When is egg plant ready?

[MommaHawk]

This is my first time growing egg plant. We have 2 plants that each have a bunch of blooms and egg plants about 6-8 inches long. I was only expecting to get 1 or 2 off of each plant. I think the type I'm growing is black beauty. Right now the fruits are smooth with light purple and white stripes. My daughter pulled one "on accident", and my husband pulled a few more. I thought I would try cooking these, but they don't look at all like the ones on the package.

So what am I looking for on mature egg plant?

 

[digitS']

The harvesting of eggplant at a too early stage isn't really such a bad thing to do, I suspect. They should be just as usable and the total production of the plant probably won't be diminished.

I can tell you when you've waited too long to harvest -- when the skin has lost its glossiness and, certainly, if that brown hue has shown up. The seeds shouldn't be dark, either.

The best way I've found to harvest eggplant is using pruners. I sometimes forget them and it isn't always easy to cut the fruits off with a not-always-very-sharp knife. I can be down right abusive to the plants if I just pull them off.

Steve

 

[Mattemma]

My dh loves little eggplants. I core them and stuff with a meat mixture.Better to be small than an over ripe huge one.Some plants get bitter as they get too big.

 

[MommaHawk]

My dh loves little eggplants. I core them and stuff with a meat mixture.Better to be small than an over ripe huge one.Some plants get bitter as they get too big.

Do you then bake them with the meat mixture? Or precook them meat then loat it on the egg plant? It sounds good!

I stir-fried mine with squash and zuchini-it was good, but not great.

Then I will treat them like squash and pick them early. Thanks for the input.

 

[luvsdirt]

Hello! Be sure not to let them grow to those "supermarket" sized ones...they are best when much smaller and very glossy. They can grow bitter very fast. You can salt the slices a few minutes until they "sweat", then rinse before cooking which improves the flavor. Enjoy!! :tools

 

[Ridgerunner]

That does not sound like Black Beauty Eggplant. What shape is the eggplant? Is it more blocky like this Black Beauty

Or long and slender like this Japanese Eggplant?

Then there is Antigua

There are a lot more different varieties, shapes, and colors, each with its own tendencies, some more bitter than others, some with thinner skins that don't really need to be peeled while some have really thick skins. It sure sounds like yours were mis-labelled if they are light purple with white stripes.

Same basic rules apply though as others have said. Get them while they are still glossy and being a bit young doesn't hurt.

One way you might try them. Slice them into strips maybe 1/4" to 3/8" thick, peeling or not according to your tastes and skin thickness. Beat an egg with about 2 tablespoons of water. Cook some chopped onions and minced or crushed garlic in oil the way you like it, either just soft, cooked twice and burned just a little, or somewhere in between. You are just after the flavor. Olive oil works well but don't let it get too hot. It burns easily. Dredge the eggplant strips in the flour, then in the beaten egg mixture. Flour first, then the egg/water mixture. You can put it back through the flour again if you want a bit more crust. Then cook them, turning once, until they are golden brown on both sides. A fairly simple side dish that tastes pretty good, at least to me.

 

[MommaHawk]

Thanks Ridgerunner!
Those antigua look like mine. Thinking back about it, the black beauties are some I sowed from seeds, but they have grown very slowly and have not even produced any flowers. We bought 2 older plants from a garden center and that is what I am getting the fruit from.
I'll try your recipe, it sounds good. Very close to the way I fry summer squash.