How Do You Know When A Pineapple Is Ripe?
Many people think that if you can easily pull a leaf out of the crown, the pineapple is ripe, but this test doesn’t tell you anything useful. Like tomatoes, pineapples are considered mature when they develop a little color break. If a pineapple at the market looks green, take a look at the base. If it has begun to turn a little orange or red there, you’ll be able to ripen it at home. If there is no break, the pineapple was picked too green. It will have a woody texture and will never be very sweet. The pineapple should be very firm, never soft or spongy, with no bruises or soft spots. If you find a good-looking pineapple at your market and you’re going to use it right away, ask your produce manager to cut it in half to make sure it’s not discolored inside. Reject it if it is. Finally, use your nose. If the pineapple has a good aroma, it’s ripe. If you can’t smell much of anything, it needs to be ripened. If it has a fermented smell, don’t buy it!
== Steps == # 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. # 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. The pineapples in the photo above indicate good coloring. # 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! # Touch the pineapple gently. It should be firm to a gentle press and only yield slightly. # 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.
It is difficult to tell when the pineapple is ready to be harvested. Some people judge ripeness and quality by snapping a finger against the side of the fruit. Pineapples take about 18 months to grow. The pineapple fruit must be harvested just at the right time, once harvested, it softens as it ripens but it does not get any sweeter after it has been picked. A good, ripe fruit has a dull, solid sound. Immaturity and poor quality are indicated by a hollow thud. It is also a fact that a pineapple is ripe if one of its top leaves can easily be pulled out. The fruit should be stored at 45° F or above, but should be stored for no longer than 4 – 6 weeks.
3 Senses…touch, smell and sight. 1 – Touch: If you hold it with two hands and slightly squeeze and it is just a bit soft, that means it is ripe. 2- Smell: If it feels soft, smell the base of the pineapple. If it smells sweet and fruity, then it is fully ripe. 3- Sight: When you pull a centre leaf at the top of the pineapple and you see how easily it pulls out, you have a very ripe and sweet pineapple. Hope it helps!
I LOVE pineapple!! I have one in my fridge now. Here’s the best I can describe a good one: I always look for the ones with 1/5 light brown, 2/5 of some green, and 2/5 of some yellow/orange. If it has too much brown, it’s way too ripe and old. If it’s too green, it’s not ripe enough and probably will not ripen well on it’s own. If it’s too yellow/orange, it will be o.k., just past it’s peak and might be bitter. If there are any soft sides, don’t buy it unless it’s the only one and you are desperate! I have been before! I never have been able to truly smell a pineapple for sweetness. One pineapple does not have that much of a smell to it on the outside (I don’t think). Always remove the stem, by twisting it off, before refrigeration. A great dip for pineapple is half whipped cream and half strawberry yogurt (the cheap yogurt that is pure pink, and not just fruit on the bottom.) Fat free is great for both. Now I am going to get some of mine! Also… make sure to dispose of the ‘skin’ and
