By Cheri Sicard
Earlier this year we did a post about choosing the perfect watermelon. It proved so popular we thought it would be a good idea to feature another fruit that can be incredible, or lackluster, depending on which one you choose. To keep you from ever serving lackluster fruit, the video below from HealthNutNation will show you how to choose a perfect pineapple. Not just any pineapple, but a sweet, juicy, flavorful, amazing pineapple.
For good measure, the video also shows you how to cut a fresh pineapple. For some reason, a lot of folks are unnecessarily intimidated by this task.
How to choose a perfect pineapple in three steps
#1 Smell it!
This for me has always been the most reliable method. Pick it up and smell the butt end. Yep, sniff the pineapple’s butt. If it doesn’t smell like a pineapple, it will lack that amazing sweet tropical flavor we are after.
I will say I have found exceptions to this rule, when I bought a less-than-fragrant pineapple because I needed to get something for a recipe, then it turned out OK. But more often than not, the less scent, the less flavor the pineapple will be likely to have.
#2 Push it
Use your finger and push around the butt end of the pineapple. If it’s mushy, it’s overripe and you should choose another. If it passes the push test, move on to…
#3 Examine the color
If the bottom part of the pineapple is turning golden, that’s a good sign that it’s ripening and will continue to ripen after purchase.
How to tell if a pineapple is ripe and ready to eat
OK, let’s say you followed the steps above and you bought an almost-ripe pineapple. How do you know when is the optimal time to eat it? Are there clues as to when a fresh pineapple is ripe and ready to eat?
Yes, there are:
- When that golden color continues up the entire body of the pineapple it will let you know your pineapple is ripe and ready to cut. The video shows a perfect pineapple but gives the caveat that not all pineapples do that. I suspect it will depend on the type of pineapple you get, and these days there are more varieties than ever.
- The leaves at the top provide another clue. Find the centermost leaf and pull. If it comes out easily, your pineapple is ripe.
How to cut a fresh pineapple
The video then continues with a demonstration of a simple way to cut fresh pineapple. Of course, this is but one of many ways to cut fresh pineapple, but it’s a simple and versatile one.
Be sure to watch the video for a demonstration because this is a whole lot easier than it looks when you see it written out.
- Twist off the crown.
- Turn the pineapple upside down and set it in a large glass, cup, or bowl, and leave it that way for 30 minutes. This helps to redistribute the fruit’s sugars that have gathered near the bottom or butt end of the pineapple.
- Cut off the crown and butt end of the pineapple.
- Cut the pineapple in half, then in half again to make quarters.
- Slice off the center woody core.
- Cut the quarter into an eighth.
- Cut into chunks up to the rind.
- Run your knife right along the rind (kind of in the same way you would filet a fish) to get the chunks free.
That’s it. You now have beautiful fresh pineapple chunks with all the eyes and rind removed!
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