A hard avocado can be frustrating when you need to use it right away.
Several tricks claim to speed up the ripening process, but a test conducted by Chip shows that not all of them work equally well.
Boiling water for 10 minutes
A viral social media hack claims that a hard avocado can be softened in about 10 minutes by completely submerging it in boiling water.
How the method works
Place the avocado in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over it until it is fully submerged. Leave it in the water for around 10 minutes.
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Let the avocado cool
After the water bath, it is recommended to let the avocado drain and cool before cutting it open. This is intended to protect the flesh.
The goal is a softer avocado
According to the viral tip, the heat should make the avocado softer and ready to use without having to leave it overnight.
The trick was tested
Chip video editors Ronja and Simon tested the method themselves to find out whether it actually worked.
The result was disappointing
In their test, the avocado was almost unchanged after the water bath and remained very firm.
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Still difficult to use
Even after the experiment, the avocado was just as difficult to prepare as it had been before the boiling water treatment.
The test conclusion
Based on Chip's own test, the 10-minute trick did not live up to the expectations created by social media.
The oven method is an alternative
Another popular trick is to wrap a whole avocado in aluminum foil and place it in a preheated oven at 90 to 100°C (195 to 210°F) for 10 to 15 minutes.
The flavor may change
Although the oven method makes the avocado softer, it does not ripen it naturally. As a result, the flavor may be different.
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Best for creamy dishes
An avocado softened in the oven is particularly suitable for dishes such as dips and dressings, where texture is the main priority.
Place the avocado with fruit
A hard avocado can also be placed in a brown paper bag together with a ripe apple or a ripe banana.
Ethylene can speed up ripening
Apples and bananas release ethylene, a natural plant hormone that can accelerate the ripening process.
According to Chip, the avocado becomes noticeably softer after one to three days.
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