I know… It’s just a Pineapple!
The Pina Colada Recipe I did the other day made me realize that it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to whip a quick “How to” slice and dice a Pineapple. Well that and the fact that even my own mother doesn’t know how to do it either. Also I was noticing the price difference between a whole fresh Pineapple vs. already sliced Pineapple. The fresh whole Pineapple I could purchase for $2.98 ea., but the pre-cut Pineapple was twice that price for about 2/3 of a entire Pineapple. So what would you do? That’s what I thought… let’s learn how easy it is to rip one of these fruits to shreds, shall we?
First, how do we pickem’?
- Look for a bright green fern growing out of the top of that fruit. If it’s dead or drying out, it probably isn’t the healthiest or the most nutrient.
- A bright green and yellow fruit means it needs more ripening. So unless you’re purposefully buying your pineapple days in advance you are going to have a sour and bitter fruit. Look for less green and feel that the outside is susceptible to pressure when you squeeze it.
- Smell the Pineapple. If it smells sweet and fresh before you cut into it, the way a pineapple should, then it’s probably ripe.
- Something most people won’t tell you or condone, but if you look at the very center of the bottom of the pineapple and see a tiny amount of white peach fuzz like mold, it is ripe and ready to cut now!
Tip: If you flip the Pineapple upside down 12 to 24 hours in advance and let gravity work in your favor, you will have a sweeter Pineapple all the way through the fruit. Trust me.