The clearest sign of a ripe apricot is that it gives slightly and leaves a faint dent when pressed gently with a finger; an apricot that feels rock-hard hasn't ripened yet, while one that's overly soft and keeps a lasting dent may be overripe or starting to spoil. Colour is another key clue: the whole surface, including the area around the stem, should have turned an orange-yellow tone; a greenish patch is a sign the apricot isn't fully ripe yet.
Smell gives away ripeness too; a ripe apricot has a sweet, noticeable aroma even from a short distance, while one with no smell was likely picked too early and never fully ripened on the tree.
How Do You Read Colour and Firmness?
Colour varies by variety, but the general rule is that there should be no pale yellow or greenish patches left on the surface; such patches mean ripening isn't complete. Reddish-pink blushes are a normal feature on some varieties, so colour should be judged together with firmness rather than on its own.
Gently squeezing the fruit in your palm is a more reliable firmness test than pressing with a fingertip; a fingertip can bruise just one spot on the fruit, while palm pressure gives a more even read of its overall firmness.
How Do You Ripen Unripe Apricots?
Apricots picked underripe can ripen within a few days if left at room temperature in a paper bag; the bag traps the ethylene gas the fruit naturally gives off, which speeds up ripening. Adding a banana or apple to the bag can speed things up further, since those fruits release even more ethylene.
It's better to leave the bag in a cool, shaded spot rather than direct sunlight; direct sun can ripen the outside of the fruit faster than the inside, giving an uneven result.
How Do You Tell Overripe or Spoiled Apricots Apart?
An apricot with sunken spots, wet patches or soft brown areas on the skin is overripe or starting to spoil; such fruit should be eaten quickly or used in a recipe that involves cooking, like jam. A whitish, fuzzy coating on the surface is mould, and that apricot shouldn't be used.
A sour or almost alcohol-like smell is a sign the apricot has started to ferment; in that case the flesh may look normal but taste noticeably more sour than expected.
Common Mistakes When Buying Apricots
One common mistake is assuming large, glossy apricots are automatically better quality; size and shine aren't always tied to ripeness, and some varieties are naturally smaller and duller. Another mistake is picking apricots from the bottom of a pile in a bag; the fruit underneath gets crushed by the weight above and spoils faster.
Mixing apricots at different ripeness stages in the same bag is also common; a ripe apricot gives off ethylene that speeds up the unripe ones nearby, while the ripe one itself can turn overripe sooner than expected. Eating an apricot straight out of the fridge is another common habit; the cold noticeably dulls its taste and aroma, so letting it come back to room temperature first gives a better result.