The Best Way to Ripen Green Tomatoes

Biting into a fresh ripe tomato picked directly from the vine will fill your taste buds with tantalizing flavor that store-bought tomatoes just don't have. But what about when you have unripe, green tomatoes at the season's end? Do you leave them behind, dispose of them, use them in recipes—such as fried green tomatoes—or do you try to encourage them to ripen?

Although many people savor the taste of fried green tomatoes, you do not have to try to make the best those unripe selections. You can aid your tomatoes to ripen efficiently and easily.

The biggest mistake people make when trying to ripen green tomatoes is placing them on a windowsill. The light shinning on the fruit will actually cause the skins of the tomatoes to become tough.

A better way to ripen green tomatoes is to place them in a paper bag, wrap individually in newspaper or set them in any other “enclosed” space, such as a cardboard box. By doing this, your tomatoes will keep warm as well as release a gas called ethylene—which is often used by commercial growers to produce a more successful yield. The warmth and the gas will help to speed up the ripening process.

With this household trick, your green tomatoes can ripen into deliciously nutritious fruit perfect for a healthy snack or to enhance your favorite dishes.

Image: WikiPedant
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