Dragon Fruit or pitaya is an exotic fruit that originates from South America, but is commonly grown in many Asian countries such as Taiwan. It grows on a cactus plant and generally has either reddish purple or yellow skin. Dragon fruits are seasonal and will only be available fresh in the summer months, generally June to August. The red variety has white or pink flesh with tiny black seeds, while the yellow variety has white flesh.
Regardless of the variety, there are some constants that you can look for to distinguish ripe from unripe dragon fruit.
Continue reading below for some great tips to choose ripe dragon fruit every time.
How Do You Know When Dragon Fruit is Ripe?
There are three different ways you can use to tell if dragon fruit is ripe and ready to eat.
These are:
Let us take a more detailed look at these indicators of ripeness below.
You Might Like: How to Ripen Papaya
Color
As mentioned earlier, dragon fruit come in red or yellow hues. For both of these varieties, the fruit will be green when it is unripe. As it reaches maturity the skin colour will slowly start to change. Wait until the fruit is an even red or yellow color before you decide to harvest it.
A helpful tip is to also check the color of the tips or “wings” that extend from the fruit. These generally start to dry up once the fruit is ripe. If they are not at least withered, then the fruit is not ready for consumption.
Texture
At first glance, dragon fruit might appear spiky, but the wings that extend from the fruit are actually pretty soft. The fruit itself will be hard and tough when immature, but once it ripens it will be soft to the touch. Firmly press on it with your thumb, and if it gives or is left with an indentation then the fruit is ripe. If it feels firm, give it some more time to mature.
You Might Like: How to Ripen Pears
Taste
If you’ve already cut open the fruit, then the taste test is the next step to determine the state of ripeness. Dragon fruit has a very distinct flavor. It’s often described as a sweet version of ripe kiwi. If you taste the dragon fruit and it’s tough or sour then it isn’t ripe. The ripe dragon fruit should be slightly sweet and soft.
Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages
Dragon fruit, a climbing vine-like cactus also called pitaya, is a nutritious and unique fruit that deserves a place on your table. Beyond its fun name and unique appearance, dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants, carotene, vitamin C, fiber and a score of minerals, such as iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Native to Central and South America, today's dragon fruit in U.S. markets comes mainly from Southeast Asia.
The good news is that dragon fruit is typically sold when it's already ripe, similar to some other fruits like apples or strawberries. The even better news is that you can find dragon fruit year-round in the grocery stores that carry it – the plants produce crops from four to six times a year. The fruit peaks in the summer and early fall, but with optimum storage conditions, around 50 degrees Fahrenheit and with no misting, it stays fresh at the market from 14 to 17 days.
You'll know that the dragon fruit is ripe if it tastes sweet with a slight melon-like flavor and a tangy, somewhat acidic taste lingering in the background. Some tasters say the flavor of dragon fruit also reminds them of berries, pears, kiwi or watermelon. The fruit has an aroma that may also remind you of melons.
As they ripen, the color of dragon fruit, also sometimes called strawberry pear, deepens from a light rose color to the full red color you typically see at the grocery. The scales on the skin begin with a green hue and turn yellow when the fruit is ripe. When dragon fruit is completely ripe, its color will be deep and bright, and it will feel firm to the touch. Dragon fruit comes with either red or white flesh inside with small black, edible seeds that contain heart-healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats.
Once you bring the dragon fruit home, use it within four to five days if you've kept it out in your fruit bowl to enjoy its unique appearance. It will also keep up to two weeks wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Peeled, cubed and frozen, the fruit will last indefinitely, but will lose its firm texture and will be tasty only when you use it in smoothies or sauces. If the fruit experiences a chilling injury during transport or in your fridge, you'll see soft spots and browning on the skin and darkening colors on the scales.
Once you cut off the hard ends and peel the dragon fruit, you can eat it raw on its own or in salads. Or, scoop out the flesh after cutting it in half lengthwise, without peeling the fruit, and use it in jams, smoothies or in sauces to serve over ice cream or pound cake. The mild dragon fruit flavor also works well with seafood and can be grilled with a sprinkle of lemon juice, lime juice or chili powder to offset its sweetness.
-
Read
-
Read
-
Read
-
Read
-
Read
-
Read
Can you tell if your dragon fruit is ready to be picked? If yes do you know how correctly pick a dragon fruit?
