When Is a Jackfruit Ripe?

Recognizing Jackfruit

• The skin of jackfruits is greenish-yellow, with small, hard, knobby points. The fruits grow from 1 to 3 feet long and 9 to 12 inches wide. Inside, bulbs of yellow flesh the texture of custard enclose small, light-brown seeds. The fruit has a central, pithy core. The taste of the flesh is sweet, reminiscent of a pineapple-banana combination.

Ways to Determine Ripeness

• Tap the fruit with your knuckle. If it produces a dull, hollow sound, it’s ripe. Frequently examine the jackfruit’s skin; its spines will be fully developed, widely spaced and softer when it is ripe. The fruit will yield to moderate pressure from your thumb. The pith of the jackfruit emits a latex sap that decreases in quantity as the fruit nears ripeness, so cutting into a fruit is another way to tell how ripe it is. A ripe fruit emits little sap. A foul odor of decaying onions is a sure sign that jackfruit is fully ripe. Once cut, the pulp inside has a pleasant, sweet fragrance.

Timing and Season

• Jackfruits ripen from March through June, April through September or June through August, depending on where they are grown. In the United States, ripening usually occurs in late summer and fall. The fruit is mature three to eight months after the tree flowers and after the last leaf on its stem turns yellow. The fruit rind darkens slightly to yellow-brown.

Harvest Factors

• Jackfruits usually are harvested at the green stage, when they aren’t fully ripe. Then, they’re cut in chunks and eaten like a vegetable. Thai markets sell cross-sections of dried, unripe fruit. You can pickle tender, young fruits, freeze the flesh of fully ripe fruits, and roast and eat the seeds. After ripening, jackfruits deteriorate quickly, turning brown and mushy. Ripe fruits can be kept for three to six weeks at 52 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity.