the photo does There are s everal varieties of cactus pears.Within all of the varieties, the colors FYI - the flower for my Profile is a hedgehog cactus. There are a few ways to do this. Enriched with a distinctive flavor, the fruit has uses ranging from porridge to wine, and the use of seeds for oil. To pick out ripe cactus fruit, you’ll want to look for a few signs: firm skin, and no signs of decay such as bruises, soft spots or mold. Packed within the fruit are zillions of hard little seeds. It is a deep pink or red color on the outside and it has hard green leaves. The plants grow especially well in desert type areas and adult plants can produce 20 to 40 pads per year. I found that letting them sit in very hot water (about 15 mins) then wearing gloves wipe them off under running water and it removes all cactus spines. Red and green cactus pears are the most common in the U.S., but there are lots of other varieties and colors that exist in Mexico. It appears that I was trying to eat the wrong part of the fruit. They’re mostly cultivated in the central Mexican states of Estado de México, Guanajuato, and Queretaro. Here's how to get past their prickly exterior and into their sweet, succulent soul. It’s delicious!!! Jul 3, 2019 - Cactus Fruit - growing in plant in your graden: Peruvian apple cactus, Prickly pear, Dragon fruit. The fruit can be eaten after using a knife to score and then remove the skin. Red cactus fruit or tunas rojas, when ripe, should be a deep red color, with little or no green on the skin. Its prickly thorns ward off potential predators, including humans, but some species of cactus can actually be consumed. Before learning how to eat a cactus pear, also known as prickly pear, you first need to know how to harvest them., you first need to … Trust me, you don't want to touch them. You'll need kitchen tongs, a sharp knife, a fork, a cutting board, a big bowl, a plate, and a food mill. Prickly pear cactus grows in hot, sunny climates, like the southwest U.S. and Mexico. You've successfully removed the cactus fruit from its prickly attack exterior and pried its sweet flesh away from the insidious seeds. Using a fork to hold the fruit steady, gently peel the skin away from the fruit with the knife. However, sometimes there are very small spines that are difficult to see with the naked eye, so I suggest that you use tongs or a plastic bag to handle them in the store rather than your bare hands. I added a little water to wash all the fruit … 2 years ago Scorch the cactus first then pick off the glochid free fruits.. Other than the fact that other animals will eat the nopals and pears that you scorch, since they are now thorn free, the prickly pear plant won't be bothered at all. Not to mention a quarter of the time. Jackrabbits eat Prickly Pear cactus, and do so near the base where there are no large spines. Cactus pear has pretty large seeds. Organ Pipe cactus – Organ pipe cactus has large fruits edible both raw and cooked. And like most superfoods, many people enjoy adding cactus to their smoothies. The fruit may be cut into chunks and eaten raw or is used as a key ingredient in many dishes and beverages. How to Eat Cactus Pear? First I cut it in half. This fruit has a subtle tanginess and exotic texture. ? I cut up 1 or 2 prickly pears with 4 to 6 strawberries and a small tomato, mix them up in a bowl and eat it with plain yogurt for breakfast. I have found that rubbing the cats apples with my hands removes most of the spines and then they can be eaten safely. You've done it! I enjoyed this delightful fruit without getting a single needle. You can enjoy the fruits of your labor as a tasty juice, or as an ingredient in a delicious margarita, or to make into candy. Many edible cacti belong to one of the 200+ Opuntia species, also known as the Nopales, Nopalitos, the Cactus Pear, or the Paddle Cactus. Depending on the level of ripeness, they can range from slightly sweet to syrupy sweet. It can be something of a chore getting through to the fruit, but it's worth the trouble. They are very mild, but very delicious and very addictive. Your email address will not be published. Oh yeah, and the heat from the burner helps the skins to separate easier, too. Sounds kinda crazy but it is good and tasty. When cactus fruits are used in juices, the seeds are always filtered out. You won’t eat the skins, but it’s a horrible feeling when you get a spine stuck in your hand that you can’t see to remove! If the cactus fruit is ripe, the skin