While you can find peaches nearly all year long, there is nothing quite like ripe peaches in the summertime. It’s when they’re at their freshest for most areas of the country. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be ripe when you get them! That’s because, like other stone fruits, peaches can continue to ripen after they are picked, and so they are often sold before that peak juiciness.
First, you need to know how to tell if a peach is ripe. Then, if it isn’t, you need to know how to ripen peaches before you snack on them or sweeten everyone’s day with peach recipes. Give it a gentle squeeze and a sniff. If it gives a little and smells fragrant, it’s ripe! If it feels firm, it still needs some ripening to do.
The good news is there are a few ways to ripen peaches at home, and it all depends on how quickly you want to eat them. Remember, the softer the peach, the more quickly you should eat it. So, choose your method accordingly. These three methods will take one to five days. These go from slowest to fastest, so keep scrolling if you’re really in a hurry.
The Easiest Way to Ripen Peaches
The easiest way to ripen peaches is to simply leave them at room temperature on your countertop. It will take three to five days, depending on how ripe they were to begin with. If you’re worried about bruising the round fleshy side, you can store them upside down, meaning stem side down. Check them each day to test them for ripeness.
The Faster Way to Ripen Peaches
Place your peaches loosely in a paper bag and fold the end over to lightly seal the bag. This lets the ethylene gas emitted by the peaches build up and ripen them faster, in about two to three days. The reason you want a paper bag, as opposed to a plastic bag, is that it still allows the peaches to ‘breathe’ so they don’t rot.
The Fastest Way to Ripen Peaches
Put an apple or ripe banana in the paper bag with the peaches. Those fruits specifically emit higher levels of ethylene, which means the peaches will ripen even faster. They will be ripe in one to two days, so definitely keep an eye on them.
Now, no matter the method, if your peaches are ripe but you can’t use them right away, stash them in the refrigerator. This will slow down the ripening process and keep them from breaking down as quickly, depending on how ripe they were when you put them in there.
