Pineapple Juice Recipe

Trim and core

Place the pineapple on a cutting board. Trim off the top (crown) and base with a sharp chef's knife. Stand pineapple upright and slice downward to remove the skin, following the curve to remove brown 'eyes.' Quarter the pineapple lengthwise and cut out the fibrous core from each quarter. Cut the pineapple flesh into roughly 1-inch chunks.

Reserve one small wedge (about 1-2 inches) for garnish if desired.

Blend pineapple

Place the pineapple chunks into a blender. Add 1 cup cold water and the granulated sugar. Blend on high for 45–60 seconds until completely smooth and no large fibrous pieces remain.

Adjust sweetness and acidity

Taste the blended pineapple. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice and a pinch of salt to brighten the flavor. If the pineapple is tart, add sugar 1/2 tablespoon at a time and blend briefly until desired sweetness is reached.

Strain (optional)

For a smooth, low-fiber juice, place a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a large bowl or pitcher and pour the blended pineapple through it, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard or reserve the pulp for smoothies or baking. If you prefer pulpy juice, skip this step.

Combine with ice

If you strained the juice, add the ice cubes directly to the pitcher or pour the juice into glasses filled with ice. If making a sparkling version, fill glasses halfway with juice and top with club soda to taste (about 1 part soda to 3 parts juice).

Garnish each glass with the reserved pineapple wedge and a sprig of mint if using. Serve immediately for best flavor.