Man ! Your video is a surprise to me , I have been eating this fruit all my life and it’s very common in North Africa, pls advise people with diabetes to consume it whenever they have chance because it balances the sugar level in the blood and also it’s great to cure hangover 😆
I remember foraging a few of these back when I was a kid in Boy Scouts. Fun fact: The thorns aren't just on those little beige bits. It's covered in tiny little spikes all over it like hairs (probably related to a kiwi). And even then, in the beige dots, there are hundreds of little spines that embed in you if you're not careful. Worth it tho.
Hey! The first think I thought when I tried one was that it tastes like a kiwi! Well, actually the first thing I thought was how do I get all these tiny, microscopic hair like needles out of my hands, lol. I didn’t know better and plucked the fruit directly from the plant w bare hands!
Every time my gram came, she always brought them and they were so delicious, I remember how to cut it and every thing 😂😅, I’m glad this was recommended to me since I miss it so much
I ate one that I had picked today. They were very tasty with LOTS of seeds. Tasted like a watered down version of a cherry, texture of a kiwi and very juicy. Think it would be best used in ice cream or an additional flavoring to a frozen drink.
You're fortunate with that variety! It looks great! The one I got has a lot more seeds than flesh and the seeds are as hard as pebbles. Of course, I can just spit them out. I don't regret buying them as now I know how they taste!
I picked a wild one in Nevada and thought I was being super careful around the thorns. I never felt any pricks, but when I got off the trail I looked at my thumb and forefinger to see over 50 thorns in little clusters in my fingers and blood everywhere, lol!!
Things brings back so much memories as a kid. I used to go into this Jungle like place and looking for these with friends when i was about 10 years old woow. nostalgia
So many comments!I'm in Florida where we grew the "dragon"fruit variety. Now I have the smaller ones growing very happily. Neither one has had thorns on the fruit. I cut them in half and they just push out in 2 pieces. If you eat them when they are hard and kind of greenish, they will be a bit sour, but they get very sweet and flavorful if left to ripen. Just found out how nutritional they are so now, I'll eat more. The flowers bloom at night and are huge and lovely. So easy to grow from a piece broken off .That's where the stickers are!!
I still remember finding a wild cactus fruit under the mulberry tree at my grandpa’s old homestead. I was five. He let me pick it and eat it by myself like a big girl. He did give me a warning about the thorns, and I mostly managed to avoid them.
I live in the Midwest, we went on an AP Bio trip, my teacher said they were edible. Not thinking about the spines, I grabbed it, pealed it and ate it. Very good raw and fresh, but my hands were covered in tiny spines.
I recently picked some up, I'm grateful for the video! Thank you. I love trying new fruits/vegetables, and it's not always so straightforward on how to prepare!
You can use a torch to take care of the thorns. I hit them with my propane torch real fast and the thorns will quickly burn up and then i use a pair of tongs to pull them off the plant.
That is awesome! I love black mission figs. I had one in my patio garden, until my parents moved here, then I planted it in their backyard, haha. Figs grow really well here in Phoenix. The prickly pear do too! lol
Yeah, I went to swapmeet at their closing time. I saw these strange fruit that I want to try. So while I was picking, the vendor told me to take the whole box with five dollars, because some of them were so soft and barely can be picked with choice. I went home, spent a lot of time to separate the thorns and washed the fruit. And quickly tore the skin and put them in jars to the refrigerator. I then used them add on to smoothie and make red jello with gelatin. Very tasty fruit. Thanks for the video. I now know that it is a healthy thing.
I’m living in AZ now and I am psyched to try these! Thanks! One of my favorite things in the world is trying new fruit. Nature provides, it’s a miracle
I'm working in south Texas on an oil rig n just picked several fresh off the cacti. I had never saw one before. Looking forward to eating a couple tonight.
Awesome!! Just make sure to clean those thorns off really really well, you can burn them off with a lighter, rub a rock on them, cut them off with a knife, use tongs to handle it until you get all the thorns off. They are brutal if they get in your skin.
Awesome!! I have heard of that name as well. I believe the Indian Fig opuntia, is the most common culinary species. And thank you so much, glad you liked the video!
I have wanted to try cactus fruit ever since moving to New Mexico. I just grabbed some wild fruit, deciding today is the day, and your video was very helpful. Thank you. For anyone wondering, I would describe it kind of like eating a mild watermelon in flavor. It's very nice.
Omg i remember my mother would bring these from the store and I would always end up with little pins on my hands and it would hurt but its soooo gooood!!!
@@inthekitchenwithmatt They did but somehow I would get these little tiny microscopic pins in my hands I would have to take them out very carefully it still didn't stop me from eating them lol
I saw so many Prickly Pear on the hill but some people don’t know what is it then pick it and open the fruit after that just throw it on the soil😩. I hope they learn how to eat from your video.😊
In Sicily people cut these fruits as you do but they use a fork and a knife. We stick the fork in the middle of the fruit to hold it in place. First we cut both ends. When cutting the peel on the upper part, we just move the knife a little under the fork, between its tines. Usually it's better to put on gloves to handle them. The little hairs they have on the surface can penetrate the skin and hurt.
Yep! Several ways to open it. Thick leather gloves are ideal. Especially if you are picking the fruit yourself. But here in the States, the stores that sell these, have to remove the little thorns/hairs first before they can sell them. So much lower risk.
