Is It Safe To Eat An Unripe Pear?

Answer: Consuming an unripe pear in small quantities is alright since there is also a variety of pear that is best eaten unripe.

But for you to relish an unripe pear, you can prepare it first so you can enjoy it afterward. Here are some samples of what you can do with unripe pears.

Poached Pear

Removing the flesh from the skin and then you need to put the peeled fruit in a cooking pot so you can fill it with liquid, boil until the fruit is soft.

While others add a pinch or two of sugar, you can also add cloves, ginger and cinnamon sticks, or whatever herbs you feel like adding to the mix. 

Poached pears can be served cold or warm and even at room temperature. Vanilla ice cream can be combined for a great tasting experience. 

Roasted Pear

It is possible to roast unripe pear. All you have to do is dust each slice with brown sugar and cinnamon, and afterward, this can be served as a dessert or added to ice cream. 

Baked Pear

You can have an easy dessert made of unripe pears. With the quality of unripe pears that will not fall apart compared to ripe and softer fruit.

Just a few ingredients are included in the mix, with the unripe pears as the primary ingredient. 

Pears As Preserves

Unripe pears are the best candidate for this recipe, and you only need a few ingredients to make your pear preserve.

Sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and of course, a few cups of unripe pears that are peeled, seeded and chopped. 

This recipe needs to simmer for a few hours.

Pears As Appetizers

Shredding unripe pears and combining them with potatoes with some herbs and spices can be a great recipe for fritters. Another is by adding it with smoked salmon mixed with cream cheese, then spread on a sandwich for toasting, which will be something for the palate. 

Jelly

You only need to cut the unripe pear and then half-boiled for hours. Add some sugar till the right doneness is reached. This will be best for crackers and sandwiches. 

Chips

Just by slicing the unripe pear, thinly and then putting it in the oven for some browning and it is quite crispy, you will have home-made chips. Adding sugar and cinnamon will depend on your liking. 

Salad

By slicing it thinly or by shredding and then added to lettuce, cheese, walnut, and other preferred ingredients. Another way to eat an unripe pear and make it flavorful. 

How to tell if a pear is ripe?

It is hard to tell if a pear is ripe cause, unlike other fruits, pears ripen from the inside out, so it’s hard to tell just by looking at the skin. You need to follow some steps in checking whether this fruit is already ripe. 

Checking The Area Around The Stem.

You only need to give it a soft push, and if it gives in a little, then your pear fruit is ripe and ready. You will also notice a slight wrinkling in the area, but the rest of the fruit is still firm.

However, if you have a soft fruit all over, this is already a rotting pear. 

Checking The Color

Depending on what variety of pear you have, some changes in color, where some go from green to yellow, while others do not have that transformation. 

Smelling The Fruit

Some variety gives off a sweet smell.

Varieties Of Pear And How To Tell If They Are Already Ripe

• Comice. This is the bigger variety of pear, and it is also big in flavor. Has a sweet and juicy quality. Ripeness can be determined when you check for softening near the stem. Don’t get misled when you see some bruised piece, as this variant gets that a lot because of its delicate and its thin skin quality. Because of their red and green color, they are often used as decor in gift fruit baskets and were also called Christmas pear. Best for baking, and perfect to go with cheese.
• Asian Pear. This pear variant has an apple shape. This type also ripens from the tree, so there is no need to assist it with ripening after harvest. It will not change much after that. The unripe Asian pear will have a strong sour taste.  Pick one that is heavy cause this will mean it has high sugar content. This pear type has a sweet smell as well. 
• D’Anjou. This variant is green in color and will not change when it ripens. We consider it the sweeter version, but takes a long time to ripen. It will need some help to ripen it faster. Checking for ripeness is the same way as with other pear variants, via the area near the stem. You will not find any difference in the rest of the fruit, though, as it stays firm to the touch.  Many prefer to eat this variant raw because of its juicy and firm quality. They also use it in making jellies, baking, and other recipes. 
• Bosc Pear. With a crisp and fibrous quality and checking for its ripeness is easy cause you only need to inspect the spot near the stem for any softening. You will also have to note any wrinkling around the stem that shows the fruit is already ripe. This pear has white flesh with a sweet and crisp quality. The better candidate for poaching because of its texture that will stay firm, even after a bit of boiling. 
• Seckel Pear. You can find this variety in small sizes, and there are color variations as well. There are red, yellow, and green colors to choose from. This variant has a very flavorful taste.  If you find a red pear, this is not a sign that it is already ripe and ready to eat, but the way to check for its ripeness is via the area near the stem as well. Gently press that area, and once there is a slight softening, it means it is ripe. 
• Forelle. This is another small variant of pear but with a milder flavor with just the right sweetness. Checking for its ripeness is easy though cause it will change in color which is yellow and then small, tiny spots will appear and this indicates it is ready for consumption.  This variant also has a firm and crisp quality. 
• Bartlett. This variant changes in color, just like the yellowing of bananas. It will also get a softer quality at the same time it changes in color. This type is preferred by many enthusiasts of this fruit cause it is easy to assess ripeness. You have to consume this pear the soonest time it ripens cause it will only stay that way for a day or two, and it’s all downhill from there. You can no longer eat this pear once it is overripe. This is frequently used, though for purees and juices. Often canned and processed, and used for baking. 
• Taylor’s Gold Pear. With golden-brown skin and is larger than most pear variants. It has a sweet and juicy quality and is preferred for making jellies, sauces, and jams. It will have a soft area near the stem when it is near ripening. 
• Concorde. With a bright green color and has a tapered shape. It is sweet when it is ripe, but you can still enjoy it halfway. The taste hints of a vanilla flavor and its flesh are firm that can be eaten fresh or processed. You can tell when it is ripe once you put a gentle pressure near the stem and there is a slight softening. This is an indication that you already have ripe fruit. 
• French Butter. It is a European variety with a creamy and juicy texture when ripe. It also turns faint gold in color, plus they mostly use it for making pear butter because of its wonderful taste. Again, a sign of its ripeness is monitored by the tenderness around the stem. 

What Happens If You Eat An Unripe Pear?

Eating unripe pear may have some effects on other people, such as difficulty in digestion. Just like eating other unripe fruits, pears can be hard, stringy in texture, difficult to chew, and can take some time to digest. 

Unripe pear will also have less sweetness, but there are varieties of pear that are best eaten raw and before it fully ripens because of the crisp and firm texture. 

It is also beneficial that there are ways to make unripe pears more palatable by adding them to recipes to make them flavorful. 

What To Do To Delay The Ripening Of Your Unripe Pears?

You need to remove them at room temperature and put them in the fridge, get them out when you need to use them. Warm room temperature will hasten the ripening of your pears.

Do not let your pears be exposed to direct sunlight as well. Keep the pears away from fruits that are also ripening, like bananas or avocados.