Pineapples are delicious, nutritious, easy to prepare and not very expensive! However, since pineapples are non-climacteric fruit, and do not continue ripening after harvest, it is important to pick a good pineapple from the start. This post is all about how to select and store pineapples in order to be able to enjoy them to their fullest.
(This post is an excerpt from The Produce Nerd’s Grocery Guide, with input provided by Rita Nassur, who used to be a Professor and now works in Research & Development, and specializes in pineapples, among other fruit. You can learn more about the Grocery Guide, which covers this information for 55 different produce items, with input from 26 crop-specific companies HERE.)
What to look for when picking the best quality pineapples?
- Yellow or golden tones on the sides of the pineapple, the top portion should be fully green (with no whitish parts), and you should be able to easily remove a leaf from the middle part of the top portion (crown).
How to tell if a pineapple is ripe?
- Fruits with yellow or golden tones tend to be more ripe.
- To find out if the pineapple is ripe, also note the color of the crown (the top portion): it has to be bright green with no whitish parts.
- A good test is to try to remove a leaf from the internal part of the pineapple crown. If you pull and it comes out easily, it means the fruit is ripe.
- It is important to pick a ripe pineapple, since it cannot be ripened after harvest.
Common issues to avoid when selecting pineapples?
- Wrinkled skin
- Very soft and dark regions
Are there any common issues that are specifically caused by bad grocery store handling?
- For pineapples, a lack of proper packaging is a barrier to better commercialization of the fruit.
What is the best way to store pineapples at home?
- Whole pineapples should be stored on the counter at room temperature.
How to cut pineapples?
- Pineapples look intimidating, but you can cut them in minutes! First, cut the top and bottom portions off (so that you have a flat surface to cut on), then cut the side rind (skin) off, then you cut four sections around the core (middle hard section), and then cut those into bite-size pieces.
- Please see the video below to see this process in action.
What is the best way to store cut pineapple?
- You should store cut pineapple (and all cut fruit) in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (These are my go-tos for fruit storage in the refrigerator.)
How to freeze pineapple?
- Before freezing pineapple, you will want to cut the pineapple like you would if you were going to be eating it fresh, and store it in an airtight container. (You can either use a Ziploc freezer bag or a Stasher bag to store the cut pineapple in the freezer.)
How long do pineapples last?
- You have to remember that pineapples are shipped here from tropical growing regions, so time has already lapsed from when the pineapple was harvested, to then shipped, to then put out on the grocery display, to then going home with you. So, by the time it gets home with you, it should be cut within a couple of days or else it can start to get too old and start to have a fermented taste and smell.
What is your favorite way to eat and prepare pineapples?
- Fresh (‘in natura’) and juiced
- In Brazil, it is very common to put pineapple on skewers with cinnamon, along with barbecued meat
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