Pineapple juice is a delicious and healthy drink. Contains bromelain, a substance that helps digestion, and this characteristic makes it perfect at the end of a meal; it is also rich in vitamin C. Preparing it is quite simple, but sometimes peeling and cutting a pineapple is not an easy task. Read on to learn how to make pineapple juice free from artificial ingredients and preservatives.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Prepare the Pineapple
Step 1. Choose the right fruit
If it is unripe, its taste is sour; if it is too ripe, it is exaggeratedly sweet. Choosing the best fruit is the most important step in making delicious juice.
- Smell it. Generally, the sweet scent is considered the fundamental aspect in choosing a ripe pineapple; if you do not perceive anything, it means that it is still unripe.
- Avoid those that smell of fermented material. While your goal is to find a sweet-scented pineapple, you shouldn't buy one that is overripe that smells like alcohol or vinegar.
- Observe the color. Pineapple is usually golden-yellow in color, but green fruits aren't necessarily unripe.
- Remember that some varieties are considered mature when they are green in color; focus above all on the "healthy" aspect of the fruit.
- Avoid those with shriveled skin, reddish-brown spots, cracks, leaks, mold, or brown, wilted leaves.
- The pineapple should be firm, but soft enough to give slightly when you press it with your finger.
- While you can use canned or frozen fruit, you get a better tasting juice with fresh fruit.
Step 2. Cut off the stem
Put the pineapple on the cutting board, you need a very sharp kitchen knife to peel the fruit well. Lay it on its side and put the blade of the knife about 5 mm under the leaves; slice the pineapple until you reach the leaves, turn it over and repeat on the other side to cut the circle of the top and most of the foliage. Take the apical area for the central leaves and throw it away.
- You can use the remaining foliage to hold the fruit in place as you cut it.
- Some cooks suggest removing the top entirely; you can also proceed in this way, but you must be careful that your hand does not slip when you place it on it. Cutting a pineapple releases a lot of slippery juice.
Step 3. Peel the fruit.
Start at the top and slice away the outer peel until you reach the base; you can make a slightly arched cut to avoid wasting a lot of pulp. Turn the fruit clockwise for 5-10 cm and repeat the operation; proceed with this sequence until you have removed all the peel and only the "eyes" of the pineapple remain. Lay the fruit on its side and cut the base horizontally.
Throw the peel into compost or trash
Step 4. Remove the "eyes"
Hold the fruit vertically; in this way, you can notice that the black points are arranged along diagonal lines; by removing only these elements you can preserve a lot of pulp.
Step 5. Place the knife to the left of a diagonal line of "eyes"
Make a 45 ° incision just below these blackheads.
Step 6. Lift the blade and place it to the right of the first incision
Cut in the opposite direction while maintaining a 45 ° slope. When you create this groove in the fruit, the row of "eyes" detaches from the pulp, keeping most of it intact.
Step 7. Continue with this method
Repeat for each diagonal line of "eyes" creating parallel grooves in the pulp; the final look should be spiral-like.
Step 8. Rotate the fruit a quarter turn and repeat the procedure
Once all the pineapple is carved, you should have a beautiful spiral surrounding the bright yellow fruit.
Step 9. Cut it vertically into four wedges
Cut out the central core with a vertical cut and discard it. This part is hard, fibrous and not very sweet.
Step 10. Chop it up
Cutting the quarters into small pieces helps to turn them into juice later. The size of the bites is not really important, but make sure they are 2-3 cm long or even less.
Method 2 of 4: Make Fresh Pineapple Juice with the Blender
Step 1. Pour the fruit pieces into the blender
Depending on the size of the appliance, you may also be able to process all of the pineapple at once. Fill the glass to just under half its capacity.
Step 2. Sweeten it slightly (optional)
Natural pineapple juice tastes very good, but is often slightly tart; if you've drunk it in the past and enjoyed it, it was probably partially sweetened. Add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar or honey for a sweeter taste.
Step 3. Stir in some ice (optional)
If you are looking to make a cold drink similar to granita, add 6-8 ice cubes to the blender. The greater the amount of ice, the denser the juice.
If you want cold juice other than frozen, you can simply pour it over ice before enjoying
Step 4. Add the water
Pour 250 ml of water; However, if you prefer a thicker drink, limit yourself to 60-120ml. The water slightly dilutes the flavor of the juice, making it more neutral and less tart.
You do not necessarily have to pour water, even if its presence at the bottom of the blender glass allows you to chop the pieces of fruit better
Step 5. Blend the pineapple
Leave the appliance running until you get a smooth mixture; the time required varies based on the model of the blender and the amount of water or ice you added. Wait about a minute and then stop the blades to stir the mixture with a spoon.
After blending, close the lid again and operate the blender in one-minute sessions until the juice is smooth and smooth
Step 6. Filter the drink (optional)
If you generally prefer pulp-free juices, you can also filter this before drinking it; if not, you can just enjoy it as it is.
Step 7. Serve him
Pour it into cold tall glasses garnishing them with pineapple wedges; if desired, pour the juice over the ice cubes and add a straw.
Method 3 of 4: Prepare Fresh Pineapple Juice with an Extractor
Step 1. Place the pieces of fruit on the top of the appliance
Make sure the extractor is clean and always use it according to the instructions. Fill it up to the max or until you've run out of pineapple chunks.
Step 2. Extract the juice
Press the fruit down using the lid and turn on the appliance. Remember to keep pressure on the lid as the pineapple chunks go through the mechanisms.
Step 3. Serve the juice
Pour it directly from the extractor and enjoy it. Since this appliance is so efficient, the liquid should be very fluid and pure without the need to filter it.
Method 4 of 4: Making Creative Drinks with Pineapple Juice
Step 1. Make a cocktail
The possibilities are practically endless when it comes to cocktails with fresh pineapple juice; they are perfect for summer evenings. Try one of these tropical fruit drinks or get creative and come up with your own!
- To make a piña colada, pour 30ml of coconut cream into the blender. This ingredient adds a coconut note to the drink without overpowering the overall flavor. Add 60ml of white rum, the alcohol gives the piña colada the boost you want to get; if you are preparing the non-alcoholic version, you can skip this step.
- The alcoholic fruit punch is made by pouring 60ml Malibu rum, 90ml orange juice, 60ml pineapple juice and 15ml sweet & sour into the blender. Add a splash of grenadine and you get the ideal drink for parties with friends.
Step 2. Mix the flavors
Make personalized, non-alcoholic, exotic and tropical drinks based on pineapple juice. Combine the juice of this fruit with an equal amount of lemonade or cranberry juice; have fun mixing your favorite juices to get the perfect combination.
Step 3. Add some finishing touches
Garnish the drink with a little whipped cream, a sprinkle of sugar or a drop of honey; you can also add black cherries or a slice of lemon, lime or orange and finish with a pinch of salt or a few mint leaves. Be as creative as you want!
Advice
- Using the blender allows you to have a more full-bodied juice that has a greater volume than what you can get with an extractor; the latter tends to filter the pulp, while a blender chops it finely. The thicker juice made with the blender is very tasty, but if you are sensitive to its texture, you may prefer to strain it or, alternatively, use a juicer.
- Add ice for a colder, denser drink.
- Keep the lid on the blender jug while the appliance is on, otherwise you'll make a big mess!
Warnings
- Always cut in the opposite direction to the position of your fingers and hands.
- Never put anything in the blender while it is in action.
- Always drink responsibly when making alcoholic cocktails.
