What To Make With What’s On Sale: Pineapple

Time for What To Make With What’s On Sale!  It’s been forever since we’ve had a rock-bottom sale on pineapple, but this week Sunflower Market has them for 99¢ each!

If you’ve never had a fresh pineapple, you’re in for a treat.  Yep, it’s a little more work than opening up a can, but the difference can’t even be summized in words.  It’s kind of like the difference between fresh and canned green beans.  OK, so green beans weren’t the best comparison because pineapple is much tastier…

What To Do With Fresh Pineapple

Now, for what to do with fresh pineapple: you can…

• eat it fresh
• freeze it
• dry it
• juice it
• make something with it

How To Freeze Fresh Pineapple

To freeze, I just cut it up into cubes, throw it in a ziploc bag, and freeze.  Some of you will be less lazy than I, and freeze it in a single layer on a cookie sheet before you put it in the freezer to keep it from sticking together.  I just try to remember to shake the bag around after it starts freezing to keep the cubes separated.

How To Select A Good Pineapple

You’ll want to find out that looks fresh: the leaves should be green, not dried out.  Flip it upside down to make sure there is no mold growing on the bottom.

In my experience, pineapples seem to ripen just fine at home, so you can buy one that’s green and it will be ripe in a few days.  Once the skin turns yellow, it’s ripe.  You’ll also likely notice a fragrant pineapple aroma when it’s ripe.

Once you get it home, you can store it on the counter while it’s ripening (if necessary).  Keep a close eye on it, though – you don’t want it to over-ripen and start getting that fuzzy mold on the bottom.  If that happens, you can just cut it off – that’s what I do, as long as it’s not too bad.

How To Cut Up A Pineapple

In my opinion, one of the keys to cutting up a fresh pineapple is having a good, sharp chef’s knife.  If you don’t have one, head to Bed Bath and Beyond or somewhere before you go buy pineapples.

Awhile back, I did a video on how to cut up a fresh pineapple.  Oh, it’s a fabulously-done video; I cut off the top of my head.  But it may prove helpful to you even if you can only see my chin.

There’s also a different technique that “wastes” less of the pineapple, but I can’t remember what it’s called or find a video.  Help, someone?

I recommend rinsing off the pineapple before cutting.  Once you’ve cut off the skin, you’ll probably want to rinse the cutting board again before you start dicing the pineapple.

6 Recipes For Fresh Pineapple

Here’s some yummy-looking recipes that I found for fresh pineapple:

Pineapple Sherbet and Pineapple Sorbet

Pineapple Sorbet is right up there with – or maybe even above – ice cream for me (except for Blue Blunny’s Boredeaux Cherry Chocolate Frozen Yogurt).  Love it, and if you need a dairy-free or fat-free alternative to ice cream, it’s perfect.

I haven’t ever made Pineapple Sherbet, but why not?  It looks super easy!

Fresh Pineapple Upside Down Cake

The author of this recipe said this: “This is the first time that I have used fresh pineapple in an upside-down cake and I must tell you, it makes a huge difference. I had some super sweet pineapple… and it produced a deliciously sweet cake; a completely different taste than canned pineapple.”

Sweet Potato and Pineapple Fruit Salad

I think of sweet potatoes as a wintertime food, and pineapples as a summer treat.  This recipe from Cheeky Kitchen combines both!  Haven’t tried it, but it’s an interesting combination and certainly looks pretty! ;)

Vanilla Lime Pineapple Skewers

So, it’s the middle of December, but since there’s hnot even any snow, who says we can’t grill?  These grilled pineapple desserts from Alton Brown sound fantastic.

Lime Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs

We’ve already got the grill on for those Vanilla Lime Pineapple Skewers; might as well grill supper’s main course, too.  I personally don’t really follow a kabob “recipe”, but this recipe from Paula Deen sounds good, though she uses canned pineapple.

What Are Your Favorite Things To Do With Fresh Pineapple?