Pineapples 101

I don't often buy fresh pineapples. Normally it's canned pineapple because many recipes call for you to reserve the juice or syrup canned pineapple comes packed in for use later in the recipe.

On my menu for the weekend is Rumaki a Hawaiian appetizer (details in post to follow) that calls for chunk pineapple that is skewered. I learned awhile back that the chunk pineapple in cans isn't big enough for this purpose. Again I cheated in the past and opted to buy fresh pineapple that was already peeled and cored in the produce section. Afterwhich I would cut into chunks of the appropiate size.

 

But this time I decided to buy fresh whole pineapple. As I'm standing there looking at the display of fresh pineapple I started to ask myself, hmm, do I buy a green pineapple? will they further ripen in the window sill like tomatos. Do I want a pineapple that is all golden yellow and feels very soft?

So as I'm standing there pondering these things ( here is where technology is nice) I pull out the I Phone get on the internet and google "How to tell if a pineapple is fresh"

 

Well I learned alot about choosing a fresh pineapple and I would like to pass this on. Now to many of you more experienced chefs here this may be old news but maybe there is a tip or two that you didn't know.

 

The following is from Wiki Knows.com

 

There are basically 6 steps to follow in choosing a fresh pineapple.

 

1. Be alert for two key elements of a ripe pineapple: freshness and deterioration. You are looking for a fresh pineapple, not a rotting one. The stem is the area of the pineapple that feeds sugar to the fruit. It is from here that the pineapple changes color.

 

2. Look at the pineapple. It should reflect a golden yellow color. The minimum area for this should be on the eyes at the base of the fruit. Never purchase a pineapple that is fully green as it will not ripen well. The higher the color rises up the pineapple, the sweeter it will be.

 

3. Smell the pineapple. If it smells sweet, then it's ready. If it has no scent, it's not ripe. If it smells fermented, it's over ripe!

 

4. Touch the pineapple gently. It should be firm to a gentle press and only yield slightly.

 

5.  Beware the myth! It is an urban myth that a pineapple is ripe when a leaf can be removed from the crown easily. It is proof of nothing in terms of ripeness.

 

6. Beware the deteriorating pineapple. A deteriorating pineapple will be a reddish, bronze color or it may even be green. It will smell as if it is fermenting, like vinegar. It will also be mushy when pushed gently and it will likely have wrinkled skin. Other clear indications include mold, oozing sticky juices, cracks in the skin and leaves turning brown and dropping off.

 

So there you have it!