What a ripe pineapple. How to choose a ripe and sweet pineapple for the table

Today, pineapple is no longer as surprising as it was a few years ago. Almost everyone has tried this fruit at least once in their life. But I want to buy a good and ripe fruit in order to enjoy the delicate aroma and pleasant taste.

Choosing the right ripe pineapple in the market or in the store today is not difficult if you know how to do it. Helpful hints are provided below.

There are many varieties of pineapple. And not all of them can be eaten raw. Some are grown only for industrial canning. Other grades are only used to produce fiber from the leaves, which is used in the textile industry.

Starting to choose a pineapple, you should ask the seller about the place of its growth, variety.

Rules for choosing a ripe pineapple.

Knowing how to choose a ripe pineapple, you can buy a delicious fruit. But the fruit must also be properly preserved so that it does not quickly lose its taste. The main points are as follows:

You need to be able to not only store correctly, but also. The easiest way is to cut the fruit into circles. But then you have to get confused, peeling off the peel from each oval and removing the inedible middle part.

Another method involves peeling the entire fruit by cutting off the rind and then cutting out the core. Then on a plate all that remains is to cut the juicy pulp.

It is possible that in search of an answer to the question of how to choose a pineapple, for the first time you will have to sacrifice time. But then the experience gained will come in handy, and the purchased fruits will delight with their ripeness and taste.

The leaders in growing and exporting pineapple to Russia are the Philippines, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Thailand. Before reaching the consumer's table, these exotic fruits make a long journey by sea or air. How to choose a ripe pineapple and how to distinguish it from others?

The quality of pineapples largely depends on the delivery method. The fruits delivered by sea are harvested while still green, with the expectation that they will ripen during the journey. Their taste and aroma is less pronounced than those of fruits picked ripe and delivered by plane.

On a note. From April to June and from December to January, the most delicious pineapples are harvested.

When buying, it is recommended to give preference to fruits from supermarkets, since they provide the most comfortable conditions for their storage: compliance with temperature and humidity. On the shelves of the vegetable departments in the supermarket, unripe, overripe and ripe fruits can be found. Their condition can be determined:

• in appearance of tops and skins;
• by the smell and the sound made, while patting the fetus.

Signs of an unripe pineapple

On a note. The use of unripe pineapple is fraught with unpleasant consequences, because it can provoke indigestion.

The following signs indicate that the pineapple is not yet ripe:

1. The fruit is very firm to the touch.
2. The eyes of the fetus are poorly developed, the scales have a greenish color.
3. The characteristic aroma of pineapple is very weak or absent.
4. The green tail crowning the top of the fruit cannot be scrolled.
5. Separate leaves are pulled out with great difficulty from the fruit tail.
6. When cut, the flesh is pale, almost white, and has a pungent taste.

If it is not possible to buy a fully ripe fruit, then you can buy an unripe one and let it ripen at home. To do this, it is left at room temperature, tilting its tail down, for several days until fully ripe.

Signs of an overripe pineapple

Signs of an overripe fruit can be caused by a long shelf life or a violation of their storage conditions. With high humidity in warehouses or temperatures below normal, the fruits are prone to rapid deterioration, their taste is reduced, the flesh becomes dark and watery. The following signs indicate that the pineapple is overripe:

1. The fruit is soft when pressed, after pressing a dent remains.
2. There are dark spots on the crust.
3. Wrinkled, red-brown skin.
4. The sultan of the fruit turned yellow, the leaves are easily pulled out of it.
5. The fruit makes an empty sound when patted.
6. The aroma of the fruit is sharp, fermented, gives off alcohol or vinegar.

How to Identify a Perfectly Ripe Pineapple

Pineapple fruits, depending on the variety, can have an oval or cylindrical shape and reach a weight of up to 5 kg. The top of the fruit is crowned with a bunch of hard green leaves, the peel is golden yellow, reddish or yellow-brown.

It can be difficult for modern children to believe that their parents, grandparents met the taste of tropical fruits already in adulthood, and a hundred years ago, unknown to most of the country's population, pineapples were considered a sign of luxury and excess.

Today, all kinds of fruits from tropical countries and the most remote corners of the world can be found in almost any store. How to choose a pineapple so as not to be disappointed in the taste of the pulp hidden under a dense peel? Are there tricks and tricks that allow you to select from the mass of outwardly similar fruits one that does not turn out to be immature or, on the contrary, overripe?

What does a pineapple worth buying look like?

Beautiful, large fruits, crowned with a plume of green tough foliage, are grown in the tropical part of the globe. Pineapples come to Russia both from Central and South America, and from the countries of Southeast Asia.

