How to Ripen a Plum

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posted on 14 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Plums are one of summer's true delights, but biting into a hard one can leave you with a puckered mouth. When plums ripen, they become sweeter and softer, making them much more pleasurable to eat. See Step 1 to learn how to store a plum so that it reaches its juiciest, sweetest ripe peak in just a day or two.

Steps

Place the plums in a clean paper bag. Any paper bag will do, but it should be empty of all contents except plums. When plums (and other fruit) ripen, they emit ethylene. Placing them in a paper bag with the top folded over keeps the gas close to the plums, speeding up the ripening process. An even quicker method is to put a ripe banana in the bag with the plums. The extra ethylene produced by the banana will cause the plums to ripen fast. Don't place the plums in a plastic bag. Using a nonporous bag will prevent fresh air from entering, and the plums will end up having a funny taste. If you prefer, you can ripen the plums by placing them in a fruit bowl, rather in a bag. The plums will still ripen, they just won't be ready quite as quickly.

Store the bag at room temperature. The plums will ripen best when kept at a temperature between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep them at this temperature until they become fully ripe. Don't store the bag in a sunny window, as it's likely to cause the plums to overheat. If the plums get too hot they will begin to rot. Likewise, storing the plums in the refrigerator or at a cold temperature before they are ripe will bring about what is called chill damage. A chill-damaged plum will never become juicy and sweet; instead, you'll end up with a mealy, tasteless plum.

Test the plums for ripeness. The easiest way to tell when your plums are ripe is to lightly press the skin with your finger. If you make a slight indentation, the plum is probably ripe. If it's still hard to the touch, you'll need to wait a bit longer. If your finger punctures the plum's skin at the merest touch, the process has gone a bit too far. Here are a few other ways to test for ripeness: Observe the texture of the skin. Plums begin taking on a dusty appearance as they ripen. Touch a plum near the tip. When it's ready, that area will be a bit softer than the rest of the plum.

Enjoy the ripe plums. You can eat or cook the plums as soon as they're ripe. To halt the ripening process and preserve them for a bit longer, store them in your refrigerator's crisper.