Then knowing when to harvest and how to pick a dragon fruit is essential, for you to ensure that you are harvesting a fruit that is already ripe.
A dragon fruit or also known as a cactus fruit comes in three different varieties:
Pitaya Blanca (Hylocereus undatus ) pink/red skin, white flesh, and black seeds.
Pitaya Roja (Hylocereus costaricensis) pink/red skin, red flesh, and black seeds.
Pitaya Amarilla (Hylocereus megalanthus) yellow skin, white flesh, and black seeds.
The most popular one is the white fleshed, pink skinned Pitaya Blanca.
This is known as an exotic fruit mainly because the skin is covered with scales and spurs that taste sweet.
Now if you have been growing a dragon fruit in your backyard or you’ve seen them around.
You are probably thinking about how to pick a dragon fruit the right way. You may also be thinking if what you are picking is ripe enough. Fortunately, everything that you need to know is discussed below.
The first thing that you need to do is to look for a dragon fruit that is colored in yellow or red. A dragon fruit that is green signals that it is not yet ripe.
A ripe dragon fruit has an even and bright color. But watch out for a fruit that has blotches on the skin, which can be seen on apples. The reason behind this is because it signifies that it is overripe.
The leafy part of the fruit is known as the wings, and they can also help you determine if your fruit is ready to be harvested.
If you notice that the wings are starting the turn brown and dry out, then these are signs that your fruit is ready to be harvested.
Of course, if the wings are still colorful, then the fruit is still under-ripe and needs more time to ripen.
Holding the dragon fruit, gently press your thumb into the skin of the fruit. If the skin is soft and not mushy, then this means that it is ripe already.
If the skin is firm, then it would be best to just leave it for a few days before picking it.
The dragon fruit’s insides are usually purple, dark pink or white in color. There are also tiny seeds that are black, which are all edible and are similar to that in a kiwi.
Now if you cut the dragon fruit open, the insides should have a texture that is firm and juicy. Brown colored insides mean that your fruit is overripe and should not be eaten.
Now that you know how to spot a ready to be picked dragon fruit, the next thing that you need to do is to know how to choose a dragon fruit.
Tips on How to Pick a Dragon Fruit
When harvesting your dragon fruit, it would be best to harvest them when they are close to becoming fully ripe. The reason behind this is because they don’t have the ability to ripen once you have picked them easily.
Once you have noticed that the dragon fruit transformed from green to yellow or red, then it means that it is already ready to be harvested.
Always remember that the right time to harvest is after 4 days after the fruit changes its color. For people who are planning to export the fruit, it would be best to harvest at a sooner time, like a day after the fruit changes its color.
Only the Pitaya Amarilla, yellow dragon fruit has thorns. The next thing that you need to do is to remove all the thorns before you start picking your fruits.
Using pliers, remove them one by one and brush them off after using your gloves.
Typically, when the dragon fruit is ripe, the thorns will start to shed on its own. This means that it won’t be that difficult to remove them
When removing the thorns, it would be best to wear a good pair of gloves since the thorns can be sharp. So it is essential to wear them for your protection.
Lastly, once you have removed all the thorns, the next thing that you need to do is to separate the dragon fruit from its vine by twisting it.
Typically you will know that it is already ripe once you have twisted the fruit and it easily got detached.
But if you are having a hard time turning it and pulling it out of the vine, then you might want to wait for a few days before eventually picking them.
Learn How to Pick Banana Peppers
After you have picked your dragon fruit, storing it is the next thing that you need to do. Store the fruit in your refrigerator’s drawer. The temperature of the drawer should range from 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
A dragon fruit that has been stored in the fridge can last for up to 3 whole months.
Now for cut dragon fruits, you can scoop the fruit’s pulp and the store is in a container that is tightly sealed. The dragon fruit that has been cut should be kept in the freezer since they need to be frozen to avoid their quality to decline.
The pulp should be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months and can be used in jellies, smoothies, and ice creams.
Everything that you need to know about how to pick a dragon fruit and to know when it is ready to be harvested are all discussed above.
Now, all you have to do is to wait for your dragon fruit to ripen so you can harvest it and enjoy its sweet goodness.