Question: How can you tell if a pear is ripe?

Answer: Pears ripen from the inside out, so check the neck or stem end, which is the narrowest area of the pear, to determine ripeness. To check the neck, gently press your thumb against the neck and if it yields slightly, it’s ripe and sweet. If you wait until the pear is soft around the middle, then it may be overripe.

You can’t depend on color to tell when a pear is ripe. For example, the Bartlett variety will turn from green to yellow as it ripens, while some red varieties turn from dark red to bright red, with others remaining dark red. Anjou, Bosc, Comice, and others change color very little. That’s why it’s best to check the neck for ripeness.

Place your unripe pears in a bowl or paper bag and let stand at room temperature. Check the neck daily to determine when they are ready to eat. Once they reach your preferred level of ripeness, they can be refrigerated to slow further ripening.

For pear recipes, visit www.usapears.org.