Hibiscus-Pineapple Skin “Tea”

Pineapple skins and dried hibiscus flowers combine to make a vibrant and refreshing drink.

Updated July 12, 2021

Hibiscus and pineapple skin tea on ice — Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

Pineapple skins contain a lot of flavor and can be used to make a delicious drink from material that would otherwise be discarded.

Pineapple skins and cores are frequently discarded, but they can be used to form the base for flavorful drinks. In Nigeria, drinks made with pineapple skins and cores, either enjoyed by themselves or combined with other flavors, like zobo, a variety of edible hibiscus flowers (hibiscus sabdariffa, flor de Jamaica), are enjoyed every day, hot or cold.

Growing up, the pineapple and zobo drink was one of my late dad's favorite things to make. He'd save pineapple skins in the freezer until we had a large batch, and then he'd simmer them all with ginger to create liters of liquid gold. Sweetened with sugar or honey, the drink is reminiscent of packaged pineapple juice.

Pineapple skins, spices, and hibiscus leaves steeping in water — Vicky Wasik

The pineapple skin "tea" is an essential part of some herbal remedies, and it's often combined with things like lemongrass, citrus of all varieties, fresh ginger, herbs, and spices. For this recipe, I chose a few additional ingredients that have complementary flavors: ginger for its sweet, peppery warmth, lemongrass for its bright grassiness, cloves for their aroma, and one dried ancho chile for its smoky complexity.

Typically, the pineapple skins and dried zobo flowers are simmered together with cloves and ginger, but I prefer to make my pineapple drink first, just in case I want to set some aside for other purposes, and then I combine it with zobo flowers to make the final drink.

Recipe Details

Hibiscus and Pineapple Skin Tea Recipe Recipe

Total 2 hrs

Serves 8 servings

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients

10 cups (2.4L) water
2 1/3 to 3 1/2 ounces (1/3 to 1/2 cup; 65 to 100g) sugar (see note)
Skins and core of 1 pineapple (about 17 1/2 ounces; 500g total)
One 4-inch piece fresh ginger (3 1/2 ounces; 100g), peeled and grated
3 tablespoons (5g) dried lemongrass
8 whole cloves
1 whole dried ancho chile
1 3/4 ounces (1 cup; 50g) dried zobo (hibiscus) flowers, rinsed with cold water
Lime wedges, for garnish
Fresh mint or basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a large pot, combine water, 2 1/3 ounces (65g) sugar, pineapple skins and core, ginger, lemongrass, cloves, and dried chile. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until pineapple skins are softened and slightly translucent, 40 to 45 minutes. Taste, and adjust sweetness with more sugar as desired.
Vicky Wasik
Add zobo (hibiscus) flowers, and stir to combine. Remove pot from heat, and allow liquid to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth, and set over a large container. Once liquid is cooled, strain through prepared strainer in batches, gathering cheesecloth into a bundle and squeezing out as much liquid as possible; discard solids between rounds of straining. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over ice, garnishing with lime wedges and mint or basil leaves.
Vicky Wasik

Notes

The sweetness of the drink is meant to be adjusted to taste and to account for variation in the sweetness of pineapples. Start with 2 1/3 ounces (65g) sugar, and adjust as needed with more sugar at the end of step 1.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The finished drink can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days, and frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
58	Calories
0g	Fat
15g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	58
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 15mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 15g	5%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 8mg	40%
Calcium 22mg	2%
Iron 1mg	3%
Potassium 144mg	3%
*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.