Perapiña, doesn't really contain pears; it's a lovely, refreshing rice and pineapple tropical drink, and a cherished part of Dominican childhood memories. This is a fail-proof recipe.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Jan 3, 2004
❝ I love it. ❞
Why we ❤️ it
Rendir, y aprovechar (making the most of everything) is the motto of Dominican mothers, and pera-piña or perapiña (pineapple and rice juice) is one of those dishes that proves it. Don't let the ingredients fool you-it's a nutritious drink and perfect as a summer snack. It's also easy to make and kids love it.
It's, if I may say so, the Dominican version of horchata.
¿Qué es pera piña?
Pera piña, perapiña, o pera-piña is a Dominican drink made by boiling the pineapple rind and core with uncooked rice until both are tender. These are then blended with the resulting liquid.
Pineapple is a popular fruit in our country-nutritious and refreshing, rich in manganese and vitamin C-which gives this juice some of its nutritional benefits.
Pera-piña (rice and pineapple drink)
How to serve
It's a great fruit juice for breakfast, and it goes really well with Tortilla de huevo, a Dominican-style egg omelet or the classic Mangú with Tres golpes.
It's also served as a mid-afternoon snack. Serve it with Arepa, Pan de agua, or Yaniqueque for a snack, or you can serve it for dinner with Puré de yautía or Puré de auyama and Revoltillo de huevos.
Top tips
- Pineapple: You can blend the pineapple pulp and strain it to make pineapple juice, and use just the rind and core to make Perapiña juice or to make Guarapo de piña.
- Milk: Although I didn't grow up with the milk version, that one is also popular. If you want to add milk, you can add 1½ cups of evaporated milk once the juice is cold from the fridge (otherwise the milk will curdle) and add more sugar to taste if you think it's necessary.
- Storage: This juice can last up to three days in the fridge, but if you've added milk, it's best to consume it within 24 hours since the flavor changes (in my experience).
About this recipe
It took me a long time to realize that perapiña wasn't just a way my mom-a frugal woman if ever there was one-had come up with to get rid of pineapple rind and cores, just as she found ways to use almost anything remotely edible.
Honestly, as a child, I thought we were the only ones who drank this.
This pineapple and rice juice was probably given this name (pear-pineapple in Spanish) because its flavor and texture resemble those of pear juice. As for the origin of its name, that's pure speculation on my part.
I also don't know if there's anyone out there who makes it significantly differently from this, so if you make it another way at home, I'd love to hear about it. Please tell me in the comments.
Video
Recipe
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Pera-Piña [Video+Recipe] Rice and Pineapple Juice
Equipment
- Pelador y cortador de piña (opcional, pero me gusta mucho)
Ingredients
- Peel (rind) and core of 1 pineapple, rinsed (see notes above)
- ½ cup rice
- 1 galon potable water, [4.5 liters]
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar (white, granulated), (or to taste)
Instructions
1. Cut
Cut the pineapple peel and core into small pieces.
2. Boil
Combine pineapple rind and core with rice and 2 quarts [2 lt] of water in a large pot.Simmer covered over low heat until the rice is very tender and has tripled in size (about 20 minutes after it breaks the boil), adding water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level. Remove from the heat.
3. Blend
Add vanilla extract, and let it cool to room temperature, blend until all the ingredients are liquified.Strain and discard the solids. Add sugar to taste.
4. Serving
Serve chilled.
Cook's Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More pineapple recipes
In addition to perapiña, you'll find other pineapple recipes in our collection, such as the popular Guarapo de piña drink, which is also made with the rind, the traditional Pineapple filling for Dominican cake, and Dulce de piña con leche, which is a fantastic dessert with contrasting flavors. The Cheese flan with ineapple is absolutely wonderful.
And to try some of my non-traditional recipes, use the pineapple flesh to make the fabulous Piña colada from Puerto Rico, cool off with this Coconut and pineapple lemonade, or this simple Pineapple mocktail.
For savory recipes, I love Pineapple rice, and this delicious Rice salad.
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