How To Tell If A Mango Is Ripe: 4 Simple Tricks

Mango is a popular fruit that many people around the world enjoy. It has many benefits, including lowering cholesterol and heart disease risk.

Mango is also a good source of minerals, such as potassium, copper, manganese, and magnesium.

Mangoes come in all shapes and sizes, from small to large. Some people enjoy eating the mango when it’s unripe, and some prefer their ripened mango.

The question is, how will you know which type of mango you’re going for?

The key to finding out if your mango is ripe enough for consumption is by checking its skin color or coloration before cutting into it with a knife or slicing with a sharp fruit slice (or another kitchen tool).

When unripe, the skin color of the mango is green. When ripe, the skin will turn yellow and orange.

How To Tell If A Mango Is Ripe?

1. Color

Before purchasing your mango, look for the right coloration. Some people like their mangoes red, and others like them yellow when they are ripe.

If you’re looking for a yellow mango, look at the underside of the mango and check to see if it is yellow or orange.

Avoid purchasing a too-green mango; it is usually not ripe enough for consumption.

2. Smell

Another way to tell if your mango is ripe enough is by smell. When you purchase your mango, pick the fruit up and hold it up to your nose so you can smell its aroma. If your mango has no smell, it’s not ripe enough to eat.

3. Weight

Weight is also an indication of ripeness. If you are planning on buying a green mango, make sure the weight of the mango is heavier than most of the other fruit you buy in the produce section.

This will ensure that you’re getting a ripe and heavy mango since most of the water content has been removed by this time.

4. Texture

The texture of a ripe mango is usually softer than other unripe mangos and has an orange or yellow tint on its skin coloration (skin color/coloration).

How to Tell If a Mango is Ripe

How To Ripen A Mango?

1. Leave The Mango At Room Temperature

As a general rule of thumb, you should leave your mango at room temperature for about 2 days (until it is fully ripened).

However, if you want to hasten the ripening process, then leave the mango at room temperature for about 2-3 days.

2. Place The Mango In A Sleeve

This method requires placing your ripe mango in a plastic bag or in a sealable container such as a glass container with some water and covering it with a lid.

The idea behind this is to accelerate the ripening process of the mango by increasing its humidity level. This can be done in your refrigerator, although there may be some decreases in quality during storage.

3. Place The Mango In The Freezer

Another way to accelerate the ripening process is by putting your ripe mango into the freezer for about 3-4 days. This is usually done in the evenings before you go to bed as a result of exposure to cold temperatures during freezing.

How To Store A Ripe Mango?

1. Keep The Mango At Room Temperature

If you’re planning on eating your mango within a matter of days, then you should keep it at room temperature. However, if you want to store the mango for later consumption, then keep it in the refrigerator.

2. Packing The Mango

If you’re planning on storing your mango for later consumption, make sure to place it in an airtight plastic bag or an airtight glass container with some water or a damp paper towel surrounding the mango are placed in the container.

This will prevent the skin from drying out, give off a nice smell, and prolong its life for anywhere between 2-3 weeks (at normal room temperature).

3. Ripening A Mango In A Sleeve

Another way to store your ripe mango is to place it in the plastic sleeve it came in and in the refrigerator.

The idea behind this is to add additional moisture to your refrigerator since you can’t put any water or a damp paper towel at the bottom of the container.

Conclusion

Knowing how to tell if a mango is ripe can help you enjoy the best quality fruit. If you’re planning on eating your mango right away, then you should know that the best way to ripen a mango is to leave it at room temperature for about 2 days (or less, depending on personal preference).

However, if you want your mango to ripen faster than you can eat it, then consider placing it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days or the freezer for about 3-4 days.

Of course, there are other ways to tell if a mango is ripe, and some people do different things to enhance the ripening process. The methods mentioned above should get you started.

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Naznin Aktar

Author & Recipe Developer at Naznin's Kitchen

Hello! I'm Naznin Aktar, the food enthusiast and recipe developer at Naznin's Kitchen. Want to turn everyday ingredients into extraordinary dishes? Explore Naznin's Kitchen for a collection of recipes that are sure to inspire your inner chef and delight your loved ones.