How To Cut A Pineapple

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. 

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 DO I 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. 

STEPS TO CUT A PINEAPPLE 

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. 

HOW TO SERVE FRESH PINEAPPLE

Like I mentioned earlier, the possibilities are virtually endless because it’s great in sweet and savory recipes. 

Savory:

Add diced pineapple to teriyaki sauce and make chicken teriyaki with it. 

Pineapple Grilled Chicken Kebabs are wonderful as an easy grilled dinner. 

Add it to various fish tacos or chicken tacos for a sweet and juicy burst of flavor. 

Sweet:

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

Learn how to easily cut a pineapple in just a few steps. Fresh pineapple is great to use in cooking, grilling, desserts, or just have it as a snack. 

Course Dessert, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword how to, pineapple

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 10 (10-12 servings)

Author lyuba

Equipment

• Large cutting board
• Large sharp knife
• Food storage container with an air-tight lid

Ingredients

• 1 whole ripe pineapple

Instructions

Step 1 - 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.

Step 2 - 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. 

Step 3 - 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. 

Step 4 - Cut Off The Core:

• Locate the thick core at the center corner of each quarter and slice it off. 

Step 5 - 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.

Video