balcony. This way the avocado pieces will dry out for 3-4 weeks. The finished slice breaks easily.
In an electric dryer. Place the pieces in the dryer, set to the desired setting. Depending on the model and power, the process can last from 10 to 16 hours.
In the microwave. Slice the avocado, place on a plate, and cover with a lid. Dry on maximum power for 30 minutes.

Place the dried pieces in fabric bags or glass jars and store them in a dark and dry place. Shelf life - up to a year.

If you want the pulp to be sweet, sprinkle the pieces with sugar before drying

Freezing

Avocados are not always easy to find in stores. To use it in cooking, you can resort to freezing the fruit. This way it will lose some of its properties and aroma, but the main taste will still remain.

There are two ways to freeze avocados:

1	Overall	More details
2	In purified form	More details

Overall

In this case, you just need to rinse the avocado thoroughly, pack it in cellophane or sealed vacuum bags and put it in the freezer.

In purified form

Then you need to peel the avocado, remove the pit, and then cut or puree it, transferring the delicacy into a plastic container. To preserve the color, you can add a few drops of lemon juice to the puree. After this, it is put into the freezer.

Even in the most airtight packaging, avocados should be stored in a compartment with vegetables, berries, dough and other products that do not smell strongly, since the fruit is quickly saturated with surrounding odors.

When frozen, the fruit can be stored for up to 5-6 months, regardless of its type. If you wish, you can remove the frozen fruit at any time and leave it at room temperature for several hours and then use it for cooking.

If you have frozen a whole avocado and need to cut it to prepare a dish, it is recommended to do this before the fruit is completely defrosted, otherwise it will then become too soft and pliable, which will cause it to begin to wrinkle, choke, and you will not be able to cut it as needed.

How to cook canned avocado

If you want to preserve the fruits for a long time, you can preserve them. I will share my favorite recipe, which I have made more than once.

Grocery list:

avocado - 4 pcs;
vinegar 9% - 50 g;
salt - 1.5 tbsp. l.;
sugar - 1.5 tbsp. l.;
bay leaf - 1 piece;
filtered water - 0.5 l;
clove buds - 5 pcs.

Cooking method:

Wash the fruits under running water. Using a knife, carefully peel off the skin and remove the pit.
Cut the pulp into pieces 1-1.5 cm.
Pour boiling water over the jars. Place avocado pieces in them. Add laurel and cloves there.
Boil water with salt and sugar. Fill the jars with boiling syrup, cover with lids and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Then drain the water and boil again.
Add vinegar. Let it boil again. Fill the jars with avocado and roll up the lids.

After cooling, you can put the jars in a dark and cool place for storage. If you want a more savory taste, add your favorite spices. Shelf life is one year or more.

Calorie content 100 g - 185 Kcal.

Prepare other crops for winter storage. You can read about how to store zucchini in your apartment. The fruits are no less useful than avocados.

Do you can can avocados?

Not really

Storage errors

Many people are faced with the fact that avocados begin to spoil within a couple of days after purchase, even if they were not completely ripe initially. This is usually due to non-compliance with the rules for choosing the place and storage conditions for the fruit.

The most common mistakes made when storing avocados are:

Storing pitted. The kernel significantly increases the shelf life of the fruit, so it is not recommended to remove it.
Storing ripe avocados at room temperature. Even if you put it in a dark place, at a temperature of about 20 degrees it will be stored for no more than 2-3 days.
Storing ripe fruit with other fruits. This will only speed up the process of its ripening and lead to rotting.

By following all the recommendations for proper storage of avocado, you can not only avoid its spoilage and rotting, but also preserve its valuable properties.

Answers to popular questions

If an avocado starts to darken, does this mean it has gone bad?

No, the darkening of an avocado after cutting is its normal reaction to contact with oxygen, which results in oxidation of the surface of the fruit. The dark color of the pulp has virtually no effect on its taste and valuable properties.

How long will an avocado ripen if you buy it unripe?

Most often, this process takes up to 4-6 days, but if you put the fruit in a paper bag along with other ripe fruits, you can reduce the ripening time to 2-3 days.

How can you tell if an avocado has gone bad?

It becomes too soft, an unpleasant odor begins to emanate from it, and a slimy layer appears on the cut. If you have not yet cut the avocado, pay attention to the peel - if dark spots appear on it, this may indicate rotting of the fruit.

How long does a ripe avocado last?

If you haven’t cut it yet - 3-4 days, after cutting - the same amount. However, be careful - overripening of the fruit can lead to premature rotting.

What's the best way to freeze avocado - pureed or sliced?

After defrosting an avocado, you will not be able to eat the fruit fresh, since it will lose most of its beneficial properties and taste, so consider only what you will use it for later, and proceed from your convenience. There is no fundamental difference in the options for preparing the fruit for freezing.

Selection of ripe fruits

To determine how ripe a fruit is, evaluate it using the following criteria:

Softness. Lightly press the fruit with your finger: a small dent will appear on the skin of the ripe fruit. This indicator works on all avocados, regardless of their variety.
Color. For green avocado varieties: a pale green tint indicates that this is an unripe specimen (the fruits are hard, hard), fruits with a brighter color, but not soft enough to the touch, also have not yet ripened completely, and a rich color combined with a soft peel - These are indicators of a tasty avocado. Before choosing a fruit, pay attention to its variety: brown color is typical for overripe green ones and for certain varieties - Lamb Hass, Carlsbad.
Cutting. The color of the avocado under the stem will tell you how ripe the fruit is. Pry the tail with your fingers: if the flesh underneath is green, the fruit is not suitable for food; yellow color is an indicator of ripeness.
Pulp. The pulp of fresh fruits is soft, has the consistency of a paste and is easily spread on bread like butter.