Learn how to easily cut a pineapple in just a few steps with this step-by-step instructional photo and video guide. Fresh pineapple is great to use in cooking, grilling, desserts, or just have it as a snack.
Fresh cut pineapple is great to have as a snack or to add to recipes like Pineapple Fried Rice and Pineapple Salsa.
Growing up, topical fruit like pineapples, coconuts, mangoes, and others, always seemed like an exotic treat. We didn’t buy them often and only when it was in season so it was a special occasion when mom brought home a pineapple. I’d feast of fresh pineapple slices all week long and it was wonderful.
Sweet, juicy, and slightly tangy pineapple is always a welcome addition to sweet and savory recipes. As good as it is for snacking, a burst of sweet and tangy flavors is perfect in a salsa, tropical fruit salad, in fish tacos, added to teriyaki chicken, or grilled with chicken. Recipes where to add this special fruit are truly endless.
Many people are intimidated by the tough exterior of this fruit like the spiky skin and sharp stalk. Even though it looks aggressive, don’t worry, a pineapple is actually very easy to cut and quite harmless. You will be able to get to the most desired sweetness inside within a few minutes.
How To Tell If Pineapple Is Ripe
There are three factors you want to look at and that’s the color, the feel, and the smell. Color of the pineapple and the tenderness is a little tougher to distinguish but the smell is a great indicator.
Always try to choose a pineapple that is ripe, right now, at the store. Unlike many other fruit, pineapples do not continue to ripen after it’s been picked. So if it’s cut too soon, you won’t get it much more ripe at home.
When it comes to the color, stay away from those that have too much green or too dark and orange. Those are either not ripe or over-ripe. The color you want to see is more of evenly golden yellow throughout.
There is a couple of things you can look for when feeling the pineapple. If it’s hard as a rock, it is not ripe and it you feel soft and squishy patches, then it’s started to over-ripen.
The smell is the best indicator whether the pineapple is ripe. Smell the bottom of the fruit and if it has a sweet and fruity aroma that you’re familiar with, that’s the one you want to get. If you don’t smell much at all or it’s starting to smell like it will turn into wine soon (fermented), then it’s not ripe or over-ripe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Lay the pineapple on its side and use a large, sharp knife to cut the top and the bottom off. Make a cut about 1/2 inch or a little less off the top and the bottom.
Step 2: Stand it up on the bottom cut side and slice the outer skin layer off. Start at the top and cut down along the shape of the pineapple. Try not to cut too deep so you can save as much of the sweet flesh as possible. Slice off the “eyes” that are deep and brown. Tiny lighter ones are fine to leave.
Step 3: Keep the pineapple standing and slice it lengthwise down the middle to create two halves. Cut each half, lengthwise, down the middle to create quarters.
Step 4: Locate the thick core at the corner of each quarter and slice it off.
Step 5: Chop the pineapple quarters into 1-inch chunks. You can make them thicker or thinner as you wish. If planning on making salsa or fruit salad, dice it into small pieces.
Slices or Halves
If you want to make ring slices then the cutting method is a little different. Follow step 1 and 2 but instead of cutting in half, slice it width-wise, into circles. Then, use a cookie cuter that is about 1 or 1 1/2 inches in diameter to cut out the core from each slice.
Cut each ring in half if you wish to create ring halves.
Storing Instructions:
Whole pineapple
You don’t have to cut the pineapple the second you bring in from the store but try to do it within a day or two. It will be just fine left on the counter for a day but if you want to keep it longer, store it in the refrigerator. You can keep the pineapple in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cutting.
Sliced pineapple:
You should store cut pineapple in the refrigerator right away. Place slices or chunks of freshly cut fruit into an air-tight food storage container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing:
To freeze fresh cut pineapple, sped it on a parchment paper covered large rimmed baking sheet. Make sure to spread it in one even layer and try to leave a little space between the chunks. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 2-3 hours. (Set the timer so you don’t forget it.)