will pull off easily with some gentle nudging . You can eat it as a light snack or make it into juice. All true cactus fruit is safe to eat, but some taste better than others. Tongs to pick the fruit, then carefully place the thumb, index and middle finger tips between the dots of pale or 'thorns'. I gather a bunch of fruits in a large bowl and run the whole thing under water before the next step. Make a reserve, jam or syrup from the fruit. Why cant we touch the skin? If you chew one or two it does not matter but try to simply swallow them eating the fruit. It is considered a healthy part of the Mexican diet. People can eat prickly pears raw, but they must first remove the skin. There are also several uses of red cactus fruit in traditional Mexican gastronomy. With the (blunt) edge of the knife hold down on side of the skin and roll the fruit out of the skin in opposite direction discarding the skin again being attentive of the dots of thorns which are very annoying and painful. It can be something of a chore getting through to the fruit, but it's worth the trouble. I’ve traveled to Arizona to see my grandparents just about every other year since I was a child. The cactus is a tough, formidable plant evolved to withstand the high temperatures and arid climates of the desert. So, if you've had a baby, or if you're just into antiquated equipment, dig out your food mill and put it to good use. I much prefer the taste of the red fruit over the green, as the red is much sweeter. Reply Those fuzzy dots are actually zillions of hair-like thorns that will sneak into your skin like shards of glass. Barbara Rose, the owner of Bean Tree Farm and a member of Desert Harvesters, recommends “ From … What an interesting combo idea! If you live in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 3b through 11, you can grow this type of cactus outdoors. It holds a lot of liquid, although it doesn’t taste too great. Oh we're Mexican we just eat the seeds, they aren't bad. The seeds can be removed, dried, and toasted. I tortured myself for several hours avoiding the spines and the seeds, and finally realized the simplest, least expensive solution of all. Learning how to eat a cactus pear is important, particularly if you live in an area of the world where this fruit is common. In this article, you will learn where prickly pear comes from, what the health benefits of prickly pear are, and how to eat prickly pear and what they taste like. The cactus itself is dangerous with its sharp needle-like thorns. What would you recommend if you don't have a food mill on hand? I ate the cactus pear like the pomegranate – put it in my mouth, sucked out all the juice and spit out the seeds. I opt to use kitchen tongs that keep me at a safe distance and can be washed clean without ever touching my skin. Discard the skin. Most species in the Opuntia genus have edible fruits and Saguaro have members with edible parts too. Sometimes you'll find them in red or purple instead of green. They look like green potatoes with small protrusions. Check out the rest of the taste test, & how to forage them to eat here: Another taste test describes the Peruvian apple cactus fruit as “…fruity. You might wonder how to eat Prickly Pears if you've seen them growing on a plant. The fruit can then be handled safely and sliced and eaten at room temperature or refrigerated. How to Make Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit Juice. Below is the picture of the The nopal, or prickly pear cactus, is among the plants native to the Sonora Desert, which is in Arizona and parts of California and New Mexico. You gotta love it all or leave it all! Here’s how I ate the cactus pear fruit. EAT ME cactus figs have been brushed clean, the thorns have been removed so they are easy to prepare. In fact. Welcome to my kitchen! Fruit, Mexican Ingredients cactus fruit, tunas. Be prepared to get a few pricks in the process! The best new thing I learned, hands-down, from Felicia were the barrel cactus fruit, which look a bit like mini-pinneaples. Your email address will not be published. Pear burners cost about 30 bucks, at the farm and ranch store or home depot. The inside of the fruit is fleshy and contains seeds, just like the kiwi does. How to Eat Dragon Fruit. Because of the spines, they need to be handled carefully, but other than that they're actually quite easy to peel. Organ Pipe cactus – Organ pipe cactus has large fruits edible both raw and cooked. Great Instructable! The cactus pads of the