Most of the sweetness in pineapples appears within a few days of the tree's rapid ripening process. When picked, the fruit is not sweet. On the other hand, this uniquely shaped fruit sometimes reaches maturity even though the skin is still completely green. If you're lucky, an "unripe" pineapple will taste sweet and delicious. If not, there are a few tricks you can use to soften an unripe pineapple and make it more palatable.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Handling Unripe Pineapple
Step 1. Smell the pineapple to see if it's ripe
Most of the common signs of ripe fruit don't apply much to pineapples. Smell the underside of the pineapple: if the aroma is strong, it means the pineapple is ripe. If you don't smell it at all, the pineapple is probably not ripe. Cold pineapple doesn't have a strong scent, so let it sit at room temperature for a while before smelling it.
Yellow skinned pineapple is a safer choice than green pineapple, but it's not a perfect test. A portion of the pineapple will ripen when the entire skin is green. Others have a golden yellow or red skin color, but are still tough and unpalatable to eat
Step 2. Wait for the pineapple to soften, but not yet sweet
Pineapples are not fully ripe once they are picked. On the kitchen counter, the pineapple will be more tender and juicy, but not yet sweet. The sugar content in pineapples comes from the starch in the stem of the tree. If the starch source is cut out, the pineapple cannot produce sugar.
- The color of the green pineapple will usually also change.
- Pineapple may become more acidic if stored too long..
Step 3. Place it upside down (optional)
If the pineapple still has a small amount of starch to turn into sugar, this will be the source. In theory, the sugar spreads better if the pineapple is placed upside down. In practice, the effect is difficult to know, but it never hurts to try.
- The skin color also spreads from the bottom up, although this is not relevant to the ripeness of the pineapple once it is picked.
- If it is difficult to place the pineapple upside down, remove the top of the pineapple and place the open end on a damp paper towel.
Step 4. Let the pineapple sit at room temperature
The pineapple will be soft within a day or two. Most pineapples will ferment quickly if stored longer than this time.
- If the pineapple is picked unripe, it still doesn't taste good to eat. Keep reading this article to find out how to improve the taste of an unripe pineapple.
- If you don't want to eat pineapple yet, keep it in the refrigerator for 2-4 days.
Method 2 of 2: Eating Unripe Pineapple
Step 1. Be careful with unripe pineapples
Unripe young pineapples can be poisonous. Eating pineapple like this can irritate the throat and cause severe bowel movements. That way, most pineapples sold should be at least half-ripe, even if the skin is still green.
Ripe pineapples can make your mouth sore or bleed. The methods below will help prevent this
Step 2. Cut the pineapple
Cut the stems and crown of the pineapple, then place the flat part on a cutting board. Cut the skin and eyes of the pineapple, then slice it into rounds or small pieces.
Step 3. Bake the pineapple
Roasting will cause the sugar in the pineapple to caramelize, thus adding flavor to the uncooked and partially ripe pineapple. The heat of the fire will also neutralize bromelain, an enzyme that causes pain and bleeding in the mouth.
Step 4. Heat the pineapple slices in the oven
This has the same result as baked: pineapple is delicious and sweet. If the pineapple is quite sour and undercooked, sprinkle some brown sugar before heating.
Step 5. Bring the pineapple to a boil
While this doesn't caramelize the sugar, boiling the pineapple will neutralize the bromelain. Try this method if raw pineapple makes your mouth hurt:
- Add the pineapple chunks to the pot with the pineapple juice that was collected when cutting the pineapple.
- Add enough water to cover the pineapple.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to a slow simmer for 10 minutes.
- Drain and leave the pineapple to cool.
Step 6. Sprinkle sugar over the chopped pineapple
If the pineapple is not sweet, sprinkle sugar on the round pineapple chunks or slices. Eat immediately or store in a closed container in the refrigerator.
Tips
- No need to store pineapples in paper bags or near other fruit. This method is great for ripening pears, bananas, and apples, but is not suitable for pineapples. (This can cause the pineapple to turn golden yellow more quickly, but it has no effect on the flavor inside.)
- Pineapple that grows during the dry season tends to be sweeter and less sour than pineapple that grows during the rainy season.
