How to Preserve a Pineapple

Co-authored by Christopher M. Osborne, PhD

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References Tested

Fresh pineapple is a deliciously sweet and healthy treat, but it just doesn’t keep very well! Cutting it up and storing it in the fridge will give you a few days, while using the freezer can offer a few months. If you really want to store fresh pineapple for the long term (1 year or more), home canning is the best option—so long as you follow all the necessary sterilization and food safety procedures.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Refrigerating or Freezing Cut Pineapple

1
Put the pineapple pieces into a container or bag that seals tightly. Cut pineapple pieces release a lot of sticky juice that you don’t want leaking all through your fridge. Your best storage option is a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. If you use a zip-close bag, make sure it’s closed completely—and seal it in another zip-close bag just to be sure!^{[1]
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- If you’re storing cut pineapple rings, use a cylindrical storage container (like a plastic takeout soup container) so you can stack the rings inside.
2
Add a splash of orange juice to the container to reduce browning. Slight browning won’t affect the flavor or quality of the stored pineapple, but it does make it look less appealing. Orange juice contains ascorbic acid, which helps to slow the browning of cut fruit. Just a light splash of OJ should do the job.^{[2]
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- Lemon juice is often used to slow the browning of cut fruits, and will work here as well. However, the juice you choose imparts some flavor and aroma to the cut fruit, and orange juice pairs better with pineapple than lemon juice!
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3
Use pineapple stored in the refrigerator within 3-4 days. Fresh pineapple is sweet, delicious, and good for you, but there’s simply no way to keep it fresh for long. Even when properly refrigerated, it will start to lose its flavor and get increasingly mushy and brown in as few as 3 days. Rely on preservation methods other than refrigeration if you have more pineapple than you can eat within 3-4 days.^{[3]
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- The pineapple won’t taste as good, but a bit of mushiness and browning won’t hurt you. However, if you see white mold spots or notice a vinegar-like aroma (rather than sweetness), throw the pineapple away immediately.
4
Freeze pineapple for no more than 3-5 months for the best results. This is a better option if you have more pineapple than you can eat within a few days. Simply label your container or bag and stash it in the freezer. The pineapple may still be edible for as many as 12 months, but it will slowly start losing its flavor and texture after around 3 months.^{[4]
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- Use pineapple pieces straight from the freezer in smoothies and baked goods.
- Thawed pineapple pieces are too mushy to be an appetizing treat as-is, but they’re perfectly fine to use in any recipe that calls for fresh pineapple.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Canning Pineapple Pieces

1
Wash the canning jars and lids with soap and water. Clean the canning jars, lids, and sealing rings by hand with dish soap and hot water, or run them through a dishwasher cycle. Rinse the jars thoroughly with hot water, or use a separate sanitizing rinse cycle in your dishwasher to remove any soap residue.^{[5]
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- Proceed to the next step while the jars and lids are still hot.
2
Sterilize the clean jars and lids in boiling water. Place a canning rack or a kitchen towel in the bottom of a stock pot that’s big enough to hold all the jars and lids. Set the jars right-side up in the pot and nestle the lids and sealing rings in between them. Fill the insides of the jars, and then the whole pot, with water until it covers the tops of the jars by at least 1 in (2.5 cm). Put the pot on high heat and bring the water to a boil. Boil the jars and lids for 10 minutes if you’re near sea level, and for 1 additional minute for each 1,000 ft (300 m) you are above sea level.^{[6]
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- In other words, if you live in Miami, boil the jars for 10 minutes. If you live in Denver, give them 15 minutes.
- Use metal canning tongs to carefully empty and remove the jars and lids, then place them on a clean towel. Move on to the next step while the jars are still hot.
- Reduce the heat to low so the water in the pot remains hot.
3
Simmer the cut pineapple pieces in apple juice for 10 minutes. Add the cut pineapple to a saucepan and add enough apple juice to allow the pieces to float and circulate freely. Turn the heat to medium-high until the juice begins to bubble, then turn it to medium-low or low to maintain a simmer for 10 minutes.^{[7]
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- You can start this step while your jars and lids are sterilizing, rather than waiting until the jars are ready to pull from the boiling water.
- Proceed to the next step while both the pineapple and the jars are still hot.
- White grape juice and canning syrup (which you can find where canning supplies are sold) also work here.
4
Add the pineapple pieces and juice to the jars, but don’t fill them completely. Place a canning funnel on top of a jar and use a slotted spoon to add hot pineapple pieces to the jar until it’s about 2/3 of the way full. Use a ladle to add hot syrup until the jar is full to within 0.5–1 in (1.3–2.5 cm) of the top. This air gap is known as the “head space” within the canning jar and is essential to the process.^{[8]
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- Fill the other jars in the same manner.
- Remember to always leave at least 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of head space!
5
Seal the jars securely with the lids and sealing rings. Check the neck of the jar and wipe away any spilled syrup with a clean paper towel. Set the flat lid securely on the opening of the jar. Place the sealing ring over top of the lid and screw it onto the jar’s neck. Hand-tighten the ring clockwise until you feel resistance, then stop. Follow the same process with the other jars.^{[9]
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- The jar lids should be tight, but don’t try to over-tighten them. Doing so may crack or even break the glass jars.
6
Return the jars to the pot of hot water and add water if needed. Use the canning tongs to lift each jar securely by its neck and slowly lower it into place, either on the canning rack or the towel at the bottom of the pot. Repeat with the other jars. Add more water to the pot if the jars are not covered by at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of water.^{[10]
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- Ideally, there should also be at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of space between the water level and the top rim of the pot. Otherwise, water may bubble over when the pot is boiling vigorously.
7
Bring the water to a rapid boil for 15-35 minutes, as required for safety. Turn the heat to high and watch for the water to come to a full, rolling boil. Start a timer at this point and boil the filled jars for the amount of time listed below:^{[11]
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- 1 pint or 16 fl oz (470 ml) jars: 15 minutes at 0–1,000 ft (0–305 m) above sea level; 20 minutes at 1,000–6,000 ft (300–1,830 m); 25 minutes at above 6,000 ft (1,800 m).
- 1 quart or 32 fl oz (950 ml) jars: 20 minutes at 0–1,000 ft (0–305 m) above sea level; 25 minutes at 1,000–3,000 ft (300–910 m); 30 minutes at 3,000–6,000 ft (910–1,830 m); 35 minutes at above 6,000 ft (1,800 m).
8
Shut off the heat, wait 5 minutes, and carefully remove the jars. After waiting 5 minutes to let the contents of the jars settle to the bottom, use your canning tongs to pull the jars from the water one-at-a-time. Place the jars on a clean towel or a cooling rack.^{[12]
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9
Check that the lids are sealed properly after 12-24 hours of cooling. Leave the jars alone for at least 12 hours, until they feel completely cool to the touch. Unscrew the sealing rings and check that each lid is sealed by: 1) pressing on the center of the lid—if it pops back up, the jar isn’t sealed; 2) tapping on the lid with a metal spoon—a dull sound indicates a bad seal, a ringing sound indicates a good seal; 3) looking across the lid’s top at eye level—if the lid doesn’t have a slight downward (concave) indentation, it’s not sealed properly.^{[13]
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- If any jars didn’t seal properly, do not try to store them long term at room temperature. Instead, do one of the following:
  - Eat the pineapple inside the jar right away.
  - Refrigerate the jar and eat the pineapple within 3 days.
  - Pour the pineapple into a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
  - Repeat the canning process immediately.
  - Discard the pineapple.
10
Store the properly-sealed jars in a cool, dry place for no more than 2 years. Label the jars with the canning date and contents. For storage, choose a dark spot with average-to-low indoor humidity and a temperature that never exceeds 95 °F (35 °C)—and ideally stays between about 50 and 65 °F (10 and 18 °C). For the best flavor, open the jar within 1 year and eat the pineapple as soon as possible afterward.^{[14]
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- The pineapple will typically remain safe to eat for up to 2 years, but the flavor may begin to suffer.
- If the contents look moldy or if there are any unpleasant odors when you open the jar, discard the pineapple.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cutting a Pineapple

