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A delightfully sweet fruit, thirst-quenching and ideal for enjoying on its own or in more elaborate recipes, pineapple also has truly excellent properties: it's rich in vitamins and minerals, useful for eliminating excess fluids and aiding digestion. But perhaps you know that it's not just the pulp that has all these benefits; the rind is also rich in properties. You're probably used to throwing away the pineapple rind once you've cleaned and cut the fruit, but in reality, it's a part that can be easily recycled, as long as the fruit is organic. How? Here are 6 simple, original and creative ideas for reusing, both in and out of the kitchen, what is commonly considered a waste product.
1. Prepare Tea
The simplest way to reuse rind (this applies to pineapple, but also to various other food scraps) is to prepare a nice tea to sip warm. This is an excellent solution because the rinds will transfer the best benefits of pineapple into the water, particularly its powerful draining and detoxifying properties. Obviously, the pineapple must be organic and the rind must be carefully cleaned. Then you will have to place it in a pot full of water, turn off the heat as soon as it boils, and let it steep for 20 minutes. After the necessary time has passed, you can strain it, sweeten it to taste, and enjoy your drink.
2. Prepare a Cold Infusion
In addition to hot tea, you can also prepare a cold infusion, ideal for sipping during the warmer months of the year for a diuretic and draining drink. Take the rinds, clean them thoroughly, cut them into strips, and place them in a saucepan with 500 ml of water. Turn the heat to a boil, add herbs and spices to taste (rosemary, turmeric, orange juice, or cinnamon), and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Before sipping your pineapple rind infusion, it's important to let it cool slightly and strain it to remove any impurities. Transferred to a glass bottle, it can be stored for 1 or 2 days.
3. Homemade Vinegar
It may seem strange and decidedly unusual, but it's true: you can make a pungent and fragrant homemade vinegar with pineapple rind. Get a one-liter glass jar and dissolve a teaspoon of sugar in three glasses of hot water. Then, add the rind of one pineapple (always from an organic fruit, after carefully cleaning them), cover the jar with a cloth and seal tightly with a rubber band. Let the vinegar ferment for three weeks in a place away from heat sources, stirring every two or three days. Once ready, strain the vinegar and store it in a glass bottle in the refrigerator.
4. Tepache, the Latin American "Beer"
A truly unique drink you can make using pineapple rinds is tepache, a fermented beverage typical of Mexico, also called "pineapple beer," whose invention dates back to pre-Hispanic times. You can also make it at home: infuse the rinds with a mixture of equal parts sugar and water in a glass jug or jar, sealing it tightly. Store in a cool, dark place for about 24 hours at room temperature, then open the container. Skim off the white foam that rises to the surface, strain the liquid, and enjoy the tepache chilled.
5. Plating in an Original Way
It's not strictly a culinary use, but it can still surprise your guests at the table: have you ever thought of using pineapple rind, whole and hollowed out, as a beautiful serving dish? It's very easy: cut the pineapple in half or the base and scoop out the pulp with a melon baller. You'll have a "bowl" in which you can serve a fresh rice salad, a portion of pineapple chicken, or a simple yet authentic fruit salad.
6. Exfoliating Scrub
Pineapple rind has a particularly grainy texture that we can use to make a completely natural exfoliating scrub, capable of "opening" skin pores and helping eliminate impurities. All you need to do is thoroughly clean the rinds and then blend them with a glass of water until you obtain a viscous, grainy cream. You can then apply it directly to your skin and rinse with warm water after one minute.
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