Don’t throw out your pineapple skin! It’s secretly the best part if you know what to do with them. We savor every last drop of goodness from pineapples by creating this pineapple peel tea.

What you’ll need for homemade pineapple peel tea:

Pineapple skin from a fresh, cleaned pineapple
Fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Fresh turmeric, peeled and grated (a dash of turmeric powder works, too!)
Honey, agave, or maple syrup (or another natural sweetener like simple syrup)
Fresh orange and/or lemon juice (we used blood oranges and a lemon)
Water
Optional spices like: cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, cayenne, whole cloves

What to do to make homemade pineapple peel tea:

Step 1: Clean the pineapple.

Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the pineapple body and add 1-2 tablespoon of vinegar—this shouldn’t affect the pineapple’s flavor. Allow it to soak for between 20-30 minutes, then rinse well with clean water.

Step 2: Remove the peel.

Pat the rinsed pineapple dry and then remove the peel with a sharp paring knife. You can also use the pineapple core.

Step 3: Prepare the remaining ingredients.

Prepare the ginger and turmeric roots by washing and peeling them, and then grating them using a garlic grating dish or a fine grater. Do this step with gloves on as the turmeric will stain your skin. Juice the lemon and oranges.

Step 4: Brew the pineapple tea.

Add all of the ingredients (except the honey/sweetener) into a large pot with water and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for an hour—the longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will become.

Step 5: Strain and decant the pineapple skin tea.

Allow the tea to cool down slightly before you strain it and transfer it to bottles. You can forgo straining and simply remove the large pieces of pineapple skin, ginger, turmeric, and spices, however you will then have some remaining pulp in the drink.

You can add a little sweetener now (we used honey, but maple syrup or agave would work, too), or add it just before serving your tea—or omit this step entirely! The pineapple tea is then ready to drink immediately, served with a splash of sparkling water, or store it for later.

Interested in making pineapple tea at home? Try fresh produce delivery with Misfits Market.

How to store homemade pineapple scrap tea:

In the fridge: Store the leftover pineapple skin tea in airtight glass containers (so they don’t stain) in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

In the freezer: The pineapple tea can also be frozen into ice-cubes for 1-2 months. Then, add the cubes to drinks.

Get the recipe for pineapple peel tea:

Pineapple Peel Tea

Author: Misfits Market

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

1–2 tablespoons vinegar
Pineapple skins from a fresh pineapple
Fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Fresh turmeric, peeled and grated (a dash of turmeric powder works, too!)
Honey
Orange juice and/or lemon juice (we used fresh blood oranges and a lemon)
Water
Optional: cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, cloves

Instructions

Fill a large pot with enough water to submerge the entire pineapple and add vinegar. Soak for 20-30 minutes, then rinse well with fresh water. Pat the pineapple dry, then remove the peel with a sharp paring knife.
To a large pot over medium heat, add more water, pineapple skins, ginger, and turmeric. You can also add in optional spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, and/or cloves. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for at least an hour, but the longer it simmers, the more flavorful your tea will be. and then allow to simmer for an hour – the longer it simmers, the more flavorful it will become.
Allow the tea to cool down slightly, then drain through a fine mesh strainer, discarding or composting all peels. To your pineapple tea liquid, add fresh juices like orange and lemon, plus a good glug of honey for sweetness. Drink as-is, or add to ice and top with sparkling water.