Pineapples genuinely are the gift of gods from tropical heaven.
The only downside to this is they can be quite challenging to maintain considering that their freshness can be easily tainted.
The key to making the most out of your pineapple is proper storage.
In this article, I give you the tips and tricks on how to store pineapple and keep pineapple fresh.
First things first, what is the shelf life of pineapple?
The general rule is that it usually lasts for 2 to 3 days.
But the key to answering this question also lies in how you store your pineapples.
There are two main factors to consider when dealing with the shelf life of pineapples.
So there is the deterioration as well as the ripeness of the pineapple at play.
Let us first define what ripeness exactly is.
Ripeness pertains to the measure of the readiness of a pineapple.
Meanwhile, deterioration relates to the freshness of the fruit and how long before it gets rotten.
What Color Is A Ripe Pineapple?
For clarity’s sake, what exactly is the color of a ripe pineapple?
A common misconception is that green automatically means the fruit is not yet ripe.
However, this isn’t always the case.
First thing you look at is the area around the base.
Look at the so-called eyes of the pineapple and check if it comes in a gold color.
However, do take note that if it comes in a bronze color or reddish color, then there is a possibility that it may be overripe.
What You Need To Keep Pineapple Fresh (Ingredients + Tools)
A fruit holder is essential for keeping your fruits and veggies in one place.
Best to just place the holder on countertops or as centerpieces in dining tabl
Another storage material, a tupperware is best if you need an airtight container.
This is for once the pineapple has been cut.
For smaller food, a ziplock is more ideal.
This storage material is smaller than most tupperwares but is air tight enough to keep your food preserved.
Step-by-step Guide To Storing Pineapple
There are two sections in this step by step guide.
If you want to prolong your pineapple’s shelf life for a short period time then you may proceed to the first section.
However, if you are not yet planning on eating it immediately then you may choose to prolong it for an extended period of time.
Head onto the latter part for this.
Short-Time Pineapple Storage
Step One: Place Them On Your Dining Table Or Countertop.
First thing you can do is to simply leave your pineapple out in the open.
This step is most applicable to those who plan to consume their pineapples within a day or within the next two days.
If you would like more time, proceed to the next step.
Step Two: Refrigerate The Pineapples As A Whole.
If you’d like around a week, then the best thing you could do is to refrigerate your pineapples.
Before refrigerating the pineapples, it’s best to put them first in a zip-lock.
However, I’d like you to note that refrigerating your pineapples will not do your fruits any good if it already started to deteriorate.
Step Three: Place Sliced Ones In The Refrigerator.
If you still want a few more days, then you can add more by having your pineapples sliced first before placing inside the refrigerator.
To do this, you must first remove the crown and the base of your pineapples.
You also need to peel off the skin.
Afterwards, you have to get rid of the core.
This will probably give you an estimate of six to seven days.
Best to consume within that time period.
Long-time Pineapple Storing
Step One: Freeze Pineapples.
Similar to the last step in the former section, you will have to remove the crown, the base, the skin, and the core.
You may also store it in a ziplock bag afterwards.
If not there, then any airtight container will do such as a tupperware.
Step Two: Store Pineapple With The Help Of A Dehydrator.
This step works for sliced pineapples whose cores have already been removed, and skins have been peeled off.
What dehydrating the pineapple does is that it get rids of the moisture of the pineapple which in turn, prolongs shelf life of pineapple.
What Is The Best Way To Store A Pineapple?
The best way to store a fresh pineapple is to keep it at room temperature out on your counter.
A fresh pineapple should not be refrigerated.
A fresh pineapple will keep up to 5 days at room temperature.
Final Thoughts
Much like there are multiple ways to make use of pineapple for a variety of dishes, there are also multiple ways you can store pineapples — all depending on how long you want to prolong the life of your pineapples.
But always remember that it’s always best to consume your pineapple within a week of buying for best results.
There you have it, folks! I hope you enjoyed this article.
Should you have any other suggestions, comments or suggestions, please do not hesitate to leave them down below.
I’ll see you on the next article!