Produce
Pineapple
Also called fresh pineapple
A tropical fruit whose acidity, sugar and enzyme (bromelain) cut through rich pork. Fresh ripe pineapple tastes resinous and bright; tinned pineapple is cooked, softer and one-note sweet, which is why al pastor cooked with a tin tastes of a different stall.
Origin
South American. The crown on a spit of al pastor is both drip and theatre.
Flavour
Sweet-sharp, with a pine-resin perfume and a prickle from the acid and the enzyme. Overripe fruit ferments and smells of wine.
How to use it
Small dice or thin slices for al pastor, added late or used as a garnish so the enzyme does not turn a long marinade mealy. Bromelain is real: hours of fresh pineapple on raw pork will mush it and give a metallic tang. Tinned pineapple has been heated, so the enzyme is dead — safer in a long marinade, duller on the taco. Salt a savoury pineapple salsa; the fruit alone is dessert.
Storage
Whole at room temperature until it smells sweet at the base, then fridge.
Recipes using it
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