In fact, a pineapple, which looks like a single fruit, is a seed, consisting of many berries arranged in a spiral, fused together at the ovary stage. The fact that in the past they were “independent” is only reminiscent of the characteristic surface of the peel, on which traces of bracts and the boundaries of individual fruits are visible.

Inside, the fact that sweet and sour pulp appeared at the site of the inflorescence is reminiscent of a hard core, that is, a stem that has sprouted through the entire seed. And at the top of the pineapple, such a stem forms a green rosette.

Everyone who has tried a pineapple that has recently grown on a plantation and has not spent long days and weeks on the road knows the exact answer to the question: “Which pineapples are better?” Fruit on the table should be as fresh and ripe as possible. But what if the nearest plantation is many thousands of kilometers away, and a shop around the corner sells pineapples, second only to Fyodor Konyukhov in travel experience?

Is it possible and how to ripen pineapple?

Since the consumer cannot change the speed of fruit delivery from the place of growth to the store, when choosing a pineapple, he will have to arm himself with some knowledge. They will help determine the degree of ripeness of the pulp hidden under the peel, and the quality of the fruit.

Unlike bananas, which are harvested almost green on plantations, and then, upon arrival at their destination, they are treated with a special gas that causes emergency ripening of the fruit, they try to cut the pineapples already ripe. The fact is that in bananas and other fruits that can ripen after harvest, the formation of sugar occurs due to the accumulated starchy substances. They are not in pineapples, and it is pointless to expect that the green sour fruit will become sweeter after a while. Therefore, the frequently asked question: “How to ripen a pineapple bought in a store?” One has to give a negative answer.

If the pineapple is not sweet, neither turning the fruit upside down, as is sometimes advised, nor keeping it warm or cold will help change its taste.

You can keep pineapple in the refrigerator for 3-6 days, and the temperature in this case should not be lower than 6-8 ° C, otherwise the pulp will become watery. It is impossible to leave the fruit warm at all, since fermentation processes quickly begin under the skin, and the activity of harmful microorganisms in such conditions is sharply activated.

Pineapple left to ripen will not become juicier and sweeter, but will only ferment or begin to rot.

How to choose the best quality pineapple?

In order not to look for ways to sweeten an unripe fruit, you still need to do everything possible in the store and find a ripe sweet pineapple. Before choosing a pineapple, it is useful to look around the window and highlight the fruits:

• with the most green leafy crown;
• with a smooth, not pimply "body";
• with a predominance of golden yellow tones in color.

Coming closer to the ripe fruits, you can feel the characteristic aroma without signs of acidity or fermentation. To the touch, ripe fruits are dense, elastic, but not soft. The skin of the pineapple looks almost even, not lumpy.

Although when harvested on a plantation, almost all fruits have approximately the same degree of ripeness, both green and overripe fruits end up on the shelves.

Unripe pineapples can be identified by:

• on more convex fragments on the surface of the peel;
• herbal rather than fruity aroma;
• on a hard, not elastic fruit.

Pineapple producers claim that fruits that are completely green can be sweet, but choosing a pineapple with at least a slight presence of a yellow tint in color, the buyer is less likely to be disappointed. These greens can ripen on the counter and take on a different flavor after storage.

Overripe pineapples give off a soft bottom, a sour or yeasty smell, and a yellow to bronze color change. Once the maximum possible amount of sugar accumulates in the pineapple, the fruit becomes vulnerable to rot. Since pineapples are treated with fungicides and other substances that prevent spoilage before being sent from plantations, moldy spots or serious softening on the bark may not be detected. But inside the overripe, damaged or frostbitten fetus during transportation, destructive processes are already underway.

Any browning on the bark, streaks of juice, soft patches or cracks are red flags and should be a reason not to buy.

Ripening of pineapple begins with its bottom. It is in this part that the fruit is always sweeter, from here the color of the ripening fruit begins to change. In most varieties, bright golden-yellow hues on the skin can be considered a sign of ripeness, at least present on its fragments around the base of the fruit. The higher the yellow spreads, the more even the sweetness of the pineapple will be.

Is it possible to determine ripeness by the rosette of leaves on a pineapple?

Speaking about how to choose a pineapple, many mention the ability to pull out some leaf from the sultan on top of the fruit. If the leaf feeds easily and separates even with little effort, the pineapple is considered ripe. Unfortunately, this opinion is wrong. And pulling out leaves at the counter will only lead to trouble, and not to buying the desired treat.

Pineapple leaves treated with preservatives naturally dry out during the journey and storage, but do not change color.

Therefore, it is easy to spoil the goods, but this will not give any useful information about pineapple. But the change in the color of the foliage from green to brown or the complete drying of the tuft eloquently indicates an unacceptably long stay of the fruit on the counter or a violation of the rules for its storage.

