Pineapples

Buying

In Ireland, pineapples are rarely ripe when purchased. The colour of the skin is not a sign of maturity but its smell is. Choose a fruit that is quite heavy and has dark green and firm leaves. When the leaves are easy to pull out, the pineapple is ready.

Storing

Tropical fruits should not be stored in the fridge so keep pineapples at room temperature. However, when ripe, a whole pineapple will keep for up to 5 days in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. Once cut, it should be eaten as soon as possible.

Bananas, apples and pears produce ethylene gas which causes other fruits to ripen. You may want to store your pineapples near these fruits to ripen them faster but store separately once ripe so that they last longer.

Freezing:

Freeze it in pieces in an airtight container or bag. It should be defrosted in the fridge.

Freezer life

up to 8 months

Using up

Use up in smoothies, juices, salads and fruit salads. Pineapple can also be added to banana bread, curry, or put on a pizza.

Good to know!

In Brazil, the skin is also used for juices. Cut it into thin pieces, blend it with some water and filter. Add some mint if you’d like. The juice is even more sweet than the fruit itself.