“Bananas” – I know how to spell it, I just don’t know when to stop.
Everybody has a different preference for ripe bananas. I personally don’t tolerate mushy fruit, so brown spots to me are a turn off. I don’t want green ones, but a little green is just about right for me. Then there’s the over ripe you need for baking bread/etc…
The slow acting way to ripe bananas is like most other fruit – you put it near apples/tomatoes/pears/bananas, if not in a bag with them. Apples give off ethylene, which promotes ripening in other fruit. I’ve found this works, but you have to be vigilant about checking or you’ll suffer fruit more ripe than you’d like.
If you need bananas ripe enough for bread:
- Heat the oven to 300 F
- Line a pan/cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. NOT wax paper… This is because bananas might leak in the process
- Place bananas on the paper/foil
- Bake until black and very soft – 30-40 minutes, depending on size
- Allow them to cool
- While holding the stem in one hand, cut the banana from end to end*
- Squish the contents out
* There can be banana juice/water inside the banana, and I’ve had peel give way while trying to squeeze the banana innards out a hole in one end of the banana. Learn from my pain…
Did you know: We peel bananas at the wrong end (the one with the stem). I use the stem for leverage, but often take a knife, pen or keys (whatever is handy) to break the surface at the base of the stem to make peeling easier.
To slow down ripening, stick bananas in the fridge.