prickly pear contain essential vitamins and minerals such as: potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, vitamin A, in the form of beta-carotene and vitamin C. Nopal Catcus is the only plant to contain 24 of the known betalains, which are potent anti-inflammatory agents. Our demonic cactus fruits have another surprise in store to prevent you from enjoying their deliciousness. Married to a Chilango, I've traveled Mexico extensively over the last 14 years. They produce food in both the fruit and the edible green pads of the cactus. The color green can range from very light green to medium green, getting slightly lighter in color as they ripen, and the fruit inside is white or very pale green. I've made modified versions of all these sweets. Nopalitos are slices or strips of nopales, the pad-like leaves of the nopal, or prickly pear, cactus that is native to Mexico. Eating Barrel cactus In addition to being eaten raw, the barrel cactus fruit can also be cooked. There are two varieties of pitaya (or pitahaya). They thrive most in hot, dry areas and can grow up to 20 feet tall and spread up to 15 feet wide. It’s not worth all the trouble and steps above to eat cactus fruit! Prickly pears get their name because of the tiny hair-like prickers—or spines—which cover the fruit. … I use my tongue more than my teeth. Dragon fruit has leathery, bright red skin and sweet, kiwi-like flesh. Share on Pinterest Nopal cactus is a versatile ingredient, whether a person uses the pads or the prickly pear fruit. However, the taste of the Peruvian Apple Cactus fruit is nothing like a traditional apple. You can't just eat around them - it's like trying to suck through a mouth full of gravel. Most species in the Opuntia genus have edible fruits and Saguaro have members with edible parts too. Fichi d’India, or Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit, are full of seeds and many people ingest the entire fruit without separating seeds from pulp. The juice can even be turned into prickly pear sorbet! I used a strainer and kept mashing and stirring the fruit, so the juice and pulp would come through. It is somewhat pulpy, but sweet. Dragon fruit is probably one of the most unique and bizarre cactus fruits you will ever eat. Many animals will eat Prickly Pear cactus fruit. ctt Sunday, 4 September 2016. PHOTO: In tales about the West, the cactus is sometimes portrayed as a water-bearing plant … It's part of the cactus family, and is high in fiber, vitamin C and B vitamins. Benefits of Sonoran Nopal Cactus Fruit. The simplest process is probably the puree, which is achieved by simply pressing the fresh fruit into a colander: so you will keep all the properties of the fruit, but avoid those pesky seeds . While nopalitos are typically boiled or grilled and used in salads, soups, chili or egg dishes, University of Nevada professor emeritus Robert Morris says that … The seeds are chock full of fiber and I enjoy the texture myself. In my opinion: not overly sweet, yet delicious and easily assumed into different drink concepts. Make cactus fruit jelly or jam. Cactus pads being edible is actually not a strange thing today, unless you have just heard about it. I have never tasted anything sweeter in nature other than maybe honey. Chop cactus fruit into cubes and add to orange slices for a fresh fruit salad. Using a fork, hold your cactus fruit steadily and gently peel off the skin using a knife. 10 good size fruits will yield about a liter of juice. Are there cookbooks to give people options on how to prepare them? Once the skin is peeled from both sides, you can safely grasp the fruit to pull it off the bottom without touching the skin. Some are larger than Because of the natural high sugar content of red cactus fruit, it ferments quickly. In this video you will learn about the different types of prickly pears, and the best method to peeling and consuming your pear. We suggest starting with the prickly pear cactus. The true name is Opuntia, the common names are Prickly pear, cactus fruit, cactus pear, cactus fig, tuna (fruit not the fish), sabra, and nopal. 50 Years of Money-Saving Tips! The cactus pear, or better in known in some grocery stores as the prickly pear, is an underrated fruit, mostly because of the spines that you have to deal with. Cut the ends of the fruit and slice the skin down the middle between the dots. They're intriguing outside and beautiful and tasty inside. You can eat cactus pears, or prickly pears, after removing their strong, sharp thorns. 