These were brought centuries ago to from the Americas to southern Italy especially Sicily and have been a very important fruit in Sicilian culture for a while. Seems not to have maintained quite the interest it used to have especially I don’t see it much among diaspora communities here in the United States but as a Sicilian American I’ve been reconnecting with the cuisine of my ancestors and rediscovered this fruit. So happy to be able to enjoy it here. I do know in indigenous communities of the US southwest it’s a very important part of cuisine and has been adapted by Anglo, hispanic and other immigrant cultures in the area as well. Outside the Southwest it’s mainly available in hispanic stores but still when I enjoyed it in southern Arizona I couldn’t help but think I’d come full circle having searched for the roots of my culture from thousands of miles away and discovered it’s source not far from my own “backyard.”
That is so awesome, Matt! Yeah it is funny, here in the Phoenix area, you can see them growing on the side of the road in the suburbs. There is one road that I always drive on that has tons of the plants that are always loaded with prickly pear fruit when in season. It's a shame they aren't super popular. Great little fruit!
Cool! Yeah there are tons growing wild here in Arizona, but apparently we are't supposed to pick them, haha, I guess we are supposed to leave them to the wildlife. but when in season, it seems like most supermarkets here carry them.
Found some on a trail today and never had them, I also didn’t have tongs so I took the L and carried it back to my car bare handed and spent a good while plucking all the prickly bits out of my fingers 😂
Awesome, just be super careful if you decide to pick one and eat it. Those little thorns on the outside are no joke! But if you buy them at the store they should already be removed, but just double check.
I bought one from Walmart it was almost all seeds. I got around 2 tablespoons of juice out of it and to me it tasted like slightly sweet cucumber juice.
It is hit or miss but most of them do have lots of seeds, probably why they are generally just used for juicing and making jams and jelly instead of eating them.
Bought some to try today at the Korean food store . They aren't half bad. Wasn't sure If I ate it the correct way because of the seeds, so here I am. I even took a spoon and scraped offed the pulp from the skin. Lots left behind. That part tasted good too.
this fruit taste like plum pear banana grape razzberry all in one very different. and the texture was of a soft apple like it was ready for sauce very taste a bit of seeds other then that pretty good
just got one from the store, literally just took a bite and thought i was eating wrong because of all the seeds inside of it. i was eating the skin too, lol. thank god i found your video !
lol! the skin is edible but you have to be so careful because of those little spiky thorns. But since you bought them at the store chances are they cleaned the thorns off well enough. Glad you tried it though! It is so fun trying new fruits.
I got this as a last second birthday gift for my friend. 😄 I only had 36¢. 😅 I hope she'll like it. I actually don't mind getting one for my birthday too. 🤔
Yeah they are pretty hard, either spit them out or you can swallow them as well. Or make jam or jelly with it, in that case you will strain out the seeds.
Hi Matthew, as long as it is from a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), you would eat them the same way. As far as I know, there are a few varieties that vary in color.
Thank you so much for this learning video on cactus pear. I received some in a pantry and had never seen this fruit before let alone how to eat it. Thanks 😊
Glad you got to try it. Yeah be careful with those barbs, they can be a huge nuisance. And you definitely don't want to get them on your tongue or in your mouth.
im having one now, but i love love love the one with the white inside instead. there is definalty a major taste different. i think the ine with the white inside has sssssooooooo much more sweeter the flavor is stronger - its literaly like eating candy....great substitude!!!
OMG, just saw this one now - we actually have this cactus growing in our backyard. The previous owners of our property planted it years ago. Once a year we harvest them - the local birds and other wildlife often get to them before we do - but there are plenty to go around. They are delicious but a real pain to peel without getting those tiny sharp barbs..... everywhere. Also if you can handle the tiny seeds in them, they remind me of a kind of sweet melon.
That is awesome you have one in your yard. Yeah they are everywhere here. There is one road right next to me that has them growing on the side of the road. You can also buy them at the nursery. However, apparently we aren't supposed to pick the ones growing wild in the desert. They are to be left for the wildlife, haha.
@@inthekitchenwithmatt I guess it's worth putting up with some thorns/barbs when you're getting them for free Lol. They sell them here in supermarkets too all cleaned up and easy to peel - but I won't buy them on principle. I suppose that's my 'frugal genes' surfacing :). Oh and by the way, it was baking day today so I was making a chocolate bread, banana bread and a white loaf - when eldest son walks into the kitchen and sees me kneading dough. His response was: 'Cool Ma, are you making that great raisin bread?' (Your recipe). Guess what I am doing tomorrow?
@@josephinebloggs5771 lol yeah, I buy them at the supermarket, just because they are cleaned. But when I have a house with a decent backyard I will grow a few. haha your son has good taste! haha :)
@@inthekitchenwithmatt Be warned if you do plant one. They can take over the garden if they're happy with your climate - and they are hardy as heck. As I said before, the previous owners planted it along with a few peach trees, a lemon tree, mulberry and an apple tree. Then several years ago we had a cold snap one winter that was unprecedented for our climate. Black frost, snow, sleet - the whole nine yards. We now have two peach trees and the cactus. The frost killed off the rest of them.
These grow like crazy in Zacatecas. I wonder if they can get this fruit marketed. Make sales. And mass produce to become locally available at Walmart, or local market.
