Why is my avocado tough and rubbery?

Question

This is the second avocado from the same bag that is tough and rubbery. The pit won't come out without leaving a skin, and it won't peel out of it's skin without cutting the skin off. I made sure it was soft and was at room temperature before I cut it open. How can I de-rubberize them?

TFD · Accepted Answer

It's simply not ripe yet.

Don't buy avocados or any other fruit and vegetable in pre-packed bags, because you cannot tell what state they are in.

Buy from a local grocer whom you can trust, and therefore can get honest answers on the state of the produce.

Avocados are usually sold unripe for shipping reasons. Buy ahead of need, and let them ripen at room temperature (2 to 7 days). They will keep in the fridge if you need them later than that.

To recover a peeled unripe avocado, you can cube it, and then cook it in the microwave in short bursts to soften it. It's only good for salsa or sauce at that point though. One advantage of slightly cooking avocado is that the green colour becomes more intense; I suspect this explains the guacamole colour from many fast food vendors. :-)

Brad Wiedel · Answer

If avocados that you buy at the store have been picked too soon by the grower and the avocado has less than eight percent fat it will never ripen. If avocados that you buy at the store do not ripen, return them, because it's not something you did, it's because they were picked incorrectly with less than 8% fat.
According to this video California law states that you cannot pick and sell avocados with less than 8% fat because they will never soften.

MARIA P PADILLA · Answer

If it was transported in a chilled container or even at the store before it's ripe will cause only the skin to blacken even peeling away at the meat. I don't know who started telling people to freeze their avocados either. Refrigerated after ripening yes. You will ruin your avocado experience. My family grew avocados.. And yes also an early pic or a freeze will also do that . If your avo was smaller than norm then that was probably the deal picked early. The smooth avocados Fuertes do that alot.

Answered by MARIA P PADILLA on March 4, 2021

user91543 · Answer

Avocado varieties with thin skin tend to have this problem. The hard rubbery lump will not soften with time even when surrounding area begins to rot. It is said that when the tiny young fruit is developing, certain insect can puncture the skin causing a calcified tumor in the flesh which continue to grow as the fruit mature. Some farmer spray pesticide or horticulture oil to control the problem. Spraying calcium containing products like calcium nitrate - the same application to prevent bottom end rot on tomato - will toughen and defense the tender skin against attack. I have a Jim Bacon tree with this problem.

Answered by user91543 on March 4, 2021

Why is my avocado tough and rubbery?

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