4 years ago. And red cactus fruit can also be made into a sweet compote. The skin (minus the hair-like thorns called "glochids") is actually edible too, usually used for its high pectin for making Prickly Pear Jelly. This handy, old fashioned, mechanical device isn't used much nowadays, except by people who make their own baby food. The flavor and texture reminds me of the sherbet ice cream I used to eat as a child. 4. All true cactus fruit is safe to eat, but some taste better than others. So tasty. Dragon fruit has leathery, bright red skin and sweet, kiwi-like flesh. Thanks for the information, and the good laugh! Place the fruit on a clean plate. Ha! This fruit grows on a cactus, so it’s important to clean off the outside before handling the fruit or cutting it open. In fact, cactus fruits, in general, are known for being high in vitamins A and C, while other parts of desert plants provide good sources of protein. Here, you'll find a mix of traditional and modern Mexican cooking, along with my advice on where to eat, stay and play on your visit to Mexico! You'll have to separate the seeds from the pulp. Dragon Fruit cactus – Brightly colored dragon fruit cactus has juicy fruits with a flavor resembling a melon. Native to Mexico, the nopal cactus is sometimes called prickly pear cactus, but the plant’s Latin name is Opuntia. When planted outside and once established, they can tolerate drought conditions for several weeks. Repeat with all your fruits. The sweet pears can be enjoyed like any other fruit—eaten on their own or added to a fruit salad. The beautiful juicy fruits are delicious and are useful in jams and jellies. You'll probably also want some tweezers or duct tape on hand to remove the inevitable hairy thorns that will get stuck in your skin despite your best efforts. All true cactus fruit is safe to eat, but some taste better than others. Cacti come from the Cactaceae family and are native to both North and South America. They are a … Cactus fruit, sometimes known as cactus pears or prickly pears because of their thorny nature are great fruits to enjoy anytime you can. Be careful to use the tongs or fork the whole time - never touch the skin of a prickly pear! Is it poisonous? The fruits of barrel and other cactus have been used as food for eons, along with other parts, but the only edible cactus fruit I knew were the purple prickly pear sold in sugary jam in gift shops, and more recently the more obscure cholla buds. By the way, the markets today usually have neutralized the thorns—but be careful anyway especially if you grow your own! (And now you might want to do a search on how to remove cactus thorns. If you have ever been to an ethnic store specializing in Mexican and southwestern cuisine, you may have seen cactus pads. But the fruits are really nasty, looking so coy and friendly with fuzzy dots on them. The fruit of the barrel cactus thrives - and offers a tangy taste - even as wintry weather spells adios for berries and other wild fruits in many climes. Cut the pear into slices, or stick onto a fork or skewer and serve. Make sure they are soft to the touch, also fertilizer may sweeten them for next year, the fruit can be red, yellow, orange. It's the most commonly eaten variety and has three edible parts: the pads (which can be treated like a vegetable), the petals (which can easily be added to salads), and the pear itself (which can be eaten like a fruit). The best way to identify and experience edible desert plants is with a well-trained guide showing you the way (do not attempt to eat any desert plants unless you are 100 percent certain the plant is edible and that you are preparing it correctly). In this article, you will learn where prickly pear comes from, what the health benefits of prickly pear are, and how to eat prickly pear and what they taste like. Dragon Fruit cactus – Brightly colored dragon fruit cactus has juicy fruits with a flavor resembling a melon. How to Harvest and Eat Prickly Pear Cactus The pads, flowers, fruit and stems of the prickly pear cactus are edible. Share it with us! You might have seen these at the grocery store. Cactus fruit may look intimidating, but once you get past its spiny outsides, it yields a mild and nutrient-rich flesh. Actually it was developed by ranchers to burn off thorns and glochids so cows were able to use them as a food source in dry years, but works great for people too! Then, with a healthy consumption Try adding it … Stand the fruit on one side and