Thanks! Yes those are edible too but need to be prepared properly, but definitely edible. I guess not the whole plant but the pads and the fruit definitely are. :)
Cool... I live in El Paso, TX. I've seen them at Walmart and the local grocery stores. I might pick some up next weekend. Might even try to harvest some wild ones when they're in season.
Awesome!! Just be super careful when harvesting them in the wild. Use tongs, heavy duty leather gloves, etc. You can use a lighter to burn off the spindles, or a rock and rub them off. Those are no joke, and a pain if you get them stuck in you.
@In The Kitchen With Matt Yeah.. I'm pretty familiar with how to handle cacti. Thanks for the tips. Shoot I've stepped down on a couple when I was a young soldier out on a training patrol. The barbs punctured through my Army boots. I also had brushed up against one doing a night patrol. Not fun..
And old South African wives' tale, if you eat the skin you'll have clean teeth. Note that ours are annoyingly spikey and the barbs take FOREVER to come out once they're in. So when you eat the skin you have to brush them so much your teeth turn white. Which is the joke ^^
Ok so this is the supermarket way… I fought wildfires for the USFS in southern AZ and we used to eat the prickly pear fruit right off the cactus…. You put a towel or rag in your hand( to protect from spines) then place the fruit lengthwise and cut right down the center like an Avocado dig out with a spoon and enjoy seeds and all…
Every year we pick massive amounts for $0.00. Very affordable Jellies, syrups, drinks. It’s the bomb. Drink cactus juice It’ll quench ya There’s nothing quenchier It’s the quenchiest
When I was around 10 years old I was taken for a couple of days trip with my sister,brother in law and kids. We drove away many hours in northern Mexico, a relative that we visited in a small town gave us a wooden crate full of cactus fruits, we placed the crate on top of some bags at the back inside the box of the pick up truck. After a long day driving around, my brother in law decided that we were going to sleep in the truck on the side of the gravel road in the middle of nowhere. Some of us slept in the box of the pick up truck, then in the middle of the night after someone moved around, the crate full of cactus fruits turned sideways spreading those fruits everywhere among us who were sleeping there, then in the morning when we woke up we relized the a lot of those fruits were on the blankets and a lot of them found the way under the blankets too. Our skins were full of the tiny little thorns, the whole day we were looking for ways to remove them. No we laugh about it every time we remember that incident.
Awesome.Thank you for the video, it really helpful. I ate the fruit, but I feel itchy all over my body. Is that normal? Because it my first time of eating it
I’ve noticed that sometimes they leave a few of the glochids the tiny little spines on the fruit and you can definitely feel them there so painful to get out of your skin haha
@@jamestropicals8262 hahaha yeah I guess it depends on where you buy them, and how good they are with removing them. I haven't had problems yet with it where I buy them. You can always hold it buy the ends with your middle finger and your thumb and run it under water and use like an old toothbrush or back of a butter knife and scrape more off if needed. :)
I bought some without knowing to watch out for the almost undetectable fine hairs. Big mistake as they got lodged into my lips and fingers and are hard to see to pull out. Lucky it was me and not the kids.
did you buy them in the States? or in a different country? The ones sold in the States at supermarkets have to remove all the hairs before selling them. Otherwise a major lawsuit could arise.
@@inthekitchenwithmatti bought them in Australia I called the guys at the shop today just to let them know what happened and recommended they put a warning on them or get the hairs burnt off. They were very kind about. The wrong person would definitely sue, but i understamd as damn that was painful and that would be horrible if my daughter was the one to get stung as she chose them at the shop. It's taken 3 days for the pain and needles to get out.
@@hcr32slider Yeah, they should at least put a warning label. I heard these are an invasive species over in Australia. Glad the shop was nice about it, though. And yes, unfortunately, there are too many lawsuits in the world. Happy you were to get them out! Next time, if there is a next time, use leather gloves or grip it with tongs and then cut the outer layer off, just to be safe. :)
If these hair splinters get stuck in your mouth will they go away? I can't see/ remove them unfortunately ;w; today my mom made my try a peice of a wild one and I got a couple of splinters stuck in my mouth somehow! please let me know if it's okay if you accidently get some stuck
mmm, okay, yeah running water over it will help, and use like an old toothbrush to wipe them away. You can also hold it with tongs, or stick a fork in the end, and then use a knife to scrape them off. Where did you buy it? Was it a supermarket or a street vendor or something?
when i was in jamaica and i was about 10 or 11, i was so excited i finally found one of these and i was so careful about avoiding the cactus part, i picked it and bit straight into it not knowing there were a couple little tiny spines still on it,, they were stuck in my hands and roof of my mouth for 4 days or so but it was worth it lol it tasted kind of like a plum edit: spelling
Man ! Your video is a surprise to me , I have been eating this fruit all my life and it’s very common in North Africa, pls advise people with diabetes to consume it whenever they have chance because it balances the sugar level in the blood and also it’s great to cure hangover 😆
Yeah they are awesome and very healthy!
Really I have a Catus full I tried it last year pretty tasty
Theysell it in Morocco it's so good lol
@@jamesmekawy4394 Awesome!
My mother suger level is not come fown from last 3 months after medications and insulin take .please suggest me what should i do.
