Can You Use Slightly Over Ripe Fruit?

[critterhunter]

With the first batch of pear wine doing well so far we are going to cut up and freeze 30+ pounds of pears for our next batch, as they were free from a friend's tree and we hate to see them go to waste. The first batch we used were firm, but this second batch of pears I plan to freeze are ever so slightly soft when you squeeze them. Are they past the point of use?

Also, how should I go about washing the pears (using what and how much) before cutting them up to freeze. My neighbor washed the first batch we made with a little soap and water and the wine is doing well, but I'd rather do it how you guys recommend. Thanks.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Soap and water is fine just use cold water. Cut away the brown or rotted areas. Only use the good meat of the pear.

 

[JohnT]

Additionally,

I find that during the the ripening process, Acid is replace with sugar. You should most definately test and adjust your acid level (if need be)

 

[Tom]

What I do is put the pears on a bucket of water. The riper the fruit the higher the sugar content. Core the pears and cut away the bad parts. Put the fruit in a straining bag and you are on your way.
I do the above all the time

 

[joebrady]

Over Ripe Fuits

So, I've cut a deal with the produce manager at a local grocery to stop by each day and buy a box of over ripe mixed fruit at heavy discounts. (what ever they were going to pull from the shelf and throw away that day)

My question is: How ripe is too ripe?

Also: Which fruits should I not use over ripe?

 

[Tom]

if it has mold toss it, only the moldy ones.
If you can squeeze a pear/peach its great for wine

 

[joebrady]

Not a bad haul for a dollar I'd say.

 

[FTC Wines]

Great haul for a buck. I buy over ripe fruit from my local orchard's all the time. just cut out the bad spots. I wash with cold water & sponge, but don't use soap. I use extra K-meta when first put in the primary, if the fruit is over-over ripe, not sure why, extra protection? Your fruit doesn't LOOK over ripe in the pic. Like I said in the other thread, I'd freeze vrs cook the apples. Roy

 

[mainecr]

I was fortunate and was gifted 350 pounds of Clapp Special pears in various stages of ripeness last fall. I sorted washed, trimmed the fruit, ran it through the fruit grinder, and fermented. A week later repeated the process. 36 gallons of pear are now aging. Good thing alot of my friends like pear wine!

My uncle gets fruit for his pigs and multiple times we've sorted the wine fruit from the pig fruit. It's work, although we always have a good selection of fruit in the freezer to ferment.