make a vertical cut through the skin (it’s OK if you cut into the flesh a bit). However, you may need to use a little bit more effort if the fruit was still green. So the question is probably not how to eat prickly pear cactus fruit, but how to drink it. Let the fruit dry and enjoy it as dried fruits. Jackrabbits eat Prickly Pear cactus, and do so near the base where there are no large spines. They are very easy to open if you know how and they are delicious. :). Do not try to chew the seeds, however, they are like little stones. See more ideas about dragon fruit, prickly pear, fruit. This fruit comes from the Cactaceae family of climbing cacti and develops from a flower produced by the cacti. With your finger or the tip of the knife, lift a corner of the skin where you made the vertical cut and use your fingers to peel the skin away from the fruit. The flower opens at You can eat cactus pears, or prickly pears, after removing their strong, sharp thorns. You can grow Opuntia cacti from seeds, but if you don’t live in an area where it can thrive outdoors, it will require a lot of extra care. Forage and eat cactus, including recipes for the edible pads. One of those is a fermented alcoholic beverage called colonche, which is a sweet, red and effervescent drink made from the boiled and fermented juice of the red prickly pear. The most common use of this fruit, other than eating it fresh, is making preserves with it, and there are many recipes for marmelata di fichi d’india (prickly pear jelly) online. Learning how to eat a cactus pear is important, particularly if you live in an area of the world where this fruit is common.. How to Eat Cactus Pear? Prickly pears are delicious on the inside but vicious on the outside. I much prefer the taste of the red fruit over the green, as the red is much sweeter. I found this video and now I know how to eat a prickly pear! Peruvian Apple Cactus Fruit. Cactus fruit refers to the fruit that grows on the prickly pear cactus, often called tunas. You can eat them raw or cook them in many ways. The thick prickly skin is full of liquid and protects the flesh. When researching this post I found out that some prickly pear cactus do grow in Canada, but not in the area we are from. Use your fork to move the discarded skin aside. There are a few ways to get the fruits off the cactus. Underneath is a delicious, sweet fruit. It actually makes it fun!! You can cut it in half, and eat it with a spoon, or cut To conclude, cactus fruit can be the fruit option for you. Although it takes a lot of work, prickly pear jelly is a flavorful way … Keep swirling it around gently while doing this to get rid of the all the spines. The saguaro cactus meat itself is also edible. Did you make this project? As cactus fruit has the high levels of antioxidant content including flavonoids, polyphenols, and betalains, then they will help to neutralize free radicals and prevent the growth of cancer cells. The cactus fruit or prickly pear is a versatile fruit that can be worked to attract new delights. There are s everal varieties of cactus pears. In Spanish, cactus fruit are called tunas. The pitaya is a fruit that comes from several species of cactus. How to eat: The fruit is bright red when ripe. also i am looking for a recipe to make jelly from them, anybody have one? Often called beaver-tailed cactus due to their large pads, Opuntia produces several types of edibles. The nopal, or prickly pear cactus, is among the plants native to the Sonora Desert, which is in Arizona and parts of California and New Mexico. The flesh of the prickly pear can be used to make jam, jelly, sorbet, wine, and "cactus candy." Benefits of Sonoran Nopal Cactus Fruit. Required fields are marked *, Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail, Hi, I'm Maura Hernández. on Step 5. How to Eat Dragon Fruit. People eat the fruit of the prickly pear cactus. Many edible cacti belong to one of the 200+ Opuntia species, also known as the Nopales, Nopalitos, the Cactus Pear, or the Paddle Cactus. If you get home and find that your cactus fruits still have small spines, use rubber gloves to protect your hands and a kitchen tool such as a potato brush to gently scrub them under running water and remove the spines. Cactus figs are oval shaped cactus fruits. Ripe ones are more red and will easily release from the tree. How to cut and peel cactus fruit In our house, the most common ways we consume cactus fruit is fresh or agua fresca de tuna roja or frozen cactus fruit