I remember foraging a few of these back when I was a kid in Boy Scouts. Fun fact: The thorns aren't just on those little beige bits. It's covered in tiny little spikes all over it like hairs (probably related to a kiwi). And even then, in the beige dots, there are hundreds of little spines that embed in you if you're not careful. Worth it tho.
hahaha awesome! They are all over here in Arizona. Yes, you need to be super careful with these, haha.
How do you remove the spines?
@@kirstyssmith
I use a bakers torch.
Rarely do I get many spines.
They’re barbed and no fun.
But they burn right off.
@@respectfullydisagree711 I learned this too late and now there are a million barbs embedded in all of my fingers
Hey! The first think I thought when I tried one was that it tastes like a kiwi! Well, actually the first thing I thought was how do I get all these tiny, microscopic hair like needles out of my hands, lol. I didn’t know better and plucked the fruit directly from the plant w bare hands!
Every time my gram came, she always brought them and they were so delicious, I remember how to cut it and every thing 😂😅, I’m glad this was recommended to me since I miss it so much
So nice to hear, Danny.
That’s awesome, I love memories like that
I ate one that I had picked today. They were very tasty with LOTS of seeds. Tasted like a watered down version of a cherry, texture of a kiwi and very juicy. Think it would be best used in ice cream or an additional flavoring to a frozen drink.
Glad you tried it and liked it!
You're fortunate with that variety! It looks great! The one I got has a lot more seeds than flesh and the seeds are as hard as pebbles. Of course, I can just spit them out. I don't regret buying them as now I know how they taste!
Yeah, the are a handful of varieties of these. Glad you were able to try them. A lot of people make jam with it, and just strain out the seeds.
@@inthekitchenwithmatt Ooooh, that sounds like a great use for them!
@@WatchYourMother :) :) :)
Finally have them at my local Walmart. I'm having one now
Cool!!! :)
same
Omg same I’m looking up how to cut them xD
Same but we go ours at a Mexican store
Also found them at walmart except it's just the tag there is always a differnt fruit in that bin I am pretty sad
I've always known that they were edible, and we have them all over where I live in CA, but never knew "how" to eat them. Thanks!!
You are very welcome, Kristi! :) :)
I picked a wild one in Nevada and thought I was being super careful around the thorns. I never felt any pricks, but when I got off the trail I looked at my thumb and forefinger to see over 50 thorns in little clusters in my fingers and blood everywhere, lol!!
lol yeah, you have to be super careful with them.
how did you get them out??
Things brings back so much memories as a kid. I used to go into this Jungle like place and looking for these with friends when i was about 10 years old woow. nostalgia
Awesome!
I’ve had some in my back yard in Texas all these years, would I be able to eat them I’m wondering?
So many comments!I'm in Florida where we grew the "dragon"fruit variety. Now I have the smaller ones growing very happily. Neither one has had thorns on the fruit. I cut them in half and they just push out in 2 pieces. If you eat them when they are hard and kind of greenish, they will be a bit sour, but they get very sweet and flavorful if left to ripen.
Just found out how nutritional they are so now, I'll eat more.
The flowers bloom at night and are huge and lovely.
So easy to grow from a piece broken off .That's where the stickers are!!
Yeah I have both Pink/Red and Yellow dragon fruit videos on here as well. A little different in taste and texture than this kind of cactus fruit.
Dragonfruit is not prickly pear. Very different plant.
From Kenya in Africa. Grew up eating cuctus fruit...the adventure and the experience with its micro-thorns is legendary!!!
Indeed! haha darn little micro thorns! We have them all over here in the greater Phoenix area.
Here in Tucson, AZ these are everywhere.
I live in the East Valley, AZ tons of them up here too!
I still remember finding a wild cactus fruit under the mulberry tree at my grandpa’s old homestead. I was five. He let me pick it and eat it by myself like a big girl. He did give me a warning about the thorns, and I mostly managed to avoid them.
Awesome!!
Mostly?
I live in the Midwest, we went on an AP Bio trip, my teacher said they were edible. Not thinking about the spines, I grabbed it, pealed it and ate it. Very good raw and fresh, but my hands were covered in tiny spines.
ouch!! yes those tiny spines are a nuisance! And hard to get out as well.
glochids, no fun to get them on your hands but tweezers and duct tape help if u do
My local store had these 6 for a dollar, so I bought 2 dozen.
Had to come back to say these are SOOOO GOOOOD
Awesome!!! Glad you were able to buy them and try them. That is a good price too!
I just had one, it was great! Mine was mildly sweet, but really juicy. The seeds were interesting but it was easy to just not chew that hard lol
Glad you got to try one and liked it! :)
I recently picked some up, I'm grateful for the video! Thank you. I love trying new fruits/vegetables, and it's not always so straightforward on how to prepare!
That is awesome!! you are welcome! It's so fun right? I love trying fruits too, so many to try, and so little time. haha
My grandpa gave me a few, and I was like "yah, I'm gonna eat those (sarcastically)" but, now I'm really gonna. Thanks.
hahaha awesome!! You are welcome. :)
You can use a torch to take care of the thorns. I hit them with my propane torch real fast and the thorns will quickly burn up and then i use a pair of tongs to pull them off the plant.
Yes!! Or a lighter if you don't have a torch.
My Jewel Albertsons has them on sale today so I got 2 red ones. I also got black mission figs. It was time to try new fruits. Very healthy too.
