Can You Freeze Pineapple?

What happens when you freeze pineapple

Pineapple flesh is fibrous rather than delicate, so it holds together through a freeze that would collapse a peach or a melon. Thawed chunks soften and lose a little bite, but they stay recognizable pieces of fruit with the acid and the perfume intact. Frozen, they are better than fresh for anything blended, and they are the reason a piña colada tastes the way it does. The only thing lost is the raw crunch.

How to freeze it right

1. Wait until it is ripe and fragrant at the base — pineapple doesn’t get sweeter once it is cut.
2. Cut off the top, skin, and eyes, quarter it, and trim out the core.
3. Cut into chunks or rings, then freeze them spread on a lined tray until solid.
4. Bag the frozen pieces with the air pressed out and date them — ripe pineapple only holds 5–7 days in the fridge.

Thawing and using it

Blend it frozen for smoothies, coladas, and lassis, or grill half-thawed rings straight from the bag. Thaw it in the fridge for salsa, fried rice, ham glaze, and upside-down cake, keeping the juice that collects. Skip the counter, as always.

Can you refreeze it?

Fridge-thawed pineapple can be refrozen safely, though every round leaves it softer and stringier. Puréed pineapple refreezes better than chunks do.