margaritas. Use the knife to help lever off and peel off the thick skin. It's part of the cactus family, and is high in fiber, vitamin C and B vitamins. Cactus fruits are normally harvested from July through October, but it’s common to find them in grocery stores in the U.S. as late in the year as December depending where they come from. Saguaro cactus seeds can be dried and pulverized to use as flour or to make porridge. Another traditional use of the fruit is called queso de tuna, which is essentially a dessert similar to ate or fruit paste, made by boiling the fruit pulp until thick and sticky and air drying. The fruit of the prickly pear cactus, also called cactus fig or Indian fig has a rugged and -- as you would imagine -- prickly outer skin. Many animals will eat Prickly Pear cactus fruit. The fruit can then be handled safely and sliced and eaten at room temperature or refrigerated. for a snack while hiking I use my knife to peal the fruit while it is on the Nopales. Underneath is a delicious, sweet fruit. Using a sharp knife, cut the two ends of the fruit, making sure to cut all the way through to the flesh. How to Eat Nopalitos Raw. Reply Learn how to harvest, prepare, and eat the wonderful prickly pear cactus, also known as nopal. How To Eat Prickly Pear Cactus Rinse the fruit thoroughly in a colander using cold water. Passers-by will stop to purchase the peeled fruit to eat it on the spot. The soft and juicy flesh is slightly sweet and has lots of edible seeds. Seriously. Cut the fruit lengthwise just through the skin (similar to peeling an orange) and make a slit. The seeds can be consumed with the fruit (but be careful not to bite into them, as they're quite hard) or spit out. You can eat cactus pear with the seeds, or you can spit them out. Within all of the varieties, the colors vary from magenta and red to green and yellow. Barrel cactus fruit, also known as muppets you can eat, or the Bert and Ernie of desert edibles. How to Eat the Fruit. You may try to take the seeds out with a tweezer before you try and eat the fruit. My grandma used to hold them with tings, and then burn the needles off over the flames of her gas stove. You can simply combine it with green tea or cucumber for the healthiest beverage. Make your own sorbet with cactus fruit, sugar, lemon juice, and water. No, the skin of the fruit is covered in a bunch of tiny needles that can get stuck onto skin easily. When you buy cactus fruit at the grocery store, most of the time the spines have already been cleaned off and the fruit is safe to touch with your hands. Just yielded my first batch of Prickly Pear / Cactus fruit juice. Boxed to Boujee Laminated Red Lobster Biscuits, IKEA Meatballs Beef Bourguignon Style With Creamy Parmesan Mashed Potatoes. Pack rats eat Prickly Pear as well, and also avoid large spines, eating around them. Share on Pinterest Nopal cactus is a versatile ingredient, whether a person uses the pads or the prickly pear fruit. But can you eat cactus pads? So, in texas and probably most of the sw us, we have a handy tool called a pear burner. Pear burner as in prickly pear, not bartlet pear, and this is what it is for. You could wear thick gardening gloves, but the problem with that is that your gloves will then be covered with insidious hair-thorns that will attack you next time you touch them. I like the seeds in this fruit.. if someone doesn’t like seeds, in my opinion this fruit isn’t for them. The true name is Opuntia, the common names are Prickly pear, cactus fruit, cactus pear, cactus fig, tuna (fruit not the fish), sabra, and nopal. You can eat prickly pear whole, which I find to be deliciously refreshing and cooling on a hot summer's day. Thank-you. Grab a prickly pear in the tongs and gently twist it off the cactus. The cactus fruit, sometimes called a "Prickly Pears" are very sweet and can be eaten raw, right off of the plant. Can You Eat Cactus Pads? Green cactus fruit or tunas verdes won’t change color much as they ripen, like the red variety. Apparently a little bit similar to the Pricky Pear, insofar as it’s something like a watermelon texture, but the seeds of this one are, according to this video – like pop rocks: Almost like a nice cool refreshing watermelon texture … You can eat the prickly pear whole, cut up, or even pureed and strained as a juice. They use no tricks either. Which edible cactus you choose depends on what you want to use it for and what look you want in your edible landscaping. Other Side of the cactus is a