The ripening process of pineapples stops after they are harvested, so it is important to know how to choose ripe pineapples. Once you've mastered how to spot signs of ripeness and avoid rotting fruit, you can save your pineapple for later consumption. Here are a few ways to store pineapples depending on how long you want them to be.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Picking Pineapple
Step 1. Know what you are looking for
When choosing pineapples, there are two qualifications to keep in mind: ripeness and spoilage. Maturity is a measure of whether the fruit is edible, while spoilage is a measure of whether the fruit has started to spoil.
- Ripeness is indicated by a golden yellow color on the pineapple skin.
- Rotten is characterized by the shrinking of the skin.
Step 2. Check the skin tone
Pineapple skin should be green or bright yellow with no white or brown areas. Depending on the variety, ripe pineapples should tend to be yellow instead of green.
- The skin color should be golden yellow at least around the eyes and at the base.
- A green pineapple may be ripe, but it's unlikely. Buying pineapples that are still green is risky.
- The higher the golden yellow color of the pineapple skin, the sweeter taste is more evenly distributed.
Step 3. Touch for doneness
Although the color of the pineapple seems to match the description above, its ripeness is not guaranteed. To be sure, feel the consistency and texture of the skin.
- Press the fruit gently. The pineapple should feel firm, but the skin is a bit soft.
- There should be no pockmarks or mushy parts. Ripe and juicy pineapple will feel heavy.
Step 4. Check the eye size from top to bottom
Eyes should be of the same size and color, and free of fungus. Pineapple eyes can be a strong indicator of whether the fruit is ripe and tastes sweet.
- Choose the pineapple with the largest eyes. The size of the eye indicates how long it takes the pineapple to ripen on the tree.
- Look for pineapples with flat eyes. Flat eyes can show the level of sweetness of the fruit.
Step 5. Smell and listen to your pineapple
While not a strong indicator, the smell and sound of pineapples can be additional clues to help you choose the best one.
- The smell of pineapple should be sweet, but if it's too sweet and almost smells like alcohol, it's no longer fresh.
- Ripe fruit will sound loud and muffled. The unripe fruit is loud and sounds empty.
Step 6. Look for signs of rot
Even if you are looking for pineapples that are fully ripe, you should also check for pineapples that have been overharvested from the tree. When it starts to show signs of spoilage, pineapple is too ripe and is not a good choice.
- The rotting pineapple skin begins to shrivel and feels soft to the touch.
- Look for cracks or cracks in the fruit, both of which are signs of spoilage.
- A rotting pineapple crown will look brown and stiff.
Part 2 of 3: Saving Pineapple for a Short Time
Step 1. Store the pineapple at room temperature
Pineapple does not have to be stored in the refrigerator in the first days after it is purchased. Even if you plan to eat them within a day or two of buying them, simply store them at room temperature.
- Take care to make sure the pineapple doesn't start to rot during storage.
- Eating pineapples purchased on the same day is highly recommended to avoid spoilage.
Step 2. Store the whole pineapple in the refrigerator
If you want to extend the shelf life of pineapples by a few days, store them in the refrigerator. Pineapple doesn't have a long shelf life even if it's refrigerated, so eat it within 3-5 days if you use this method.
- Wrap the pineapple in a plastic bag before placing it in the refrigerator.
- Check for signs of decay daily.
Step 3. Store the chopped pineapple in the refrigerator
You can extend the life of a pineapple by a day or two by cutting it first before storing it in the refrigerator. Once cut it will be more difficult to tell if the pineapple has started to rot, so it is better to eat it within 6 days even if you have used this method.
- Use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the pineapple, then slice off the skin on each side.
- When the outside of the pineapple is peeled, cut it to your liking, then use a cookie cutter or knife to remove the core from the pineapple.
- Store pineapple chunks in an airtight container to maximize their shelf life.
Part 3 of 3: Storing Pineapple for a Long Time
Step 1. For long term storage, freeze the pineapple
You can extend the life of pineapples for up to 12 months by freezing them. Remove the skin and core first.
- Once the skin and core are removed, store them in an airtight plastic bag.
- Let a little air in the plastic bag.
Step 2. Use a dryer to dry the pineapples before storing
If you have a dryer, you can prepare and store your pineapple almost forever! Drying removes the moisture from the pineapple and makes it look like pineapple "chips" without losing its nutritional content.
- Use a sharp knife to peel, core and chop the pineapple. Make sure the pineapple slices are about 1 cm thick.
- Set the dryer temperature according to the user manual or at 54 degrees Celsius. Dry the pineapple until it is dry, but not sticky.
- Drying may take 12-18 hours.
Step 3. Canned pineapple
Another method that makes it possible to store pineapples for a long time is canning. Canning can extend its shelf life by a year or more, but for safety reasons, it is not recommended to store it for more than one year.
- Peel the skin and remove the wefts of the pineapple by cutting off the top and skin. This time cut the pineapple into small pieces to make it easier to put in the can.
- You'll need to boil the pineapple in the "packaging" solution to fill the space of the can and keep it moist. You can use apple juice, white grape juice, or a light to medium "canning syrup" that can be purchased at some grocery stores.
- After boiling, fill cans or jars, leaving about 2 cm of space.
- Cover tightly, then place in a pot of water about 2-5 cm higher than the jar or can.
- Boil cans or jars for 25-30 minutes. Once removed from the pan, the air will come out of the can and the pineapple is ready to be stored.
