Selecting and Ripe Mangoes: The Complete Guide

Mangoes are celebrated for their velvety, juicy flesh, rich flavors, and health benefits. Whether you're shopping for them at the store or harvesting from your own tree, knowing how to choose and ripen the finest mangoes can make all the difference.

How to Pick Out Mangoes

Picking the perfect mango is an art combining touch, sight, and smell. Follow these steps to ensure you get the most delicious and ripe mango:

Touch and Feel: Ripe mangoes should feel slightly soft to the touch, similar to avocados or peaches, but not mushy where your fingers sink into the skin. If you're planning to eat the mango within a few days, choose a firmer one for better ripening at home. Visual Inspection: Look for full, plump, football-shaped mangoes with no signs of flatness or thinness. Ripe mangoes might have brown spots, which are normal. Ataulfo mangoes, in particular, can be wrinkled and soft before reaching their peak ripeness. Smell: The aroma around the mango's stem should be sweet and fruity, reminiscent of melon, pineapple, and carrot. Avoid sour or alcoholic odors, which indicate over-ripeness. Color Consideration: The color alone is not a reliable indicator of ripeness. Different varieties and seasons can lead to a wide range of colors, from bright yellow to pink and red. Focus on the overall condition of the mango.

Different Varieties of Mangoes

Mangoes come in various types, each with distinct flavors and characteristics. Learning about these varieties can enhance your overall experience with mangoes:

Ataulfo Mangoes: Sweet and creamy, Ataulfos are yellow with small seeds and wrinkles when fully ripe. They are available from March to July. Francis Mangoes: Rich, spicy, and sweet, with green overtones that fade into golden yellow. They are available from May to July. Haden Mangoes: Bright red with green and yellow overtones, Haden mangoes are available from April to May. Keitt Mangoes: Sweet and fruity, Keitts are green with a pink blush. Available from August to September. Kent Mangoes: Sweet and rich, with dark green skin and a dark red blush. Kent mangoes ripen from January to March and June to August. Tommy Atkins Mangoes: Mild and sweet, with a dark red blush. Their only ripeness indicator is touch, not color. Available from March to July and October to January.

Harvesting Mangoes

Harvesting mangoes requires patience and skill. Here's how to do it effectively:

Timing: Mangoes take about 100 to 150 days to ripen, with visible changes around the three-month mark. Check for changes in color and softness. Shaking and Thrashing: Shake or thrash the tree to encourage mangoes to fall. Use picking baskets or improvised tools to gather the fruit. Storage: Keep mangoes on the counter at room temperature to ripen naturally. Refrigerate if you want to prolong their shelf life.

Cutting and Slicing Mangoes

Cutting mangoes can be challenging, but with the right technique, you'll get clean, delicious slices:

Stabilize the Mango: Hold the mango upright on a cutting board, stem end facing up. Cut Along the Stem: Run a sharp knife alongside the stem, feeling for the firm seed, to cut both sides of the fruit. Cross-Hatch: Cut cross-hatches in the flesh to create chunks. Pop Out Chunks: Push the skin back, then cut or bite off the chunks.

Conclusion

Picking out and ripening mangoes is an art that enriches your fruit experience. Whether you're shopping for a gift or harvesting your own, understanding the proper methods ensures you'll enjoy the sweetest, most flavorful mangoes possible.