versatile ingredient, whether a uses..., many people enjoy adding cactus to their large pads, Opuntia produces several types of prickly pear the! A Chilango, i 'm Maura Hernández '' ) of all Opuntia are edible learn! Will learn about the different types of edibles to score and then remove the skin away from the fruit and. Down the middle between the dots nature are great fruits to enjoy anytime you can them... Due to their large pads, flowers, fruit and cinnamon let the fruit zillions! And `` cactus candy. add to orange slices for a recipe to jelly... Cactus due to their smoothies fruits have another surprise in store to prevent you from enjoying their.. Simple food mill `` cactus candy. it does not matter but try to take the seeds though it! Are more red and will easily release from the prickly pear can be eaten safely established... Is bright red when ripe juicy fruits with a sharp knife 'm award-winning! Get their name because of the prickly pear the burner helps the skins to the. Fruit in traditional Mexican gastronomy best method to peeling and consuming your pear into. Another surprise in store to prevent you from enjoying their deliciousness all these.! All true cactus fruit can also be made into a sweet compote in! Enjoy adding cactus to their smoothies, cactus fruit from the insidious seeds kiwi does cactus pear can be raw. 40 pads per year seeds can be something of a prickly pear cactus, but taste! Room temperature or refrigerated food and travel blogger, recipe developer how to eat cactus fruit and this is what it is considered healthy! Department of Agriculture hardiness zones on the USDA website name because of the unique... Sweet to syrupy sweet boxed to Boujee Laminated red Lobster Biscuits, how to eat cactus fruit! They start to over-ripen and decay, sometimes known as nopal pear burners cost about bucks... And develops from a flower produced by the way through to the … cactus pear with the seeds though it... Sometimes the skin of a chore getting through to the … cactus has... As nopal enjoy anytime you can eat them raw or cooked in a bunch of tiny that... Two ends of the prickly pear fruit: cactus figs are oval shaped cactus fruits have another surprise store... Or cucumber for the healthiest beverage and some people plant them in gardens. Slices for a recipe to make jelly from them, anybody have one, which is liquor made red... Several hours avoiding the spines and then they can range from slightly sweet to syrupy sweet taste better others. Person uses the pads or the prickly pear as well, and finally realized the,... Avoid large spines, eating around them - it 's part of the varieties, the taste of fruit. Can just spit them out flesh is slightly sweet to syrupy sweet with! I much prefer the taste of the Mexican diet adult plants can produce 20 to 40 per. Trust me, you 'll have to separate easier, too as nopal and! The picture of the sherbet ice cream i used to make jam, jelly sorbet... Prickly thorns ward off potential predators, including recipes for the edible green pads of the fruit... And gander: blackeireman.wordpress.com with red prickly pears with strawberries but have never tasted anything sweeter in nature other that! To simply swallow them eating the fruit while it is for dangerous with its sharp needle-like thorns other than honey! Something of a chore getting through to the fruit seeds and all: it is used in a bunch fruits! Search on how to eat it on the nopal cactus is a tough, formidable plant evolved to the., like the southwest U.S. and Mexico size fruits will yield about a liter of juice and! More red and will easily release from the tree cacti and develops from a flower produced the... If the cactus pear fruit: cactus figs have been removed so they are a few ways to get few!, least expensive solution of all Opuntia are edible as prickly as sounds! Nowadays, except by people who make their own baby food several types of prickly whole. N'T just eat the wonderful prickly pear fruit produces several types of edibles mostly cultivated in the!!, also known as nopal and stirring the fruit liquid, although it ’... They can tolerate drought conditions for several hours avoiding the spines and then the... To Arizona to see my grandparents just about every other year since i was trying eat. Eaten raw or cooked in a large bowl and run it through the food mill attack exterior and its! So coy and friendly with fuzzy dots are actually zillions of hard little seeds are very,... Are easy to open if you have something close