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Avocados - I'm clueless

post #1 of 14
6/21/10 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
I know an avocado is supposed to be ripe when it's very slightly soft - but then sometimes when I cut into one it's already got brown spots (if I can I just cut those out) - but I just got a delivery of organic produce and I've cut into two seemingly perfectly ripe avocados and both seem too aged inside - color is not really green but instead brown. Could it just be the variety or should I toss these and open another that seems less ripe but might just be "right"?
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post #2 of 14
6/21/10 at 5:43pm
Thread Starter 

softness

OH - and it doesn't seem like the usual "too soft" mushy yucky - it's still a bit more firm actually - it's just the color throwing me off - like it's spoiled!
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post #3 of 14
6/21/10 at 5:49pm
Thread Starter 

Ok

Well dh just came home and I showed him - he said not to trust it and to open yet another - I did and it was perfect - perfectly green - not too soft or hard. So it's not the "variety" - they must have been overly ripe (no good)??
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post #4 of 14
6/21/10 at 5:53pm
I've had pretty good luck with the "wiggle the stem" technique when choosing avocados. The avocado is ripe if the little stem piece moves when you poke it gently with your finger.
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post #5 of 14
6/21/10 at 6:30pm
I have yet to ever eat an organic that was NOT brown and mushy--I have had several types from different stores and not only do non-organic. I have heard they same from others- I don't know why it is but they all seem to be, we tried off and on the past few years- we are PA and now just can't keep throwing money away.

The non-organic I buy (same way as I did the organic) firm and they ripen in 2 to 3 days on the counter. We eat them every weeks so it's a big deal to us, we do non-organic because they do have thick skins so that is one non we do.

What we get are Haas type.
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post #6 of 14
6/21/10 at 6:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by serenbat View Post
I have yet to ever eat an organic that was NOT brown and mushy--I have had several types from different stores and not only do non-organic. I have heard they same from others- I don't know why it is but they all seem to be, we tried off and on the past few years- we are PA and now just can't keep throwing money away.
I haven't had that experience with organic avocados. Then again, I live in California so they are really fresh when I buy them.
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post #7 of 14
6/21/10 at 7:01pm
I have not had that experience with avocados either but I am a little bit closer to the source. I have gotten an occasional brown spot but not consistently.

Avocados can get brown spots from being banged around. I have to wonder if people are just being careless. Did you tell the store you are having problems with them?
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post #8 of 14
6/21/10 at 10:03pm
Quote:
Did you tell the store you are having problems with them?
the one store I shop most at, I asked and they said they have had lots of complaints but have to carry the organic because they are a chain, the one guy told me they throw tons of the out each week

I have yet to have a problem with the non-organic, I buy 4 or 5 a week.
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post #9 of 14
6/21/10 at 10:13pm
The brown inside can be caused by bruising - when it's localized. The all over brown is often frost damage or refrigeration damage. I wouldnt eat it, and if they always looked like that i wouldnt buy it either.
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post #10 of 14
6/21/10 at 10:22pm
Quote:
The all over brown is often frost damage or refrigeration damage.
that's true at the store I mentioned, the ORGANIC has to be far way from the non and it's all refrigerated in that section, the non are not near the refrigerated section, by the tomatoes
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post #11 of 14
6/22/10 at 10:09am
ime, the brown parts aren't always bad. i always do a taste test. when they are truly bad, they taste nasty.. otherwise the brown's just visual.
for ripeness, ditto the "stem test" from pp. most avocados are picked unripe and they will ripen in a paper bag if you buy them hard.
we try to buy organic, but fwiw, avocados are on that "good list" of ok things to buy as conventional, if you follow that.
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post #12 of 14
6/22/10 at 3:49pm
I also do a taste test - or even a sniff test - to see if they have gone bad. It is obvious if they have!

I, too, have had this happen far more often with organic avocados! Not sure why but it is very frustrating when you've spent $2+ on one

We eat several a week so I now almost always buy conventional after noting the on the 'clean 13' list. It is still really frustrating when they are rotten inside though.
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post #13 of 14
6/22/10 at 4:10pm
Anyone refrigerate them? I bought a ripe one a few weeks ago and put it in the fridge, it was soft, semi-squishy to the touch. I thought for sure it would be brown and gross by the time I used it 4 days later, but it wasn't. I have always stored mine in the fridge, even though I don't buy them cold, and they seem to last longer than I would expect.
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post #14 of 14
6/22/10 at 5:34pm
It really depends, if it is ripe and I am not going to use it for a few days then I might put it on the fridge. I usually like to buy them just underripe and leave on counter. I buy grocerys for two weeks at a time (I hate going to store) so I really have to watch my fresh veggies.
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