How to Ripen Pears

Pears don't ripen fully on the tree, so if you're harvesting pears from your pear tree or bought a bunch of pears at the store that aren't fully ripe, you will need to let them ripen before eating them, canning them, or using them in recipes.

Here's how to ripen pears with a few tried and true techniques.

Pears ripen at room temperate, so leave them in a bowl on the counter for a day or two.

To speed up the ripening process, place them in a bowl next to some bananas.

Another way to speed up the process is to place pears in a paper bag.

If you want to slow down the ripening process, put the pears in the refrigerator. Ripe pears will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days while unripe pears will last for a week or more. Keep in mind that you should not put unripe pears in the fridge if you want them to ripen.

What happens if you have pears that are overripe? You can still use them. Throw them in smoothies or make sauces with them.

Not sure how to tell if a pear is ripe? Check out How to Tell if a Pear is Ripe.