Unfortunately, the texture of a pineapple is not a good way to tell if it’s ripe, according to Emanuela Vinciguerra, a pineapple farmer and educator at Kumu Farms, which grows tropical fruit on the Hawaiian Islands of Molokai and Maui. “For pineapple, it’s not really the feel,” she says. “Even when it’s really ripe, it’s kind of hard.” So how do you know when a pineapple is ripe and ready to eat? Skip the squeeze test and check out these other pineapple attributes that are far more useful.
How to Tell If a Pineapple Is Ripe
“If you are able to take off one of its leaves easily—boop—that’s a sign that it’s ripe,” Vincinguerra says. She adds that pulling a leaf until it detaches should “not be a struggle. It should come off easily.” When smelling the bottom for ripeness, she expects a sweet, rich smell, not unlike the bright, tropical, sugary spirit of the ripe fruit’s flavor. When there’s a “sweet smell,” she says, there’s a “sweet taste.” She also believes that a sweet smell tells you the pineapple won’t be as acidic. A lot of the acidic notes will have mellowed with ripeness, allowing fruity nuances to shine. RELATED: 16 Fresh Pineapple Recipes Vicinguerra explains: “When at least one side has yellow color… that’s the best tip.” Don’t cut your pineapple until it has lost most, if not all, of its green. “When the fruit is ripe and it has turned all yellow, that’s the only time you can put a pineapple in the fridge.” Even so, she recommends that you eat refrigerated pineapples within a tight window—three to five days maximum. And keep them in the crisper until you’re ready.