That is awesome! I love black mission figs. I had one in my patio garden, until my parents moved here, then I planted it in their backyard, haha. Figs grow really well here in Phoenix. The prickly pear do too! lol
I always wondered what people did with those! Thank you for the video, I will definitely try one. I see them at the Mexican store. Best wishes!
You are very welcome Stacy! :) Best wishes to you as well! :)
Yeah, I went to swapmeet at their closing time. I saw these strange fruit that I want to try. So while I was picking, the vendor told me to take the whole box with five dollars, because some of them were so soft and barely can be picked with choice.
I went home, spent a lot of time to separate the thorns and washed the fruit. And quickly tore the skin and put them in jars to the refrigerator. I then used them add on to smoothie and make red jello with gelatin.
Very tasty fruit.
Thanks for the video. I now know that it is a healthy thing.
That is awesome! And a great price!
I’m living in AZ now and I am psyched to try these! Thanks!
One of my favorite things in the world is trying new fruit. Nature provides, it’s a miracle
Awesome!! I live in AZ too. :) So fun trying new fruits.
The green one I had was mostly seeds. Very light flavor mildly sweet. More of a cucumber 🥒 taste with high water content.
Yeah both varieties have a fair amount of hard seeds. Glad you got to try one!
I'm working in south Texas on an oil rig n just picked several fresh off the cacti. I had never saw one before. Looking forward to eating a couple tonight.
Awesome!! Just make sure to clean those thorns off really really well, you can burn them off with a lighter, rub a rock on them, cut them off with a knife, use tongs to handle it until you get all the thorns off. They are brutal if they get in your skin.
@@inthekitchenwithmatt I had a few stick me but think the callouses helped considerably. Note to self , next time wear gloves.
@@1969aquarius Yes! Thick leather gloves or tongs work great for harvesting them.
I live in North Carolina and these are everywhere
Awesome!
Eating one as I watch! Hmmm delicious
hahaha awesome! :)
very popular and cheap fruit here in morocco we call it "indian fig" good video
Awesome!! I have heard of that name as well. I believe the Indian Fig opuntia, is the most common culinary species. And thank you so much, glad you liked the video!
I have wanted to try cactus fruit ever since moving to New Mexico. I just grabbed some wild fruit, deciding today is the day, and your video was very helpful. Thank you.
For anyone wondering, I would describe it kind of like eating a mild watermelon in flavor. It's very nice.
Glad you gave it a try, Erick!! Yeah, mild watermelon with hard crunchy seeds, is a great way to describe it.
Omg i remember my mother would bring these from the store and I would always end up with little pins on my hands and it would hurt but its soooo gooood!!!
Wow, the store didn't remove all the thorns?? They are pretty tasty!
@@inthekitchenwithmatt They did but somehow I would get these little tiny microscopic pins in my hands I would have to take them out very carefully it still didn't stop me from eating them lol
Every time my gram came, she always brought them and they were so delicious
I’ve tried cactus down here in Texas! It taste like okra kiwi and raspberries but yet like a cucumber 🥒!!!!
Awesome you were able to try it, Elizabeth! :)
I saw so many Prickly Pear on the hill but some people don’t know what is it then pick it and open the fruit after that just throw it on the soil😩. I hope they learn how to eat from your video.😊
Yes a lot of people don't know how to eat them. And thank you! :)
In Sicily people cut these fruits as you do but they use a fork and a knife. We stick the fork in the middle of the fruit to hold it in place. First we cut both ends. When cutting the peel on the upper part, we just move the knife a little under the fork, between its tines. Usually it's better to put on gloves to handle them. The little hairs they have on the surface can penetrate the skin and hurt.
Yep! Several ways to open it. Thick leather gloves are ideal. Especially if you are picking the fruit yourself. But here in the States, the stores that sell these, have to remove the little thorns/hairs first before they can sell them. So much lower risk.
@@inthekitchenwithmatt Good to know ;)!
This is delicious, I always thought it was complicated to eat. So glad I watched this video. Thanks!
You are very welcome! :) Just be careful of those thorns!
These were brought centuries ago to from the Americas to southern Italy especially Sicily and have been a very important fruit in Sicilian culture for a while. Seems not to have maintained quite the interest it used to have especially I don’t see it much among diaspora communities here in the United States but as a Sicilian American I’ve been reconnecting with the cuisine of my ancestors and rediscovered this fruit. So happy to be able to enjoy it here. I do know in indigenous communities of the US southwest it’s a very important part of cuisine and has been adapted by Anglo, hispanic and other immigrant cultures in the area as well. Outside the Southwest it’s mainly available in hispanic stores but still when I enjoyed it in southern Arizona I couldn’t help but think I’d come full circle having searched for the roots of my culture from thousands of miles away and discovered it’s source not far from my own “backyard.”
That is so awesome, Matt! Yeah it is funny, here in the Phoenix area, you can see them growing on the side of the road in the suburbs. There is one road that I always drive on that has tons of the plants that are always loaded with prickly pear fruit when in season. It's a shame they aren't super popular. Great little fruit!
When I harvest them in my yard , I use a conifer branch to sweep off the thorns .
Nice!
the seeds add a nice texture to the fruit if you ask me.