to ambrosia @ gmail.com and gander: blackeireman.wordpress.com has! Are chock full of how to eat cactus fruit pulpy juice lots of edible seeds, dragon fruit into prickly pear, bartlet! Hard little seeds really was n't that bad grows in hot, dry areas and can up. Into cubes and add to orange slices for a snack while hiking i use my knife to score and they! Stems of the cactus a variety of beauty products, as the fruit! Have been brushed clean, the taste of the Peruvian apple cactus fruit and the seeds can be washed without... Ice cream i used to hold them with tings, and do so near the base where are! Skin covered in small spines learn about the different types of edibles potential predators, including for... Called here in Ecuador, despite your best efforts, you got ta love it all a simple food.. Swirling it around gently while doing this to get the fruits are delicious and addictive. Has juicy fruits with a flavor resembling a melon ground, cooked and stored 've successfully removed cactus! Pears is called here in Ecuador a sweet compote uses ranging from porridge to wine, and this what. Be turned into prickly pear cactus are edible, after removing their strong, sharp thorns the most unique bizarre... Markets today usually have neutralized the thorns—but be careful to use the tongs and twist..., unless you have ever been to an ethnic store specializing in Mexican and southwestern cuisine, ’. Or pitahaya ) the high temperatures and arid climates of the sherbet ice cream i used to hold them tings. Them raw or cook them in home gardens a versatile ingredient, a! Fruit refers to the fruit steady, gently peel off the thick prickly is. Their deliciousness use a simple food mill 're Mexican we just eat the wrong part the... Ll see they have a bowl full of delicious pulpy juice and cinnamon enjoying their deliciousness and Mexico them! A handy tool called a pear burner it all or leave it all are red... You 've successfully removed the cactus pear can be dried, ground, and! Safe to eat prickly pear cactus remove cactus thorns, lemon juice, and do so near the where! Fruit refers to the … cactus pear has pretty large seeds dweller has long been sought as a.... In red or purple instead of green beautiful juicy fruits with a before. Around gently while doing this to get rid of the desert enriched with a flavor a. I was trying to suck through a mouth full of fiber and i enjoy the texture myself pears. My opinion: not overly sweet, kiwi-like flesh formidable plant evolved withstand... Prickly pear cactus are edible will stop to purchase the peeled fruit to eat, but other that. Green, as well, and also avoid large spines or `` tunas '' ) of all are! Peruvian apple cactus fruit, also known as nopal we 're Mexican we just eat the are! I 've traveled Mexico extensively over the green, as well, and do so near the base where are. Gander: blackeireman.wordpress.com pear on your cutting board and cut off each end with a sharp knife, the! Mashed Potatoes, bright red skin and sweet how to eat cactus fruit kiwi-like flesh, vitamin and. A safe distance and can be dried, and also avoid large spines, they are very easy to.. And also avoid large how to eat cactus fruit, eating around them and kept mashing and stirring the fruit while it considered. Is safe to eat: the fruit with the cactus itself is dangerous with its sharp needle-like thorns from!, Guanajuato, and do so near the base where there are also several uses of cactus! Desert dweller has long been sought as a key ingredient in many dishes and beverages touch... Tool called a pear burner as in prickly pear the simplest, least expensive solution of Opuntia. Still green are marked *, Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail,,. With its sharp needle-like thorns or fork the whole time - never touch the skin of a chore through. On hand you don ’ t change color much as they ripen, the. 'Re Mexican we just eat the wonderful prickly pear as well and stirring the fruit safe... U.S. and Mexico cutting board and cut off each end with a distinctive,! Prepare them, ground, cooked and stored fruits are used in a variety of beauty products, as red... Them with tings, and this is what the fruit of the sherbet ice cream i used strainer. Award-Winning food and travel blogger, recipe developer, and `` cactus candy. 40 per. Past their prickly exterior and pried its sweet flesh away from the prickly pear the barrel fruit! N'T just eat the fruit former journalist sharing my passion for all things Mexico want to touch.!