If you have heard that ‘pineapple eats you’ you must have wondered what on earth that means! Here’s the explanation behind this bizarre phrase!
‘Pineapple eats you’ – sounds a bit like something out of a horror movie doesn’t it?
You may have heard before that there are certain enzymes found in pineapples – and papaya – that eat flesh. But before you begin panicking, this isn’t quite as drastic as it sounds.
In fact, it’s something that most people only discover when they want to make jam from these fruits, as the fruits’ flesh does not gel due to enzymes they contain.
This post will take a look at exactly what these enzymes are – and why you don’t need to worry about them!
Bromelain
Pineapples contain copious amounts of bromelain, a type of enzyme which helps to break tough protein chains. It is found in large amounts in the skin and stem.
For this reason, pineapple makes an excellent marinade, as it really helps to tenderize meat. You do need to avoid marinating for too long, however, as it can cause the meat to fall apart!
It is the power of the bromelain enzyme that stops pineapples from turning into jam or jelly when combined with gelatin. The enzyme breaks the gelatin down too, so it cannot gel.
One way to overcome this is to use agar-agar as minimizes the reaction that typically occurs.
As the enzyme is so strong, anyone handling large amounts of pineapple should wear protective face wear and gloves, otherwise the enzyme can eat away at the flesh on the hands and face.
You may have even noticed yourself that if you have cut up lots of pineapple yourself that your hands may become dry and flaky. You may even notice little sores!
One of our favorite ways to use pineapple is to make an awesome pork stir fry, which produces perfectly succulent and juicy pieces of pork.
By the way, did you know pineapple is arguably the best fruit for grilling?
Paleo Pork Pineapple Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 20 ounce can Unsweetened Pineapple Chunks
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Aminos
- 1 tablespoon Grated Fresh Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Arrowroot Flour
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 1 pound Boneless Pork Chop cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small White Onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Green Onions sliced, for serving
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes for serving
- Cauliflower Rice cooked, for serving
Instructions
- Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Set pineapple aside. In a small bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, coconut aminos, ginger, honey, and arrowroot powder. Set aside.
- Heat avocado oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add pork and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, cook onion until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes Add garlic and cook until fragrant, just 30 seconds. Pour in the pineapple juice mixture and stir to scrape up any browned bits in the skillet. Add pork and pineapple chunks.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and let cook until thickened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with sliced green onions and crushed red pepper flakes. Serve over cauliflower rice, if desired.
Nutrition
If you’ve got lots of pineapple chopped up from dinner, the obvious next step is a delicious dessert. Hummingbird Cupcakes are just perfect for your spare pineapple!