Which pineapples are better with a lush sultan or a modest rosette of leaves? As a rule, it is recommended to buy pineapples with a rosette at least 10 cm high, but not more than two lengths of the fruit itself. After all, paying for a large lush sultan, the buyer receives more expensive pulp.

Sometimes leaf rosettes of pineapples are used to decorate the table at special occasions or dinner parties. In this case, you can preserve the freshness of the foliage for several days if the socket is carefully unscrewed from the fruit, cleaned of traces of pulp and wrapped in a bag and put in the refrigerator.

Before buying, it is worth examining not only the fruit itself and its crest, but the place where the stem is cut. If it is uneven, overly elongated, or moldy, it is better to choose a more dignified pineapple.

A rare holiday table is complete without pineapple. Even if you didn’t buy fresh pineapple, you probably added pieces of canned overseas product, especially since it goes very well with boiled chicken breast.

But if the choice of canned pineapples is mostly about reading the label, then choosing the right fresh pineapple when buying is a whole science.

After all, having bought an overripe fruit, you simply will not feel its subtle exquisite taste, and an unripe one is not only absolutely tasteless, but also harmful to the body.

Its pulp contains potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, carotene, a large amount of vitamins (A, E, PP, B vitamins). Pineapple is especially rich in vitamin C, so it can be used not only as a delicacy, but also as a tasty remedy, which is especially important for babies.

After all, what is most important for children's health? Physical activity, healthy goodies and good mood :) If the first two factors are present, the third one will appear automatically!

And pineapple is credited with almost magical properties due to the presence of bromelain. As you know, it is this element that makes it also. But besides this, bromelain preserves the youthfulness of the skin, maintains our vitality, cleanses the walls of blood vessels. The use of pineapple is recommended for varicose veins and as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Of course, the effect of this product is very mild and this fruit alone is not enough to cure any diseases, but as a tasty and uplifting addition to the main treatment, it is very effective :)

The quality of the purchased pineapple largely depends on the method of delivery. So riper fruits are delivered by plane, they are certainly tastier, but their cost is appropriate. Pineapples brought by land transport are picked green and ripen on the road. This of course deprives them of their unique aroma and sweetness.

What to look for when buying a pineapple

tops

Fresh pineapple is adorned with thick green tops. If the fruit is already “experienced”, its leaves turn yellow and do not look so attractive.

Pull on one leaf - if it is easily pulled out of the stem, then the fruit is ripe.

Crust

Delicious ripe pineapple has a slightly soft and at the same time elastic peel. If a dent remains when pressed, it is overripe. It can be tasty, but you need to eat it immediately. If the peel is covered with dark spots, be sure that this fruit is overripe and, most likely, has begun to rot.

Unripe pineapples are very hard.

pulp

Pineapple is not a watermelon and it is not customary to cut it when buying. However, if the seller does not mind, ask him to slightly cut the fruit to the pulp: in a ripe specimen, it has a rich yellow-golden color. Unripe fruit has pale, almost white flesh.

Despite the fact that this is not a watermelon (as we have already found out 😉), however, you can determine the degree of its maturity in the same way as for a watermelon - knock. A dull sound at the same time means that the flesh of the subject is ripe and quite juicy, and an “empty” sound will indicate that the fruit has already dried up.

Another sign of a quality, ripe pineapple is that it should feel heavy for its bulk.

Aroma

Just as with, it is advisable to smell it when buying. The aroma should be gentle, sweetish. Too saturated smell most likely indicates that it is overripe and most likely rotted.

How to store

Store pineapple at room temperature for up to 10 days. If you bought a slightly greenish fruit, it will ripen a little, become softer and juicier, but not sweeter. This capricious fruit does not like cold and at low temperatures (below 7 degrees) loses its flavor. Therefore, it is undesirable to put it in the refrigerator (unless cut into pieces). But this does not apply to ripe juicy fruit, because in the room it will immediately begin to rot. Store such pineapple in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, in extreme cases, no more than a week.

Ksenia Poddubnaya

Despite the fact that pineapple is sold in our country all year round and at quite affordable prices, people still firmly believe that such exotic is a sign of luxury and prosperity. But after all, it’s not enough to grab the first fruit that comes across in the store, you also need to know which one to grab.

tail

The first thing most sources teach is to pull the so-called sultan. That is leaves. Or even twist the entire hat. Say, if the leaf is in the hands, then the pineapple is definitely ripe for the table.

So the unfortunate buyers of the sultan are twisting in all directions, checking the maturity of the fruit. Only now it may turn out that with special zeal, the entire bundle will be in the hands. Then you need fast legs or a long tongue. To run away from the seller, or try to get away.

Secret. An easily pulled leaf is not a sign of ripeness at all. This may be the beginning of the process of pineapple decay, which begins precisely in the upper part of the fruit.

