What can I do with quince? - Ask Extension
When does it mature, and how do I tell if it is ripe?
Knowledgebase
What can I do with quince? #209089
Asked August 26, 2014, 2:08 PM EDT
When does it mature, and how do I tell if it is ripe?
Jackson County Oregon
Expert Response
Gourmet magazine once ran an article (January, 1998) titled "Quince--of Love, War, and a Legendary Fruit." The first paragraph noted that the fruit was "hard to describe...not to mention that [some of us] would have no idea what to do with one." You are not alone!
A ripening quince gives off a delicious aroma (our ancestors used them in closets as sachets) and, when cooked, can be used in most recipes calling for cooked apples or pears. How do you know when to pick? Quince is always picked when it turns pale yellow (preferably without any green) and begins to emit an almost tropical aroma. It will be hard as a rock and slightly fuzzy; if cut open, the flesh will be grainy and hard. Quince is never eaten raw!
Most varieties grown in our area will be ready in late September or early October. You will want to pick them before a killing frost; however, even if they are still greenish, they will eventually ripen indoors in a warm room. Putting green quince in a paper bag helps hasten the process. Do not store with apples or pears, however, because the aroma will be absorbed by the other fruit. Quince bruise easily; once they are ripe, handle with care. Wiping them with a soft cloth will remove the fuzz. Most recipes call for peeling the fruit, then slow-cooking it with sugar to bring out a gorgeous shade of orange-pink. This transformation in color is what makes quince preserves so lovely to look at. (A basic recipe is found in The Ball Blue Book of Canning, Preserving, etc.).
Quince can be substituted for apples in pies and tarts, such as Tarte Tatin, used in savory dishes such as lamb stew, or baked in a honey syrup (boil in an ovenproof pan or pot 1 cup water and 1/2 cup honey--halve unpeeled, defuzzed quince and add to boiling syrup. Then cover and place on the middle shelf of a 350 degree oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours until fruit is soft.) Use the cooked product in cakes, mix with applesauce, or eat plain. Enjoy! Perhaps you will discover why it has been called "love apple" or "golden apple."
A ripening quince gives off a delicious aroma (our ancestors used them in closets as sachets) and, when cooked, can be used in most recipes calling for cooked apples or pears. How do you know when to pick? Quince is always picked when it turns pale yellow (preferably without any green) and begins to emit an almost tropical aroma. It will be hard as a rock and slightly fuzzy; if cut open, the flesh will be grainy and hard. Quince is never eaten raw!
Most varieties grown in our area will be ready in late September or early October. You will want to pick them before a killing frost; however, even if they are still greenish, they will eventually ripen indoors in a warm room. Putting green quince in a paper bag helps hasten the process. Do not store with apples or pears, however, because the aroma will be absorbed by the other fruit. Quince bruise easily; once they are ripe, handle with care. Wiping them with a soft cloth will remove the fuzz. Most recipes call for peeling the fruit, then slow-cooking it with sugar to bring out a gorgeous shade of orange-pink. This transformation in color is what makes quince preserves so lovely to look at. (A basic recipe is found in The Ball Blue Book of Canning, Preserving, etc.).
Quince can be substituted for apples in pies and tarts, such as Tarte Tatin, used in savory dishes such as lamb stew, or baked in a honey syrup (boil in an ovenproof pan or pot 1 cup water and 1/2 cup honey--halve unpeeled, defuzzed quince and add to boiling syrup. Then cover and place on the middle shelf of a 350 degree oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours until fruit is soft.) Use the cooked product in cakes, mix with applesauce, or eat plain. Enjoy! Perhaps you will discover why it has been called "love apple" or "golden apple."