Yeah! I don't mind the seeds. :)
do you just eat the stuff off seed or after its peeled can you eat it that way
Eat everything (inside the peel) once it is peeled. You can chew or swallow the hard seeds or just spit them out. :)
I didn't know that one can buy them. We always picked them ourselves but that is very cool!
Cool! Yeah there are tons growing wild here in Arizona, but apparently we are't supposed to pick them, haha, I guess we are supposed to leave them to the wildlife. but when in season, it seems like most supermarkets here carry them.
Found some on a trail today and never had them, I also didn’t have tongs so I took the L and carried it back to my car bare handed and spent a good while plucking all the prickly bits out of my fingers 😂
Ouch!! Yes they are nasty, if you don't have thick leather gloves or tongs.
Just been and picked some before the day got too hot here in central TX! As a UK woman here this is an informative video! Thank you :)
You are welcome! Watch out for those little thorns!!!
Thank you for your instruction! I've never eaten them but just bought one. I bought a purple one and a green one.
You are very welcome! :)
I never thought about eating one until I saw these videos I'm going to try this year
Awesome, just be super careful if you decide to pick one and eat it. Those little thorns on the outside are no joke! But if you buy them at the store they should already be removed, but just double check.
I bought one from Walmart it was almost all seeds. I got around 2 tablespoons of juice out of it and to me it tasted like slightly sweet cucumber juice.
It is hit or miss but most of them do have lots of seeds, probably why they are generally just used for juicing and making jams and jelly instead of eating them.
Bought some to try today at the Korean food store . They aren't half bad. Wasn't sure If I ate it the correct way because of the seeds, so here I am. I even took a spoon and scraped offed the pulp from the skin. Lots left behind. That part tasted good too.
Glad you gave them a try!
@@inthekitchenwithmatt I'll try any fruit once ( but some of these prices are crazy right now ! )
@@suedefringe Same!! I love trying new fruits. Definitely expensive!
They can also be found in South africa 🇿🇦 we call them Ditoro(plural) Toro(singular)
Nice!
Thank you so much for the video, we still have many in Malta.
You are welcome!! That is cool!
I tried one for the first time today, gotta say, for now the 2nd best fruit i've ever eaten, 1st place goes to fuji apples
Awesome!
this fruit taste like plum pear banana grape razzberry all in one very different. and the texture was of a soft apple like it was ready for sauce very taste a bit of seeds other then that pretty good
Glad you tried it!
just got one from the store, literally just took a bite and thought i was eating wrong because of all the seeds inside of it. i was eating the skin too, lol. thank god i found your video !
lol! the skin is edible but you have to be so careful because of those little spiky thorns. But since you bought them at the store chances are they cleaned the thorns off well enough. Glad you tried it though! It is so fun trying new fruits.
Here in Utah you can buy the green prickly pear fruits from a store called rancho markets
Nice!
I got this as a last second birthday gift for my friend. 😄 I only had 36¢. 😅 I hope she'll like it. I actually don't mind getting one for my birthday too. 🤔
Cool!!
I bought the green ones. The seeds are very hard to bite through. Actually, it's impossible. Should it be? Thank you for the video.
Yeah they are pretty hard, either spit them out or you can swallow them as well. Or make jam or jelly with it, in that case you will strain out the seeds.
I bought one but wasn't sure if it was okay to eat those seeds so I spit most of them out, now I know I don't have to. Thank you for the information.
You are very welcome! :)
Can you eat the green cactus fruits in the same way as the purple? Do the green ones come from different species of cactus?
Hi Matthew, as long as it is from a prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), you would eat them the same way. As far as I know, there are a few varieties that vary in color.
I have to try it out looks good thanks for sharing time to go to the store lol have a wonderful weekend 👍👍❤️❤️
Thank you! You are very welcome :) haha yes give it a try. :) Have a wonderful weekend as well!
@@inthekitchenwithmatt you're welcome my friend 😘
@@Meliecaandkids :) :)
Thank you so much for this learning video on cactus pear. I received some in a pantry and had never seen this fruit before let alone how to eat it. Thanks 😊
You are very welcome!! :)
Wow. I just ate the entire thing like an apple. Got a few tiny barbs in my fingers but tasted like a cucumber with a hint of apple.
Glad you got to try it. Yeah be careful with those barbs, they can be a huge nuisance. And you definitely don't want to get them on your tongue or in your mouth.
im having one now, but i love love love the one with the white inside instead. there is definalty a major taste different. i think the ine with the white inside has sssssooooooo much more sweeter the flavor is stronger - its literaly like eating candy....great substitude!!!
also regrigorated taste AAAMAAZZZNNNNGG!!!
Glad you got to taste it!
OMG, just saw this one now - we actually have this cactus growing in our backyard. The previous owners of our property planted it years ago. Once a year we harvest them - the local birds and other wildlife often get to them before we do - but there are plenty to go around. They are delicious but a real pain to peel without getting those tiny sharp barbs..... everywhere. Also if you can handle the tiny seeds in them, they remind me of a kind of sweet melon.
That is awesome you have one in your yard. Yeah they are everywhere here. There is one road right next to me that has them growing on the side of the road. You can also buy them at the nursery. However, apparently we aren't supposed to pick the ones growing wild in the desert. They are to be left for the wildlife, haha.
