Should you peel the skin off Asian pear?
Although smooth to the touch and delicate, the Asian pear skin might feel thicker and rougher when you bite into it than the skin on a European pear. If you peel the skin off, you'll be missing out on some dietary fiber.
What are the best tips for using Asian pears?
Peeled and cubed Asian pears also make a great choice for fruit salads, since they hold their shape much better than softer pear varieties. Grate them for use in coleslaw or baked goods. Grated Asian pears can add a unique flavor profile to your favorite coleslaw recipe. They work especially well with Asian-inspired slaws.
Can you freeze peeled Asian pears?
Peel, slice, and freeze pears for long-term storage. If Asian pears are seasonal in your area, but you want them year-round, you can freeze peeled pear slices for up to 6 months. Like most frozen fruits, though, these are best used for cooking or baking, or in smoothies or sauces.
Do Asian pears really make a difference?
In this case, using Asian pears really does make a difference. Softer pear varieties don't have the right texture, and apples don't provide the same flavor profile.
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Why are Asian pears wrapped?
Asian pears are indeed round, apple-shaped fruits, and they are ripe when they are still firm, just like apples—they ripen best on the tree, and are often packed carefully, with a protective layer of insulation wrapped around each fruit, to prevent bruising.
What's the best way to eat an Asian pear?
2:375:25How to Eat an Asian Pear | What does an Asian Pear Taste Like - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then how you can do it see here's some more bruising that you can see and how to eat these veryMoreAnd then how you can do it see here's some more bruising that you can see and how to eat these very simple you can just bite into it like an apple. Or you can just cut it in half.
Are you supposed to eat the skin on pears?
As pear skin contains a substantial amount of fiber, it's best to eat this fruit unpeeled ( 2 ).
Do you eat Asian pears hard or soft?
The Asian pear is meant to be eaten crisp and crunchy like an apple.
What fruit skins can you not eat?
For instance, the peels of avocados and honeydew melon are considered inedible, regardless of whether they are consumed cooked or raw. Other fruit and vegetable peels, such as those from pineapples, melons, onions, and celeriac, can have a tough texture that is difficult to chew and digest.
Which fruits can be eaten without peeling?
Some fruits that can be eaten without removing their peels are peaches, pears, plums, grapes, apples, guavas, and oranges with their white-coloured skin.
What fruit skin is poisonous?
Stone Fruit Pits The pits of some stone fruits like cherries, apricots, plums, and peaches have a little secret surprise is hidden inside: Cyanogenic compounds! (In other words, the makings for cyanide.)
Pyrus pyrifolia
Maybe you know them as apple pears, papples, or nashi pears, but whatever you call them, the fruits of the Pyrus pyrifolia tree are delicious.
What Are Asian Pears?
Like apple, nectarine, and peach trees, Asian pears are members of the rose or Rosaceae family. They are also sometimes called P. serotina.
Cultivation and History
As their name implies, these fruits originated in eastern Asia and have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years. More specifically, they’re native to western China, and long ago naturalized in south and central Japan.
Propagation
As with many other types of fruit trees, P. pyrifolia are most often propagated by being grafted onto rootstock of another variety. This is because seeds don’t grow into exact replicas of their parent trees.
How to Grow
If you’re growing trees grafted onto dwarf rootstock – aka dwarf cultivars of P. pyrifolia – you can plant them in containers. This is an excellent option for those with limited space.
Pruning and Maintenance
During the first year of growth after planting, you’ll want to water your Asian pear tree once or twice a week, depending on the amount of rainfall.
Managing Pests and Disease
While P. pyrifolia don’t fall prey to too many pests or diseases, there are a few major troublemakers to watch out for.
Buying Tips
Unlike regular pears, Asian pears are sold ripe. You want to choose one that is firm like an apple. They should be crisp, but not hard. They will maintain their crispy texture for a while after being picked. You can store them at room temperature if you plan to eat them soon. If not, refrigerate them as they will continue to ripen with time.
Cleaning
Wash the pear gently under cold tap water handling with care as they bruise easily. Gently rub the skin while under running water.
Cutting
Cut the pear in half. Then cut out the middle, or core, of the pear. The core contains seeds, much like an apple. Next, cut the pear halves into slices.
Eating Raw
You can eat a raw Asian pear with or without the skin. Slice it like you would an apple, or enjoy the fruit whole.
Cooking
Asian pears are delicious when included in your favorite recipes. Cut them up and add them to salads for a sweet and refreshing crunch. They also go great sliced with cheese platters. You can bake them into desserts such as pies, tarts, crisps or crumbles. They also taste great sautéed, pureed, roasted or baked into chips.
Peeled vs Unpeeled
Eating the skin of an Asian pear is a good source of fiber. The skin of most brown varieties of Asian Pears are edible, however they are thick and tough, so these fruits are best eaten peeled. If eating the peel, it is easier eaten in slices.
How to Peel
Peel Asian pears like you would an apple. You can use either a paring knife or a vegetable peeler. Start at the base and peel as you turn the pear.
Did you make this recipe?
Substitute them for apples in any recipe. Because they are very similar in size, water content, and texture, you can make a 1-to-1 switch in any recipe that calls for sliced, diced, grated, pureed, or cored-and-peeled apples.
Did you make this recipe?
Choose firm fruits without any blemishes. Like their softer pear cousins, Asian pears bruise easily, to the detriment of their texture and flavor. Small blemishes can be cut away when it's time to eat a pear, but it's worth taking the time to pick out unbruised pears when shopping.
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About This Article
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Christopher Osborne has been a wikiHow Content Creator since 2015. He is also a historian who holds a PhD from The University of Notre Dame and has taught at universities in and around Pittsburgh, PA.
