Why Is The South So Besotted With Canned Pineapple?

It takes a certain level of skill when working with pineapple to get through to the delicious interior. But you can easily breeze past that effort by reaching for your favorite brand of canned pineapple as people in the American South have been doing for ages. 

Dating back to colonial times, the pineapple has been viewed as an exotic rarity for its limited availability outside of its native tropical climate. Well into the 18th century, the exclusivity of the prized pineapple was immortalized in the architecture near seaports along the trade routes that brought the fruit into America. These pineapple carvings now stand as a symbol of Southern hospitality. With modern innovations in food preservation, canned pineapple has surpassed its fresh counterpart, both for its ease of use and shelf stability, as it has gained pantry staple status in Southern homes.

Canned pineapple is more than just a relic of days gone by; it is a living tribute. Traditional baked sweets such as the pineapple upside-down cake and the steadfast sweet and savory holiday dish of pineapple cheese casserole are just a couple of ways that canned pineapple has become prominent in Southern cooking. Further, the naturally occurring bromelain enzyme that is a hallmark of fresh pineapple and would otherwise ruin a perfectly crafted gelatin mold is rendered powerless in the process of canning, which is good news for Jell-O salad enthusiasts, of which there are a large number in the American South.

It's simply not a Southern gathering unless there's a table teeming with casseroles and mayonnaise-laden salads as far as the eye can see. With several different styles of canned pineapple to choose from, you can use rings, crushed, chunks, and more to keep Southern cooking traditions alive and well in your kitchen. Get daring and take on a precisely crafted Jell-O mold that houses your favorite jiggly dessert dotted with a host of canned fruits and other accouterments. You can also bake a rich hummingbird cake filled with fruit, spices, and a hearty dose of canned crushed pineapple. With so much sweetness to enjoy, there's also no shortage of salty and savory options too.

While some might balk at a dish of cheese, canned pineapple, and Ritz crackers, the humble pineapple casserole is a surprisingly delightful mix of salty, sweet, and savory goodness, which has kept it an annually recurring dish across holiday tables in the South. For another sweet and savory dish that's protein-packed and easy to prepare, this smoked pineapple ham recipe uses both the rings of canned pineapple and the residual juices for glazing and basting. Get creative and start experimenting with complementary and contrasting flavors that celebrate the beauty and versatility of canned pineapple.