@@inthekitchenwithmatt I guess it's worth putting up with some thorns/barbs when you're getting them for free Lol. They sell them here in supermarkets too all cleaned up and easy to peel - but I won't buy them on principle. I suppose that's my 'frugal genes' surfacing :). Oh and by the way, it was baking day today so I was making a chocolate bread, banana bread and a white loaf - when eldest son walks into the kitchen and sees me kneading dough. His response was: 'Cool Ma, are you making that great raisin bread?' (Your recipe). Guess what I am doing tomorrow?
@@josephinebloggs5771 lol yeah, I buy them at the supermarket, just because they are cleaned. But when I have a house with a decent backyard I will grow a few. haha your son has good taste! haha :)
@@inthekitchenwithmatt Be warned if you do plant one. They can take over the garden if they're happy with your climate - and they are hardy as heck. As I said before, the previous owners planted it along with a few peach trees, a lemon tree, mulberry and an apple tree. Then several years ago we had a cold snap one winter that was unprecedented for our climate. Black frost, snow, sleet - the whole nine yards. We now have two peach trees and the cactus. The frost killed off the rest of them.
@@josephinebloggs5771 Yeah, they are considered an invasive species in Australia for that reason.
In Texas you have to be quick or wait till the hot scorching summer
Same it gets pretty darn scorching here in Phoenix haha
What about the mushy stuff on the peeling can that be eaten.
On the inside of the peel? Yes you can scrape that off if you like.
The Green Mexican variety are the sweetest, you should try them
Nice! If I see them I will try them, we usually only get these ones here.
They grow very well here in Midlothian Texas
Nice!
Just ate my first one along side with you. Pretty tasty but you are right very crunchy seeds
Glad you gave them a try! They are great in smoothies, the blender crunches up the seeds nicely too. But I don't mind eating them like this haha.
These grow like crazy in Zacatecas. I wonder if they can get this fruit marketed. Make sales. And mass produce to become locally available at Walmart, or local market.
Possibly!! I am starting see them more at the supermarkets here in Phoenix. Also Dragon fruit both the red and yellow are being sold more and more.
I've never had this fruit, but your video makes me believe it is very good.
Thanks, Sarah! If you like trying new fruits, give it a try, if you can find it where you live.
I find it really cool that these grow in both Israel and Texas
That that is awesome!
Because?
LOOK LIKE A DRAGON FRUIT WHEN YOU PEELED I SEE THOSE KIND OF FRUIT AT FRESH MARKET IN FRANCE NEW SUBSCRIBER HERE 😊
Thanks for watching in France! :)
Awesome! Is the whole plant edible like the flat big “leaves” that the fruit grows on?
Thanks! Yes those are edible too but need to be prepared properly, but definitely edible. I guess not the whole plant but the pads and the fruit definitely are. :)
Cool... I live in El Paso, TX. I've seen them at Walmart and the local grocery stores. I might pick some up next weekend.
Might even try to harvest some wild ones when they're in season.
Awesome!! Just be super careful when harvesting them in the wild. Use tongs, heavy duty leather gloves, etc. You can use a lighter to burn off the spindles, or a rock and rub them off. Those are no joke, and a pain if you get them stuck in you.
@In The Kitchen With Matt Yeah.. I'm pretty familiar with how to handle cacti. Thanks for the tips. Shoot I've stepped down on a couple when I was a young soldier out on a training patrol. The barbs punctured through my Army boots.
I also had brushed up against one doing a night patrol. Not fun..
@@davidb1975a Ok awesome! And you are welcome! Yeah, definitely not fun haha.
They grow everywhere in FL where I'm at! I love grabbing the fruit. I'm eating them now 😋
Also here in AZ, you can see them growing off the side of the road in town, haha. Awesome they have them in FL as well! :)
@@inthekitchenwithmatt yep! I love them :)
@@diannh2894 Awesome!! :) :)
And old South African wives' tale, if you eat the skin you'll have clean teeth. Note that ours are annoyingly spikey and the barbs take FOREVER to come out once they're in. So when you eat the skin you have to brush them so much your teeth turn white. Which is the joke ^^
hahaha cool!
somehow they grow over here in michigan too lol
lol awesome!
I just picked some today! Excited to try
Awesome!
I’m here because I shattered my teeth on the first bite. Just making sure I was eating it right
If the seeds are too hard, swallow them or spit them out, or strain them out and just use the juice/flesh.
Thank you! First time buying them, and had no clue what to do! lol
You are very welcome, Janel!
i have a bunch on my ranch, always wanted to try it....also, native americans used them for paint
Awesome!
Ok so this is the supermarket way… I fought wildfires for the USFS in southern AZ and we used to eat the prickly pear fruit right off the cactus…. You put a towel or rag in your hand( to protect from spines) then place the fruit lengthwise and cut right down the center like an Avocado dig out with a spoon and enjoy seeds and all…
Nice! AZ is the best state! haha
Haha, I wonder if its seeds can eat as my first try, then searched and found your video. To be honest, I could not swallow its hard seed. Thank you.
You are welcome!
Every year we pick massive amounts for $0.00.
Very affordable
Jellies, syrups, drinks.
It’s the bomb.
Drink cactus juice
It’ll quench ya
There’s nothing quenchier
It’s the quenchiest
Awesome! :)
I just might try one now that I know how to prepare them. Thanks
You are very welcome! :) :)
They are awesome if you dry them out and use as seasoning
Nice! Yeah, so many uses for them.
