How to pick a ripe Plantain

How to pick

Look for fingers that are fully green — plantains for cooking are picked and sold green, well before any yellow appears. The fingers should be plump and rounded, not thin or sharply angular; angular ridges mean the fruit was picked too early and hasn't filled out. Skin should be smooth and free of cuts, insect marks, or dark sap stains. Check the crown where the fingers join the stalk: it should be pale green-tan and firm, not black or split. The finger should feel solid and firm with no give when pressed gently.

Red flags

• Yellow with large black patches joined together and a fermented smell — overripe, not just sweet
• Crown blackened, split, or moldy — crown rot
• Dry, blackened, ashy tip at the flower end — cigar-end rot
• Dull, smoky-grey skin with fine dark streaks — chilled in storage, will never ripen right

How to store

Green plantains keep best at 48–53°F (9–12°C) and 90–95% relative humidity — noticeably cooler than a banana's ideal, but never cold. Below about 56°F (13°C) for even a few hours to a few days, the skin develops dull, grayish streaking (chilling injury) and the fruit may fail to ripen or cook properly. At home, a cool pantry shelf works well — keep it out of the fridge entirely. Use within about a week of buying green — if the skin starts yellowing and spotting, cook it soon rather than waiting on it.

More to pick

Plum Pomegranate Raspberries Strawberry