Buzz
Generally, most of the sweetness of a pineapple will develop in just a few days while the fruit is still ripening on the plant. Once harvested, a pineapple won’t get any sweeter. Interestingly, this peculiar fruit can sometimes reach its optimal ripeness even when the outer skin is entirely green. If you're lucky, your "green" pineapple will have a sweet and delicious flavor. If not, you still have a few tricks to soften and enhance the flavor of an unripe pineapple.
Steps
Handling Unripe Pineapples
Smell the Bottom of the Pineapple to Check Ripeness. Most common signs of ripeness don't apply well to pineapples. Instead, check the bottom of the pineapple: a strong, fragrant smell indicates that the pineapple is ripe. If there’s almost no scent, it may still be unripe. Cold pineapples won't give off a strong aroma, so you should leave them at room temperature before checking their ripeness this way.
- Pineapples with yellow skin are generally a safer choice than those with green skin, but this is still not the most accurate method. Some pineapples ripen even when their skin remains entirely green. Other pineapples may have yellow or red skin but still be hard and unpalatable.
Note that the pineapple will become softer but won't get any sweeter. A pineapple will not ripen fully once it's been harvested. If left on the kitchen counter, the pineapple will soften and become juicier, but it won’t become any sweeter. All of a pineapple's sugar is stored in the starch at the base of the plant, and once this source is cut off, the fruit can no longer produce additional sugar.
- Green pineapples will also likely change color.
- There’s a chance the pineapple could become more sour if left too long.
Flip the Pineapple (optional). If the pineapple still has some starch to convert into sugar, it will be located at the base of the fruit. In theory, the sugar could spread more quickly if you flip the pineapple over. In practice, this effect is hard to notice, but it’s still worth trying.
- The skin of the pineapple will change color from the base upward, but this isn't related to the fruit's ripeness after it's been picked.
- If you find it difficult to flip the pineapple, you can cut off the crown and place the cut side down on a damp paper towel.
Keep the Pineapple at Room Temperature. The pineapple will soften over the course of one or two days. If left longer than that, the pineapple will likely start to ferment.
- The pineapple still won’t taste good if it was picked unripe. Keep reading to find out how to improve the flavor of an unripe pineapple.
- If you don’t plan on eating the pineapple yet, you can refrigerate it for an additional 2-4 days.
Eating Unripe Pineapple
Be Cautious with Unripe Pineapples. Very green, under-ripe pineapples may be toxic. Eating these pineapples could cause throat irritation and have a mild laxative effect. However, most pineapples sold in stores are at least partially ripe, even if the skin is still green.
- Even ripe pineapples can cause a sore mouth or bleeding. The tips below can help prevent this.
Cutting the Pineapple. Remove the crown and the top of the pineapple, then place the fruit upright on a flat surface or cutting board. Peel off the skin and eyes of the pineapple, then slice it into chunks or rings.
Grill the Pineapple. This method will turn the sugars in the pineapple into caramel, enhancing the flavor of an under-ripe fruit. The heat also neutralizes bromelain, an enzyme that can cause irritation and bleeding in the mouth.
Bake the Pineapple Slices in the Oven. This technique will yield similar results to grilling: a sweet and delicious pineapple. If the fruit is quite sour and green, you can sprinkle some brown sugar on the slices before baking.
Simmer on Low Heat. While this method doesn’t turn the sugars into caramel, it will neutralize all the bromelain. Try this method if you experience mouth irritation when eating raw pineapple:
- Place the pineapple pieces in a saucepan along with the juice that leaked out during cutting.
- Add just enough water to cover the pineapple.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it gently simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Drain the water and let the pineapple cool.
Sprinkle Sugar on Pineapple Slices. If the pineapple is not sweet enough, sprinkle sugar over the pieces or rings. You can enjoy them right away or cover them and store them in the fridge.
Advice
- You don't need to place the pineapple in a paper bag or near other fruits. This method works for unripe pears, apples, and bananas but doesn't affect pineapples. (Pineapples may turn yellow faster, but the internal flavor won't improve.)
- Summer pineapples tend to be sweeter and less sour than winter pineapples.
Warning
- Pineapples stored in the refrigerator will take longer to soften and change color, and the flesh may begin to break down and turn brown, though this usually only happens after several weeks.
