Select and Store Apricots

Apricots (Prunus armeniaca) are a fine summer treat. They are stone fruit (drupes) that are smaller than peaches, softer than plums, and have a deliciously sweet, tart flavor when ripe. However, picking out a ripe apricot and storing it the proper way is key if you want the fruit to be as tasty as possible. Fortunately, it's not difficult to find the right apricots once you know what to look for and finding the proper storage option depends only on whether your apricot has already ripened or not.

Steps

Choosing Apricots

1. Buy apricots in season. Apricots are in season locally for a short period of time. You’ll have better luck finding good fruit if you shop at the peak of their season. In the Northern Hemisphere, they are in season mid-May through mid-August. In the Southern Hemisphere, they are in season November through January.
   • You can often find apricots from the other hemisphere in your region during its respective season. However, it’s best to only purchase them when they’re ripe locally because imported apricots are likely to be over or under ripe.
2. Examine the color and texture of the apricots’ skin. Ripe apricots are orange-gold in color with some hints of redness. Their skin should be smooth and unwrinkled, so pass on apricots that have cuts or dents.
   • Avoid any apricots that are pale yellow or greenish-yellow.
   • Stay away from apricots with shriveled skin, which are usually overripe.
3. Consider the size of the apricots. Apricots come in a variety of sizes that range from 1 ⅜ -inch (3.5 cm) to 2 ⅜ -inch (6 cm). On average, ripe apricots are usually the size of a golf ball so it's usually best to keep an eye out for fruit that size and larger.
   • If the apricots are the right color and firmness to indicate ripeness, you don't need to avoid smaller apricots. They're often the tastiest because they haven't been forced to grow larger with overwatering.
4. Touch the fruit to test for firmness. Ripe apricots should feel firm to the touch. However, they should yield slightly to light pressure. If the apricots feel extremely hard, they haven’t ripened yet. You can purchase them and allow them to ripen at home, though.
   • While a hard apricot will continue to ripen, don’t purchase an apricot that feels hard and is tinged with green. It will likely never develop its full flavor.
   • An apricot that feels extremely soft or mushy is overripe it, so you shouldn’t buy it.

Storing Unripened Apricots

1. Place unripened apricots in a paper bag. If you’ve purchased unripened apricots that still feel hard, put them in a brown paper bag. Carefully fold down the top of the bag to close it so the ethylene gas that the apricots produces will be trapped and help it ripen.
   • You don’t necessarily have to use a brown paper bag, but you may already have some in your kitchen for packing lunches. Otherwise, you can use a white paper bag.
   • Don’t store the apricots in a plastic bag. Unlike paper, which is slightly porous so some air can pass in and out of the bag, plastic is airtight. As a result, the ethylene gas may be too effective and you may wind up with mushy, overripe apricots.
2. Set the bag out at room temperature. While the apricots are ripening, don’t refrigerate them. Instead, leave the bag with the fruit out at room temperature on your counter or table. Allow the apricots to ripen for two to three days.
   • Make sure to place the bag in a location that’s not near direct sunlight or heat.
3. Test the smell and feel of the fruit after a couple of days. After two days, open the paper bag to check on the apricots. Smell the fruit to see if it they have a sweet scent, which usually indicates that they're ripe. Touch the apricots too -- it should give slightly when you press your finger against it lightly.

Storing Ripe Apricots

1. Put the apricots in a plastic bag or container. If you bring apricots home from the store that are already ripe, leaving them exposed to the air can cause them to spoil more quickly. Place the fruit in a sealable plastic bag or container so they’re protected.
2. Refrigerate the apricots. To preserve the fruit for as long as possible, put the bag or container with the apricots in the refrigerator. The cold will keep them from spoiling too quickly, though you should be aware that lower temperatures can sometimes alter the taste and texture of apricots.
   • Make sure the apricots are ripe before putting it in the refrigerator. Unripened apricots won’t ripen if you refrigerate them.
3. Eat the fruit within a few days. While refrigerating the apricots can prolong their life, you shouldn’t wait too long to eat or use the fruit. For the best tasting apricots, eat or use them within two to three days.
   • Apricots will usually stay good in the refrigerator for up to a week. However, their taste and texture may be compromised.

Tips

• Apricots make great sauce, chutney, sweet and sour sauce, jam and stewed fruit desserts.
• Apricots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, and one apricot provides the daily requirement for vitamin A.
• Apricots are suitable for freezing, but be aware that they lose their structure and become soft during freezing. Nevertheless, this still makes them great for using as sauce, purée, and sorbet.
• Pureed apricots make a great substitute for butter in cooking.

Warnings

• Always rinse well prior to eating. Stone fruits such as apricots are heavily sprayed at many orchards, so it’s usually best to choose organic apricots over conventionally grown apricots. Try Farmer's Markets for local choices.

Things You'll Need

• Paper bag for ripening
• Plastic bag or container for refrigerator storage

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Choose the Right Food for You
• Stockpile Food
• Select Unbroken Eggs at the Store
• Select Broccoli
• Store Seafood
• Buy Peas in the Pod
• Select Great Tasting Celery and Lettuce
• Vacuum Seal
• Choose the Best Farmer's Market Produce
• Tell if a Pineapple Is Ripe

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