How to Pick a Perfect Avocado
The difference between a perfect avocado and disappointment comes down to knowing what to feel for and where to look. Most people squeeze too hard or pick based on color alone.
Avocados ripen after picking — timing is everything
Buy avocados at different stages if you want them for different days. They continue ripening on your counter.
- your hands
Press with your palm, not your fingertips
Cradle the avocado in your palm and apply gentle pressure with your whole hand. Fingertip pressure creates bruises that turn into brown spots.
The method.
Check the color and skin texture
Hass avocados should be dark green to nearly black. Fuerte avocados stay green when ripe. The skin should look slightly bumpy but not wrinkled or overly soft.
Test the stem end
Flick off the small brown stem nub at the narrow end. If it comes off easily and shows green underneath, the avocado is ripe. Brown underneath means overripe.
Do the palm squeeze test
Hold the avocado in your palm and squeeze gently with your whole hand. It should yield slightly but spring back. No give means underripe. Mushy means overripe.
Look for blemishes
Avoid avocados with dark sunken spots, cracks, or areas that feel significantly softer than the rest. Small surface scratches are fine.
Other turns to take.
For immediate use
Choose avocados that yield to gentle pressure and have stems that flick off easily
For use in 2-3 days
Pick firmer avocados with stems still attached and ripen them at room temperature
For use in a week
Buy hard avocados and store in the refrigerator to slow ripening
When it doesn't go to plan.
Store ripe avocados in the refrigerator to slow further ripening
Speed up ripening by placing avocados in a paper bag with a banana
The area around the stem tells you more about ripeness than overall firmness
The ones that keep coming up.
Why do avocados go bad so quickly after I buy them?
You're likely buying them already overripe. They should feel firm with just slight give when you purchase them.
Can I ripen an avocado in the microwave?
No. Heat makes avocados mushy without properly ripening them. Stick to room temperature ripening.
How do I know if an avocado is bad inside?
Brown streaks throughout the flesh, a rancid smell, or slimy texture means it's gone bad. Small brown spots can be cut away.