Updated February 2023
Wondering how to ripen those hard peaches? It’s so easy! Once you know, you know! And, guess what: 🙂 You have everything you need already.
How to Ripen Peaches
Your local market is full of delicious fruits and vegetables! For city girls like me, I need answers on fresh produce. Buying it right, and storing it right.
And peaches, people! It’s Georgia! I’m so happy.
So, you got those peaches, and they’re too hard? Help is here.
I learned this last year, and it works every single time.
(I’ll even show you my pictures. And you’ll be okay with them. Because you know I’m not a food blogger or a photographer.)
Here’s The Big Secret
- Cover them with a dishtowel for a day, or two, or three.
That’s it!
Put them in a place that won’t be bumped or disturbed. Lay them on a clean dishtowel and simply lay another towel on top. If you just have a few peaches, one dishtowel is enough. Just fold it over to cover them. You’re not looking for airtight, just reducing the light and air. This will speed up the process.
Each day, lift up the towel and gently feel the peaches. You’re looking for that perfect softness that says they are sweet and juicy.
How do we know which fruits can be ripened after picking?
That’s a great question. Some can, some can’t. And here’s a great answer:
25 Fruits That Ripen After Picking (and some that don’t), an article by Melissa J. Will at the Empress of Dirt website.
Maybe I could just repeat them, but then you wouldn’t get to see her website. It’s worth the (virtual) trip!
Look at her “About” page and see how she transformed nothing into something. It’s her garden. That was so pretty it almost made me cry.
😂 Do you ever feel like your life is always in a “before” picture? Maybe we need to explore that thought later.
For now, run to your local produce market. Here’s mine: Thompson’s Market in McDonough, GA.
Then, sit back, eat a peach, and thank a gardener.
And there’s more: Mangos. Have you ever eaten a mango? They are delicious. And the good news is that they can be treated just like peaches.
PEACH COBBLER
Wait. Did you hear that? Someone asked for cobbler. Make this yummy Georgia peach cobbler while your company gets comfortable:
In the oven, melt a stick of butter in a 9 x 11 pan at 350 degrees. Use the “Preheat” time to do this while you mix your ingredients. Mix 1 cup of self rising flour, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of milk together. Add a pinch of salt.
Open a can of peaches. When the butter is melted, pour in the mixed batter. The butter will puddle up. around the edges, and that’s what you want. Now, pour the peaches, juice and all, right down the middle of all that. You don’t need to mix it, but you can gently spread the peach pieces out a bit if you want. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve alone or topped with ice cream.
Getting Your Unripe Peaches Juicy —
How long does it take?
Have you had this question before, about hard peaches? Or maybe you use the brown paper bag method? Or something else?
And are you a “why” person? I am. Here’s more info if you are.
The countertop method is slower than the cloth cover method. The brown paper bag method is quicker. What you’re doing with the covering is trapping the ethylene gas. So the more “trapped”, the more effective. Some people even put a banana in the bag with the peaches. Evidently it’s more “gaseous.” 😕
Some people even submerge the fruit in a bowl of raw rice or popcorn kernels. That could be fun.
Too trapped (airtight) creates a potential mold-making situation, so remember that when you’re deciding on the method. Check it really frequently if you try this.
(I suppose it matters when you need the peaches, right?)
The refrigerator prevents or stops this ripening process, so when your fruit is ripe, put it there. And the fruit that doesn’t ripen after picking should be here the whole time.
Guess what: My mangos are now hiding under the red dish towel.
Another mention: thanks to one more great source for a lot of these tips: How to make your 10 favorite fruits ripen faster.
There were a lot of great articles on this topic, and that was nice. Thanks to people who tell you what you don’t know!
Hey — Isn’t that what we’re here for? To find out what we don’t know, and to share what we do?
Now you know! If you’ve got a friend who asked, send them this!
And please, come hang out with me on Pinterest. I’m finding so much there, and saving it for you!
Do you need to freshen up your kitchen linens?
I LOVE my red dishtowels. Here are more red dishtowels! I got them as a gift. Well, actually I STOLE them at a greedy Christmas gathering.
For some reason, I can’t get enough!
I’m not sure why we went with red accents, but I’m glad we did. We did that in the laundry room, too. Red.
😯 That was a little hasty. I barely know you, and I just invited you into my laundry room. Sorry.
Well, now that you’ve seen that, feel free to hang out here and explore the rest of Grammye’s Front Porch. (No sense running off since we got so comfortable, right?)
Enjoy dinner recipes and meal planning here with some of my Recipes. There’s a free printable meal plan, shopping list, and a week’s worth of recipes.
And if you want to make a pound cake, it’s easier than you think.
Thank you! At GFP company is always welcome!
If you liked this topic 🤗, feel free to 👉 share 👈 on Facebook or Pinterest, or send a link to a friend.
Are you on Pinterest? That is a crazy fun place! You can find so many helpful things. Take a look at what I’ve saved for you! A lot of things that never make it to the blog. Here are my Pinterest pins, and I also have categories/boards if you’re looking for something specific.
-Grammye
Thank you for visiting! At GFP company is always welcome!
If you liked this topic, feel free to 
share 
on Facebook or Pinterest, or send a link to a friend.
Are you on Pinterest? That is a crazy fun place! You can find so many helpful things. Take a look at what I’ve saved for you! A lot of things that never make it to the blog. Here are my Pinterest pins, and I have lots of categories/boards if you’re looking for something specific.
-Grammye
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Thank you for the lesson on ripening fruits. I just bought some peaches that need ripening. I am going to cover them with the dishtowel as soon as I read the list of fruits that ripen after picking.
I was so happy when someone showed me this tip! (No more eating those tart peaches.) And the list — makes us better shoppers and keepers, right? I am so grateful for gardeners who share. Thanks for stopping by today. I know you will love your peaches.
Thank you so much! I have a peach tree that I’m afraid is going to split. Last year we had a late frost and it killed all my buds, this year I can’t seem to pull enough peaches off. I’ve pulled HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS off since June.
Know you’re saving one peach tree at a time 🥰
Janet, I’ll be right over! Seriously, sometimes that abundance is scary. Now you need someone whose expertise is canning or freezing! Here’s to cobblers and pies and smoothies and ice cream. Thank you for stopping by!