How To Store Dragon Fruit So That It Doesn't Over Ripen
Is there anything worse than cutting into a piece of fruit, only to find it's gone mushy and brown? Probably, yes — but that doesn't make it any less disappointing. Whether you're eating it on its own, or using it to amp up your smoothies or Cinco De Mayo margaritas, your dragon fruit will need to be ripe — just not too ripe. Subtly sweet and bright, dragon fruit brings its deep pink color and fruity flavor to anything and everything. But, just like bananas or avocados, they can over ripen fairly quickly if you're not keeping an eye on them.
Left on the counter, uncut dragon fruits will take several days to ripen, at which point they may have started to spot and gone ever so slightly soft. All they need is a light squeeze and you'll know. An over-ripe dragon fruit, on the other hand, will have lost all of its firmness. In some cases, the flesh will change from bright pink to a darker magenta. But, what's worse is when you cut into it. If it's over-ripe, the fruit's inner flesh will go brown and the texture slimy, in which case you're best off tossing it in the trash.
There is a way to avoid that, however. You can slow down an uncut dragon fruit's ripening process by storing it inside of the fridge instead of on your counters. Placed inside a Ziploc bag, your dragon fruit won't be ripe for up to two weeks.
What to do with cut dragon fruit
Storing your dragon fruits in the fridge is easy enough, but what are you supposed to do with the ones you cut into but don't finish? Once a dragon fruit has been opened, the shelf life of it decreases drastically. It's best to eat all of it if you can. Of course, there are times when that might not be possible, in which case the best thing for you to do is to store what you have left inside of an airtight container in your refrigerator. But, it will only last there for a day to a few days tops — so make sure you have an idea of how you'll eat it before it goes bad. Otherwise, you can always freeze your leftovers, too.
Frozen dragon fruit cubes will be good in your freezer for up to six months, and it works great as a base for frozen drinks — be it a tropical fruit smoothie or a frozen margarita. You could also make yourself some delicious homemade gelato or sorbet. From the fridge, pre-cut dragon fruit that is still ripe can be enjoyed in all the same ways you'd usually use it. You could eat dragon fruit as is, add it to a yogurt bowl, a fruit salad, or top your açaí bowls with it. You also have the option to squeeze it with your lemonade, juice it with your greens, or mix it with coconut milk for your own Starbucks refresher.