At their best, eating a pear is a refreshing experience. Many varieties have a sweet taste combined with a juicy texture that almost makes them thirst-quenching.
This is what most people have come to expect from pears. They wouldn’t be so popular if eating them was something to dread.
So it’s quite jarring when you bite into a pear and find that, instead of being soft, it’s the total opposite. In this post, we’ll tell you why your pears are so hard.
And because we want you to be able to enjoy your pears, we’ll also tell you how you can fix hard pears.
Quick Answer: Why are My Pears so Hard?
More likely than not, your pear is hard because it isn’t ripe. Unlike many other types of fruit, pears ripen after they’ve been picked. That means your pear will continue to ripen after you take it home.
It’s also possible that your pear is a variety that’s naturally harder. There are many different types of pears, and not all of them are the super soft fruits most people are familiar with.
What Makes a Pear Hard or Soft?
Generally, the reason behind your pear’s toughness comes from one of two causes. The bigger of the two by far is that it’s not ripe yet.
Pears continue to ripen once they’ve been harvested. Usually, after you’ve picked a pear, you need to give it a few days before eating it.
USA Pears recommends checking your pear’s ripeness daily. This is actually really simple, and won’t take more than a couple seconds of your time. Just press gently on the pear’s neck, and if it doesn’t give at all, it’s not ready to eat.
The second reason behind your hard pear is that it might be a type that’s firmer than what you’re familiar with. There are different varieties of pears, and some are softer than others.
If you’re trying a new type of pear and discovered you don’t like the texture, research pear varieties so you know which one to get in the future.
You Might Also Like: Why are Pears Called Pears?
How to Fix Hard Pears
Step One: Start by choosing the right type of pear.
You can prevent yourself from ever getting a hard pear again by familiarizing yourself with the types of pears. As a reminder, you can view a graphic of pear varieties here.
If you’re looking for the softest possible pears, choose Bartlett, Red Bartlett, or Starkrimson pears.
Also Read: Why are Pears Wrapped in Paper?
Step Two: Give your pear time to ripen and check it daily.
If you’ve picked a softer pear variety, and it’s still hard, remember that it takes time to ripen. There isn’t a specific rule telling you exactly how long to wait, but generally it takes a few days.
Keep your pear in a room temperature place and out of bright sunlight. Once you’ve stored it, be sure to check its ripeness daily.
Again, you can do this by pressing on the neck of the pear. If it has a little give, then you know it’s soft enough to eat.
Also Read: Why are Pears Gritty?
Bonus Step: If your pear is still hard, here’s how to make it ripen faster.
Have you been waiting for a couple days, and your pear is still too hard? Don’t worry, there’s an extra step you can take to make it ripen.
It’s a sneaky trick. Just store the pear next to bananas.
Bananas give off ethylene as they ripen. This causes pears to ripen more quickly, too, so you can enjoy a soft pear that much more quickly.
Related Article: Why are Pears so Expensive?
Wrap Up
Most people imagine a soft, juicy, and sweet experience whenever they pick up a pear. That’s why it’s so shocking when you bite into one and find out it’s too tough to be palatable.
Hard pears are pretty easy to fix, though. Chances are, your pear wasn’t ripe yet and need a little more time. You can also look for types of pears that are softer by nature in the future.
And if you want to preserve a ripe pear a little longer, tuck it in your fridge. This will keep it ripe for around five days.
Looking for more info on pears? You can read about why pears are gritty here.You Might Also Like: Why are Pears so Soft?
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
