Have a Recipe That Calls for Pineapple? Skip Store-Bought and Choose These Homemade Versions
From cocktails to appetizers to baked goods, there are so many delicious recipes that make use of pineapple. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to use fresh pineapple, you may find yourself missing an ingredient when the recipe asks for pineapple juice, crushed pineapple, or some other variation of the fruit. But don’t worry – you can prep all of these different ingredients in your own kitchen, letting you enjoy the full flavor of fresh pineapple and avoiding any added sugars. Even better, they only take a few minutes to create. Read on to learn how to make your own pineapple juice and crushed pineapple, and how to store them so they’re ready to go when a recipe calls.
Why You Should Make Your Own
While you can buy prepared pineapple juice and crushed pineapple at the store, there’s something special about using fresh pineapple. Not only does it pack in more flavor, but less processing also means more nutrients are preserved, including vitamin C and bromelain. Plus, you have complete control over what goes into the recipe – if you’re looking to cut back on added sugars, preparing these types of foods at home can be particularly valuable.
Making Fresh Pineapple Juice at Home
Although a juicer could make preparing fresh pineapple juice easier, there’s no need for special equipment. Instead, you’ll just need a blender, a fine-mesh sieve, and a few ingredients. This juice is delicious on its own, or can be blended with other juices to make superfood blends like green juice. Pineapple juice is also the ideal ingredient for cocktails and smoothies alike.
Chestnut Hill Farms Tip: Just as with using a juicer, this juice recipe will leave you with pineapple pulp. While this can be discarded, it can also be used to add to baked goods like muffins, thrown into smoothies for extra fiber, frozen in ice cubes for flavored water, and much more.
Ingredients
- 1 Chestnut Hill Farms pineapple
- 1 cup water
Directions
- Wash and chop up pineapple into chunks (learn how to cut your pineapple).
- Add water and pineapple into blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the blend over a fine mesh sieve or strainer. Press gently with spatula to capture all the juice.
- Pour pineapple juice into a pitcher or jar to store. Discard pineapple pulp or set aside for other recipes.
Making Fresh Crushed Pineapple
Crushed pineapple is a common ingredient for cakes, breads, and other baked goods. We also love it as a topping on yogurt, cottage cheese, or oatmeal at breakfast, and it’s delicious added into savory dishes like slaw and salads as well. For as simple as making your own pineapple juice may be, making your own crushed pineapple is even easier. Plus, it’s perfect for canning at home so you always have plenty of fresh pineapple flavor available.
Ingredients
- 1 Chestnut Hill Farms pineapple, chopped into 1” chunks
Directions
- Place pineapple into food processor and pulse.
- Continue pulsing until the pineapple has been chopped into small pieces.
- Put in a container to eat right away, or freeze or can it for future use.
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