1
Cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple to create a flat base. Lay the pineapple sideways on a cutting board, hold it steady with one hand, and use a knife to slice down through the top 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of the pineapple, taking the leaves off with it. Spin the pineapple around and cut off the bottom 0.5 in (1.3 cm) in the same fashion.^{[15]
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- It’s important to cut off the bottom so that you can stand the pineapple upright with a stable, flat base. And cutting off the top gets rid of the prickly leaves!
2
Shave off the pineapple’s skin from top to bottom with your knife. Stand the pineapple upright on your cutting board on its now-flat bottom. Starting at the top, position the blade of your knife between the skin and the flesh of the pineapple. Guide the knife downward, following the bulging shape of the pineapple, until you reach the bottom. Try to “shave” off only the skin, not the flesh.^{[16]
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- Repeat the process until you’ve removed the entire skin.
3
Cut out the “eyes” in the pineapple’s flesh with a paring knife. The eyes are inedible brown spots that will still be embedded in the flesh after you cut off the skin. You can cut them out individually with a paring knife, or—since the eyes are laid out in a spiral pattern—make a V-shaped trench that spirals around the pineapple from top to bottom.^{[17]
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- Alternatively, if you want to save time and don’t mind wasting some of the edible pineapple, shave away the outer 0.25 in (0.64 cm) or so of the flesh as you cut away the skin. This will remove most if not all of the eyes as well.
4
Slice the pineapple into either rings or quarters. To cut rings, lay the pineapple on its side and slice straight down through it repeatedly. To cut the pineapple into quarters, stand it upright on its base. Sliced straight down through the center of the pineapple. Lay one half flat-side down on the board and cut in in half lengthwise. Repeat with the other half.^{[18]
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- If you’re making rings, cut them about 0.25–0.5 in (0.64–1.27 cm) thick.
5
Remove the core with either a biscuit cutter or your knife. If you cut rings, lay each ring flat on the board. Pick out a circular biscuit cutter that’s slightly larger in diameter than the tough, circular pineapple core. Lay the cutter over the core, push down firmly, give it a slight twist, and lift the cutter away—the core piece should come out with it.^{[19]
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- If you cut the pineapple into quarters, stand one quarter upright on its base. Slice straight down through the pineapple, just outside of the pie slice-shaped core—it’s lighter in color and much more dense than the flesh. Repeat with the other quarters.
6
Dice the pineapple into bite-size pieces as needed. If you want to serve or use pineapple rings, you’re all set! Otherwise, lay a pineapple quarter on its side and cut it into 0.5 in (1.3 cm) slices. Cut each slice into 0.5 in (1.3 cm) cubes, then repeat with the other quarters. ^{[20]
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- You can make the cubes a bit bigger or smaller if you wish, but try to keep the size consistent.