Since pineapples stop ripening after being picked, it's important to know how to choose a ready-made one. Learning to determine when is the right time to choose will allow you to keep the fruit for later enjoyment. There are numerous methods to preserve the freshness of a pineapple, the choice depends on how long you want to keep it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Picking a Pineapple
Step 1. Know what signs to look for
When choosing a pineapple, you need to keep in mind two main elements: degree of ripeness and decay. The former indicates whether or not the fruit is ready to be eaten, while the latter measures its natural decline.
- For a pineapple to be considered ripe, its skin must have taken on a golden yellow color.
- The degree of decay of the fruit can be measured based on the wilting of the peel.
Step 2. Evaluate the color color
The peel of the pineapple should have bright tones, ranging from yellow to green, and be free of whitish or brown parts. According to the variety of the fruit, the percentage of yellow tones should be higher than that of green.
- The yellow tones should have spread at least around the "eyes" (the small growths found in the center of each section that makes up the geometric pattern of the peel) and at the base of the pineapple.
- Although it is possible that a pineapple turns out to be ripe while still being completely green, the chances of being able to affirm it with certainty are really slim; it would therefore be a risky purchase.
- Golden-yellow tones that spread to the top of the fruit indicate that its flavor will be uniformly tasty.
Step 3. Identify a ripe pineapple using touch
Even if the skin color fits the ideal description, it doesn't necessarily mean the fruit is ready to eat. To make sure, you can test the texture of the peel with your fingers.
- Gently crush the fruit. It should feel firm, yet slightly yielding to your pressure.
- There should be no dented or viscous parts to the touch. A ripe, juicy, good-to-eat pineapple has a thick consistency, so it must be heavy.
Step 4. Check the size of the "eyes" on the entire surface of the fruit
They should be mostly the same size and color, free of any mold. The "eyes" are an excellent indicator of the degree of sweetness and ripeness of the pineapple.
- Prefer large "eyes". Their size indicates how long the fruit has been allowed to ripen on the plant.
- Avoid fruit with protruding "eyes". Often a smooth skin is synonymous with sweetness.
Step 5. Also use your hearing and smell
Although the smells and sounds emitted by pineapple are not sufficient to determine the degree of ripeness of the fruit, in the presence of other indicators they can help you make the best choice.
- The smell of the fruit should be sweet, but delicate, free of alcoholic notes, otherwise it may be too ripe.
- Tapping your hand on the fruit you should hear a dull, compact sound. An unripe pineapple tends to sound hollow.
Step 6. Highlight any deteriorated parts
In addition to looking for a fruit that has had sufficient time to ripen on the plant, you need to watch out for those that have been picked late, when the decay phase has already begun. A pineapple that shows the first signs of deterioration is considered overripe, therefore it is not a good choice.
- A decaying pineapple has a wrinkled skin and is soft to the touch.
- Look for any lesions or leaks of liquid in the peel, both of which indicate that the fruit is deteriorating.
- An overripe pineapple tends to have stiff, brown leaves.
Part 2 of 3: Storing a Pineapple for a Short Time
Step 1. Put it back on the kitchen worktop
In the first few days following the purchase, there is no need to refrigerate the pineapple. If you plan to eat it within a day or two, you can conveniently store it in the fruit bowl.
- Check the fruit occasionally to make sure it doesn't show any early signs of decay.
- To prevent the fruit from deteriorating, the best thing to do is to buy it on the same day you intend to eat it.
Step 2. Refrigerate whole
If you want to extend the life of your pineapple for a couple of days, you can store it in the cold. Remember, however, that even if you keep it in the refrigerator you will not be able to preserve its freshness for very long; therefore, even in this case, the advice is to eat it within 3-5 days of purchase at the latest.
- Wrap the pineapple in plastic wrap before placing it in the refrigerator.
- Check it every day for any signs of decay.
Step 3. Put it in the fridge in slices
If you want to extend the life of your pineapple even further for a day or two, slice it before putting it in the refrigerator. Once cut, it may be more difficult to tell if it has begun to deteriorate, so even using this method, it is advisable to eat it within a maximum of six days of purchase.
- Use a serrated knife to remove the top of the pineapple, then peel it from top to bottom.
- After removing the outer part of the fruit, you can divide it into slices of the desired thickness. Finally, using a knife, a pastry ring or a cookie cutter, you can remove the leathery part in the center of each slice.
- For best preservation, arrange the slices in an airtight container to store in the refrigerator.
Part 3 of 3: Storing a Pineapple for the Long Term
Step 1. Freeze it to keep it longer
If you want to extend the life of your pineapple for up to 12 months, you can store it in the freezer. In this case you will have to first remove the peel and core.
- Once the peel and core have been removed, you can store the pulp in an airtight container suitable for the freezer.
- Make sure there is only a little air left in the container.
Step 2. Use a dryer to dehydrate the pineapple and keep it for a long time
If you have a dryer, you can use it to dry pineapple and extend its life almost indefinitely! Dehydrating a fruit means depriving it of its natural moisture, transforming it into a delight similar to a "potato chip", while at the same time preserving all its nutritional values.
- With a sharp knife, remove the peel and core of the pineapple, then slice it. Create slices of a fairly consistent thickness: about 1.5 cm.
- Arrange the slices in the dryer following the instructions in the instruction manual. Generally, the recommended temperature is around 55 ° C. At the end of the process you will need to obtain pineapple slices with a leathery, but not sticky consistency.
- It will take approximately 12-18 hours for the dehydration process to be complete.
Step 3. Put it in the jar
Another excellent way to preserve pineapple for a long time is to turn it into a delicious dessert. Once stored in the jar it will keep its properties even for at least a year. In any case, the advice is to eat it within 12 months following its preparation in order not to risk it being harmful to health.
- Again, the first thing to do is remove the top of the fruit with a knife, then also removing the peel. This time, however, instead of slicing it, you will need to cut it into pieces to make it easier to arrange it in the jar.
- You will need to boil the pineapple in a solution that acts as a protective "wrapper", occupying the empty space in the jar. The liquid will also serve to keep the fruit juicy. You can choose to use ready-made apple or white grape juice, or you can make a delicious sugar syrup.
- After boiling the pineapple in the selected liquid, transfer it to the jars, filling them up to about 2-3 cm from the opening.
- Close the jars with their lids, then place them in the bottom of a large pot. Add enough water to completely cover them, then pour in a little more to submerge them about 2.5-5cm.
- Bring the water to a boil, then set the kitchen timer: 25 minutes if the jars are 500ml, 30 minutes if they are 1L. The vacuum created during the process will allow the pineapple to be kept intact for a long time.