An old native American seasoning combo my family told me was bears root with that, trust me it's unique but delightful
@@ndnofmana521 Cool!
I just picked some on my trip around Sardegna and will cut into a few just about now :)
Nice! Be careful of those spindles/thorns!
@@inthekitchenwithmatt told my mom the same thing when she picked them. She didn't listen :D thank you!
@@Nanna0708 You are welcome!!
When I was around 10 years old I was taken for a couple of days trip with my sister,brother in law and kids.
We drove away many hours in northern Mexico, a relative that we visited in a small town gave us a wooden crate full of cactus fruits, we placed the crate on top of some bags at the back inside the box of the pick up truck.
After a long day driving around, my brother in law decided that we were going to sleep in the truck on the side of the gravel road in the middle of nowhere.
Some of us slept in the box of the pick up truck, then in the middle of the night after someone moved around, the crate full of cactus fruits turned sideways spreading those fruits everywhere among us who were sleeping there, then in the morning when we woke up we relized the a lot of those fruits were on the blankets and a lot of them found the way under the blankets too. Our skins were full of the tiny little thorns, the whole day we were looking for ways to remove them.
No we laugh about it every time we remember that incident.
Wow that is crazy!!
And yes I have never tried one and yes this year I will try one I've seen them in the supermarkets but still never tried one😢
Try one!
Awesome.Thank you for the video, it really helpful. I ate the fruit, but I feel itchy all over my body. Is that normal? Because it my first time of eating it
You are welcom! If you feel itchy you may be allergic to the fruit, that isn't normal.
@@inthekitchenwithmatt Thank you for replying 👍
@@rubieswithruby590 You are very welcome
Growing that cactus in my houss cant wait when it flowers 😁
Awesome!
Nice i just try one they are very sweet and juicy thanks for sharing
You are welcome! glad you got to try it!
I can’t find that red prickly Pear cactus fruit at my grocery store all I can find is the green ones
I haven't tried the green ones, only the red ones. haha
I’ve noticed that sometimes they leave a few of the glochids the tiny little spines on the fruit and you can definitely feel them there so painful to get out of your skin haha
@@jamestropicals8262 hahaha yeah I guess it depends on where you buy them, and how good they are with removing them. I haven't had problems yet with it where I buy them. You can always hold it buy the ends with your middle finger and your thumb and run it under water and use like an old toothbrush or back of a butter knife and scrape more off if needed. :)
I bought some without knowing to watch out for the almost undetectable fine hairs.
Big mistake as they got lodged into my lips and fingers and are hard to see to pull out.
Lucky it was me and not the kids.
did you buy them in the States? or in a different country? The ones sold in the States at supermarkets have to remove all the hairs before selling them. Otherwise a major lawsuit could arise.
@@inthekitchenwithmatti bought them in Australia
I called the guys at the shop today just to let them know what happened and recommended they put a warning on them or get the hairs burnt off.
They were very kind about.
The wrong person would definitely sue, but i understamd as damn that was painful and that would be horrible if my daughter was the one to get stung as she chose them at the shop.
It's taken 3 days for the pain and needles to get out.
@@hcr32slider Yeah, they should at least put a warning label. I heard these are an invasive species over in Australia. Glad the shop was nice about it, though. And yes, unfortunately, there are too many lawsuits in the world. Happy you were to get them out! Next time, if there is a next time, use leather gloves or grip it with tongs and then cut the outer layer off, just to be safe. :)
If these hair splinters get stuck in your mouth will they go away? I can't see/ remove them unfortunately ;w; today my mom made my try a peice of a wild one and I got a couple of splinters stuck in my mouth somehow! please let me know if it's okay if you accidently get some stuck
Thanks I have one of these and my dad is driving me crazy so this video helped
You are welcome! :)
Uhm the ones I bought still very much had some prickly bits on it after I bought it should I just soak them off?
mmm, okay, yeah running water over it will help, and use like an old toothbrush to wipe them away. You can also hold it with tongs, or stick a fork in the end, and then use a knife to scrape them off. Where did you buy it? Was it a supermarket or a street vendor or something?
Use a bakers torch
Works great
Hi. What's the difference between this caucus pear and soursop? They look the same. I can't tell them a part. Thanks for sharing.
Hello, you must be thinking of something else, the soursop looks nothing like a cactus Pear. This is a soursop en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soursop
Awesome - thank you! 🙂
You are welcome!
Is it ok when the seeds are hard? I can't chew them cause they are so hard. The first time I had it, it was soft seeds.
Hello, yes it is normal to have hard seeds, you can still chew them, they will be crunchy, or just spit them out. :)
Can you eat the soft part you peeled off? It looks edible.
yes technically you can eat the whole thing, but people don't because you may accidentally eat the spindles.
Mine are a lighter red and they grow in my yard in mid southeast United States.
Awesome!!
when i was in jamaica and i was about 10 or 11, i was so excited i finally found one of these and i was so careful about avoiding the cactus part, i picked it and bit straight into it not knowing there were a couple little tiny spines still on it,, they were stuck in my hands and roof of my mouth for 4 days or so but it was worth it lol it tasted kind of like a plum
edit: spelling
oh no!! Glad you liked the taste though.