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fresh pineapple 101

lindblak avatar
Recipe by
Linda Blakely
@lindblak
Middleburgh, NY

I am always amazed when I hear an otherwise knowledgeable food professional state that the whole fresh pineapple you buy in the supermarket won't ripen any further. This just isn't so. Of course pineapples have to be shipped green, or they'd be crushed en route. But with patience, your hard-as-a-rock pineapple will eventually become sweet and candylike. Here is my log of a pineapple I recently ripened at home. (Note that your times may vary from those shown, depending on the size and ripeness of fruit you purchase.)

method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For fresh pineapple 101

  • 1
    fresh pineapple

How To Make fresh pineapple 101

  • Here's a fresh pineapple one day after purchase. Still firm and green! Set out to ripen at room temperature. Sunny location not necessary.
    1
    Allow to ripen at room temperature away from direct heat.
  • Starting to ripen from stem end upward.
    2
    Fruit is slowly starting to ripen from stem end upward.
  • Now a uniform yellow-orange, with almost all green gone from between
    3
    Fruit is now a uniform yellow-orange with almost all green gone from between "eyes", but still hard to the touch.
  • Now yellow-orange all over with no more green between the eyes, with a bit of give to a gentle squeeze and a slight coconut aroma from the stem end. Ready to cut!
    4
    Now yellow-orange all over with no more green between the eyes, with just a bit of give to a gentle squeeze and a slight coconut aroma from the stem end. Ready to cut!
  • Slice off stem and blossom ends. If you''re in the right climate, the blossom end can be planted after a few days' drying.
    5
    Slice off stem and blossom ends. (If you're in the right climate. after a few day's air-drying the crown can be planted outdoors in direct sunlight. When I lived in Miami, it took about nine months to harvest another full-size vine-ripe pineapple from a replanted crown.)
  • Thinly slice off rind from top to bottom.
    6
    Thinly slice off rind from top to bottom.
  • Trim any remaining rind.
    7
    Trim any remaining rind.
  • Cut in quarters and slice off pithy core.
    8
    Cut in quarters and slice off pithy core.
  • Cut each quarter lengthwise into wedges and remove any remaining core.
    9
    Cut each quarter lengthwise into wedges and remove any remaining core. Trim off any brown spots.
  • Slice each wedge into bite-size chunks, chill, and enjoy!
    10
    Slice each wedge into bite-size chunks, chill, and enjoy! Or, if you prefer, leave wedges whole for drinks, garnishes, salads, or grilling
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!

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