Pineapple Tea

By
Ozoz Sokoh
headshot for recipe developer ozoz sokoh
Ozoz Sokoh
Ozoz Sokoh has more than a decade of experience writing about food and culture for Food52, Parts Unknown, and more. She runs the blog Kitchen Butterfly, using it to document Nigerian recipes.
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Updated on 10/22/20
Pineapple Skin Tea

The Spruce /  Ozoz Sokoh
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 75 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 8 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
44 Calories
0g Fat
11g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 44
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 14mg 71%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 80mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This sweet pineapple tea creates deliciousness from peels, ends, and trimmings that would otherwise have been discarded. It combines warming spices with the peels and can be made as is or with additional sweeteners—white, light cane sugar, and light brown sugar work well to bring sweetness without removing the essence of the fruit. If your pineapple is super sweet, you can cut back on the sugar or substitute with your favorite alternative sweetener. The result is a drink that's spiced and refreshing.

This is great to make in large batches. You can gather and freeze your peels until you're ready to make the drink—just scale up the ingredients accordingly. You can be a touch generous with the amount of flesh you cut off in a bid to remove the eye for an additional layer of fruitiness.

It's great on ice, incorporated into punches and sangria, served hot as tea, or laced with rum for a tropical-inspired toddy.

1:40

Refreshing Pineapple Skin Tea

Ingredients

  • 1 pineapple, well-washed with crown removed

  • 10 cups water

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 stick cinnamon stick

  • 6 to 8 whole cloves

  • 1 (4- to 6-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Put your chopping board onto a clean baking tray to catch any juices that might run off. Set your pineapple on the board. Lay it on its side and cut off the base and the top. Reserve them.

  3. Set the pineapple to sit on the base. Slice off the peel in strips from top to bottom till you've peeled it all. You can be generous with the flesh you remove so you cut off the eyes as well. Reserve the peels.

  4. Cut up the fruit, slicing flesh off opposite ends, then repeat with the other sides. Reserve the core.

  5. Put the top, base, peels, and core into a large pot.

  6. Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, cloves, and 8 cups of the water.

  7. In a blender, combine the ginger with 1 cup of the water. Blend on medium until thick and the fibers are broken down, about 30 to 45 seconds. Add the mix into the pot of pineapple peels and rinse out with the remaining 1 cup of water.

  8. Bring to the boil on medium-high heat, about 12 to 15 minutes.

  9. Turn down and let simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, tasting at the halfway mark. At that time, press down gently on the skins to break up the flesh and release additional pineapple flavor.

  10. Turn off the heat and let the juice cool down.

  11. Once cool, pass through a fine sieve/strainer and discard the solids. You could also pass through a cheesecloth/nut milk bag.

  12. Decant into bottles and refrigerate. You will see some sediments settle at the bottom.

  13. When ready to drink, heat up gently or pour on ice.

Tips

  • You can make ice cubes with some of your pineapple drink for cold servings.
  • It makes a great addition to both mocktails and cocktails.

Recipe Variations

  • Feel free to use your favorite spice blends—from sweet to spicy. Sometimes, we add a whole star anise once it's off the heat and let that infuse without being overpowering.
  • Herby versions work well with lemongrass blended in instead of—or in addition—to the ginger and finished with fresh mint.
  • Combine servings with coconut water and fresh lime juice for another refreshing variation.