"hob" > wrote in message
...
> Here's what works for me -
> done it on Hawaii and done it in the states, done it with a machete in
> the tropics and done in a kitchen with the tools below - so it works, at
> least for me
>
>
> If you want fresh ripe pineapple -
>
> You are unlikely to find a ripe pineapple in a store. So you need to get
> one and ripen it-
>
> 1) Get one and ripen it
>
> First choose a pineapple that has some yellow on the skin, the darker the
> yellow the better. While light green-yellow is usually ok, avoid any "hard
> green" pineapples - darker green - they usually won't ripen. Choose a
> pineapple that has some pineapple smell, if you can.
>
> Let the pineapple ripen on the counter until the skin is yellow-brown and
it
> smells strongly of RICH pineapple. Once yellow-brown starts, the
pineapple
> is near ripe - when ripe, surface of the skin should JUST start to soften.
> (Although a little overripe is better than a little underripe). The nose
> will also tell you.
>
> 2) Then peel it - if it's really ripe, think raincoat amounts of juice
>
> Wash off the pineapple, leaves too, and shake dry.
>
> I then cut the base off enough so I have a flat surface on the bottom of
the
> pineapple. A ripe pineapple is pretty juicy, and you will be pushing down
> against the base, so don't make that cut too deep. Leave a lot of "hard"
and
> even skin. It will be removed later.
>
> I stand the pineapple on that cut end on a small board in a shallow pan
( to
> catch the juice), and I then use a sharp bolo or heavy sharp knife and
two
> hands (kid uses a serrated bread knife to saw off the skin one-handed) to
> cut down, from leaf stem to base, to just remove the layer of skin,
leaving
> only the little brown bits (nodes/nodules) in the centers of the segments.
> Do this to all sides of the pineapple.
> (Some people cut deep enough when skinning to remove the little nodules
> with the skin, but I think that removes a lot of the flavorful part)
>
> I then use a small-tipped potato peeler (or a paring knife) to remove all
> the nodes. You can see how much to take off to get the node, after you dig
> out the first couple. Tedious, but necessary.
>
> At this point you should have a pineapple with a hard base that maybe has
> some skin at the base, leaves on the other end with some skin under the
> leaves, a lot of little holes where the nodes were on the sides, and no
> brown nodes or skin on most of the pineapple. And a fair amount of juice
in
> the pan.
>
> 3) Trim (remove the hard) and prepare for presentation-
> Note- The cutter gets to chew/share the meaty trims - there is some
soft
> and some hard and always juice in the meaty trim.
>
> I now cut the base farther up the pineapple, just enough to remove the
> hard part and any skin left there from earlier. Base is done.
>
> Now you are at the presentation part - do you want leaves on for
decoration
> (quarter it and cut off the hard core), do you want a cored whole
pineapple
> so you can to fill the core with chunks or other fruit or rum-ice (core it
> with an apple peeler), do you want a leaf hat on a rum keg (angle-cut the
> top off so it fits back on), etc.?
>
> For spears and chunks:
> I lop off the leaves and upper stem and any skin under them. Top is
done.
>
> I then set the pineapple on end and use the heavy knife to quarter it
> lengthwise.
>
> I cut off the hard part of the core from each of the quarters.
Pineapple
> peeling and trimming is done
>
> You now have four wedges of pineapples without little burrs or cores.
>
> And four core wedges to decorate other drinks (I personally don't use
them
> in any drinks I might make from the pineapple, because they aren't as
sweet
> as the eatin' part. IMHO)
>
> 4) Drain the juice you caught in the pan through a mesh strainer - I have
> had as much as a cup of juice in the pan after peeling and coring.
>
> You now have four large wedges and a container of juice
>
> And wash your hands - I swear the juice digests skin.
>
> hope it helps



All that work to get pineapple juice for a Pina Colada? lol .

I'm going to pick up a pineapple at the market today but it will be
tomorrow when I make the Pina Coladas. Should I store the pineapple in the
fridge overnight or just let it sit out?