How to choose a ripe pineapple according to the leaves:

1. Juicy green tops signal the immaturity of the fruit. Such a pineapple will be dryish, hard and bitter.
2. The tops are dark green, the tips of the leaves are slightly dry? So, just such a pineapple should be dragged to the table without delay.
3. The leaves are dry, brown green hue indicate the complete overripe of the fruit. Inside you will find a smelly, watery mass, with a nasty taste and, possibly, signs of decay.

That's all. And you don't have to pull or twist anything. If you really can't wait to try the twisting method, then do it carefully. Gently rock the sultan from side to side. It should give in slightly, but not fall off completely. This is a sign of maturity. And certainly should not sit like a glove. This fruit will take a long time to ripen.

Advice. Carefully inspect the place where the tops are attached to the fruit. Sometimes the pineapple, by all indications, is ripe, and there suddenly turns out to be mold. Refuse to buy. Choose a different fruit.

According to the color of the pulp

“Ripe pineapple - a characteristic yellow color ...” and blah blah. Well, tell me, in which store will they allow you to cut the fruit in order to evaluate the color of the pulp? Or in the market, too, sellers shred every piece of fruit? What if you don't buy it? On the crust, get pineapple for sure. Or a couple of sweet ones. Or maybe not even a couple. And who will give you a guarantee that the pineapple you bought is as ripe as the cut fruit? Yes, no one.

Therefore, we leave this method of determining ripeness to individuals who love extreme sports. And we will look at the color ... of scales. Yes, yes, it is their shade and condition that are quite worthy of being an indicator.

1. The scales are juicy, light in color. The grooves between them are yellow or light green. Such a pineapple is still unripe, you will feel sorry for the money spent on it.
2. The scales are golden brown, juicy themselves, but the tips have already dried up a little. The grooves between them are a tone darker or greenish. Don't miss this beauty! Urgently throw such a pineapple into your basket, you will not regret it.
3. The scales are dark or burgundy in color, hard, almost dried up. The grooves between them are brown with whitish specks. Again, a waste of money and time. Such a pineapple is already preparing to safely depart to another world. Don't disturb him and leave him alone.

At the same time, we can also mention the elasticity of the crust. This is an indirect indicator. Of course, he does not give a 100% guarantee that you will get a ripe fruit. But after all, other signs are also indirect, only cutting will give an absolute result. Therefore, simply press the scale with a little effort. It should be pliable, but elastic, like a spring. Firm indicates immaturity, respectively soft - about overripeness.

By smell

Feel free to sniff the pineapple. Even without breaking the integrity of the peel or pulp, a ripe fruit exudes a characteristic aroma. It should be pleasant and unobtrusive. The strong, chemical-tasting smell that hits your nose should discourage you from buying. The almost complete absence of aroma should also cause healthy concern.

By price

Although pineapple has not been a rarity on our shelves for a long time, a good ripe fruit cannot be cheap. The fact is that he got to you by plane, and tickets are now expensive. But such a fruit was plucked at the peak of his career and sent to you on a business trip at full ripeness and in the prime of life.

Inexpensive fruit sailed to our country by sea. No doubt, tickets are much cheaper, but you need more time for a swim than for a flight. Therefore, such a pineapple was picked absolutely immature in order to reach the condition on the way. But in what conditions such a swim took place - only eyewitnesses know, which ordinary buyers are not.

So do not be greedy, spend more money on a pineapple. But you definitely won’t lose and don’t throw money away. As the saying goes: a miser pays twice.

Sound and weight

No, of course, the pineapple will not sing Rigoletto's aria to you to prove its ripeness. But you can really clap. Only not in the palm of your hand, but on the side of the fruit. Depending on the sound, it is possible to determine the degree of maturity with a probability of 70%:

1. An empty sound indicates that the pineapple has been on the shelf for a very long time. He withered. There is no heaviness on the hand.
2. Deaf, like a watermelon, the sound signals the full ripeness of the fruit. When weighed on the hand, the pineapple seems heavier than it looks.
3. A ringing sound indicates that the fruit is completely unripe. On the hand, it weighs about its appearance.

As you can see, everything is quite simple. Smell, tap, press. And further. Don't be afraid to look at the pineapple from all angles. Especially in stores. There is a sin there - to turn the fruit to the buyer with the most beautiful side. Therefore, be careful.

Advice. Try to choose a pineapple according to our recommendations. If you make a mistake, you will immediately get a visual experience. You won't make any more mistakes.

How to choose a ripe pineapple is not a question for you now. And it is unlikely that cunning sellers will be able to deceive you in order to sell an unripe fruit.

Video: how to choose, peel and cut a pineapple