Salvaging a cut up unripe pineapple?

madwells1

Does anyone know a way to make cut up unripe pineapple sweeter without adding sugar? I know that I can use it in dishes and caramelize it in the oven or something (e..g, skewers, etc), but I was hoping to eat it raw.

Is there any way that I can do this or do I simply give up on the idea of eating fresh pineapple?

cmriverside

A lot of fruit is harvested before it is ripe so it will be salable by the time it gets to the stores.

I just let them sit on the shelf at home uncut until they ripen. I do that with mangoes, bananas, pineapple, papaya, really any tropcial fruits. Oranges are sometimes a little green too, same with avocados - if they are too hard I leave them out for few days to ripen. I suppose you could wrap it up and see if it matures a little bit, but likely it will go bad first once it's cut.

madwells1

Thanks. I wasn't paying attention when I was cutting up my fruit for the week and didn't even think it wasn't ripe (bad assumption). I guess I will be eating a lot of cooked pineapple or will freeze it for other weeks recipes.

crabbybrianna

Sometimes just leaving it in the fridge for a few days after cutting it up will make it a bit more sweet, but if it’s really unripe that might not make much of a difference.

kshama2001

I just cut open a pineapple that looked and smelled ripe, but was disappointingly unsweet. I know you don't want to cook yours in the oven, but I like that idea for me, and it will go great with what I was planning for dinner, which is this:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019161-sheet-pan-chicken-with-sweet-potatoes-and-peppers

Cbean08

Splenda or 0 cal maple syrup might help if you have to eat it raw. Or, dip it into vanilla yogurt or cottage cheese.

Or, go buy a ripe pineapple and cut it up and eat it. Freeze what is left of this unripe one and use it for smoothies later on.

justgosh

I feel you on getting an unripe pineapple. Smell the bottom. If it smells like pineapple, it's either bruised, and the bottom is overripe, or it's a good one. While it's in your face, check it for mold. The sugar comes from the conversion of starch reserves in the stump. Once it's cut, it will never get sweeter without adding a sweetener. It may get softer over time as it breaks down and gets closer to rotting. I suggest what you've most likely already read, add some sweetener (agave, honey, maple syrup are my picks) and baking it. I dig honey and cinnamon. The baking will help make it soft, and the sweetener will make it edible. You can also go the jam route and gift it.