How to freeze fresh pineapple … kitchen helper
With its sweet flavour and tropical vibe, pineapple is one of our favourite fruits. Of course it’s wonderful eaten fresh and juicy but it is also an excellent addition to a whole range of recipes, both sweet and savoury. Pineapple is a fruit that freezes really well so if you find that you have more than you need, you can freeze it for later use – try it in smoothies, curries, desserts, stir-fry, baking or on pizza (depending on where you sit on the whole pineapple on pizza debate).
Here’s our tips for how to freeze fresh pineapple.
1. Select a ripe pineapple – you can tell it is ripe by using your nose; ripe whole pineapples smell sweet.
2. Peel and core the pineapple.
3. Cut into your desired shapes – you can cut chunks, wedges or rings.
4. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and put in the freezer until the pineapple is frozen. Freezing this way will help to prevent the pieces sticking together.
5. Remove from tray and place in containers or freezer bags. If using freezer bags, squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag as this will help stop freezer burn. If you are freezing pineapple rings, you can put a piece of baking paper between each one to keep them separated.
6. Label with the date – frozen pineapple will keep for 12 months.