After that, you can portion the pineapple chunks into freezer zip-top bags or store it in one large bag. Make sure to label, get as much air out as you can, seal, and place back into the freezer.
How To Use and Serve Fresh Pineapple
Like I mentioned earlier, the possibilities are virtually endless because it’s great in sweet and savory recipes.
In Savory Recipes:
Add diced pineapple to teriyaki sauce and make chicken teriyaki with it.
Pineapple Grilled Chicken Kebabs are wonderful as an easy grilled dinner.
Use it in the Thai Pineapple Fried Rice.
Add it to various fish tacos or chicken tacos for a sweet and juicy burst of flavor.
In Sweet Recipes:
Make tropical fruit salad or add it to the classic fruit salad.
Fruit salsa is wonderful with some diced fresh pineapple added.
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How To Cut A Pineapple
Equipment
- Large cutting board
- Large sharp knife
- Food storage container with an air-tight lid
Ingredients
- 1 whole ripe pineapple
Instructions
Cut Off Top and Bottom:
- Lay the pineapple on its side and use a large, sharp knife to cut the top and the bottom off. Make a cut about 1/2 an inch or a little less off away from the the top and the bottom.
Cut Off The Skin:
- Stand it up on the bottom cut side and slice the outer skin layer off. Start at the top and cut down along the shape of the pineapple. Try not to cut too deep so you can save as much of the sweet flesh as possible. Slice off the “eyes” that are deep and brown. Tiny lighter ones are fine to leave.
Cut Pineapple In Half and Quarters:
- Keep the pineapple standing and slice it lengthwise down the middle to create two halves. Cut each half lengthwise down the middle to create quarters.
Cut Off The Core:
- Locate the thick core at the center corner of each quarter and slice it off.
Chop
- Chop the pineapple quarters into 1-inch chunks. You can make them thicker or thinner as you wish. If planning on making salsa or fruit salad, dice it into small pieces.
Cut Into Rings:
- If you want to make ring slices of pineapple, then the cutting method is a little different. Follow step 1 and 2 but instead of cutting in half, slice it width-wise, into circles.
- Use a cookie cuter that is about 1 or 1 1/2 inches in diameter to cut out the core from each slice.
Storing:
- Sliced pineapple should be stored in the refrigerator right away. Place slices or chunks of freshly cut fruit into an air-tight food storage container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing:
- To freeze fresh cut pineapple, sped it on a parchment paper covered large rimmed baking sheet. Make sure to spread it in one even layer and try to leave a little space between the chunks. Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 2-3 hours. (Set the timer so you don't forget it.)
- After that, you can portion the pineapple chunks into freezer zip-top bags or store it in one large bag. Make sure to label, get as much air out as you can, seal, and place back into the freezer.
Video
Nutrition
Donna says
Hi Lyubab, Just wanted to say when pineapples are on sale I buy several at a time. Usually they are green but I leave them on the counter where they can get air and they will ripen. Also, don’t know if you know this but after the pineapple has ripened, if you cut off the top and turn upside down, let it sit for at 30 or longer it helps with the sweetness. I always let mine sit longer than 30. Thank you love your blog.
LyubaB says
Hi Donna,
Thanks for the tips for my readers and myself, I didn’t know that and will try it the next time I cut open a pineapple. 🙂
Produce Dude says
Good advice. I usually will just cut around the core once I’ve skinned the whole pineapple, it gives me 4 coreless segments and I can throw the core in some mixed drinks.
Akshay says
I was always scared to do this on my own! Thanks for showing me there isnt anything to be afraid of!
LyubaB says
I am happy to have helped! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
G. Gower says
Thank you for your response. I am not trying to be rude at all, and I hope you can understand that. All the best!
G says
I love so many of your recipes! It is quite obvious that you love what you do. However, have you ever thought of having someone proofread your text? Those errors are a real distraction to otherwise superb content. Please think about it to move your blog to one of the best ever..
lyuba says
Hi G! I must have really rushed through reading over this one. Thanks for letting me know!