Spiky, yellow, sweet, and tangy. Pineapples are one of the most popular tropical fruits that we all enjoy. Whether it’s in a sweet and savory Hawaiian-style ham, a delectable jam spread, or a summer cocktail, this juicy fruit can be enjoyed in many ways. But, how do you cut pineapple and get its juiciest parts? What parts should remain and what should you remove? Read on because we’ve got some handy tips to help you learn how to cut a pineapple easily!
How to Cut a Pineapple
Step 1: Cut the Top and Bottom Ends
The first step to cutting a pineapple is removing the inedible parts. On top of your chopping board, lay the pineapple on its side. Hold the body of the pineapple to steady it. Then using a serrated knife, cut off the crown (the leafy part) and the bottom of the pineapple.
Step 2: Peel Off Pineapple Skin
For this step, ensure that your knife is sharp. A serrated knife would work just fine, though you can also opt for a paring knife. Holding the pineapple upright, slice off the peel starting from top to bottom. Take note that you may end up with an irregular-shaped barrel – that’s fine, it doesn’t have to be a perfect cylindrical shape.
- The eyes of the pineapple are positioned in a diagonal way. To remove them, follow the direction of these eyes by positioning your knife at a 45º angle and cutting diagonally. You can’t eat these scraggly dots as they are prickly, so don’t forget to remove them.
Step 3: Remove Pineapple Core and Cut into Portions
Method 1: For Pineapple Cubes, Wedges, and Spears
After you’ve removed the skin, there’s just one last thing to remove – the core of the pineapple. This is the hard inner part of your pineapple. Learning how to core a pineapple is actually pretty easy. Simply slice the pineapple into four equal parts and trim it! Then, cut your pineapple into your desired portion – cubes, wedges, or even spears. This method is a great way to cut your pineapples as sweet toppings for some sweet Hawaiian pizza!
If you’re wondering whether you can eat pineapple core, yes you can! It can be tough and less juicy, but the core is as nutritious as the fleshy part of the pineapple. Plus, it is a good source of fiber.
Method 2: For Pineapple Rings
Pineapple rings are used not only to provide additional flavor to a dish but also to decorate your food – just like this pineapple upside-down cake! The easiest way to achieve these perfect pineapple circles is by using a pineapple corer.
Hold your peeled pineapple upright on your chopping board. Then using your corer, remove the inner core of your pineapple. Finally, lay it on its side and cut 1/4-inch thick pineapple slices. If you do not have a pineapple corer, don’t worry! Just lay your pineapple on its side, and cut 1/4-inch thick slices. Then, cut out the core using your knife or a circular cookie cutter.
If you want to grill your pineapple, you can use either method 1 or method 2, since grilled pineapples usually come in spear or ring shapes.
How to Cut a Pineapple Without a Knife
No knife to cut your pineapple? No problem! You can still enjoy this zesty fruit by using the pineapple pull-apart trick! Do note that this method will only be applicable to well-ripe pineapples.
- First, remove the leafy top by gently twisting it off.
- Now, loosen the fleshy sections in the insides of your pineapple. To do this, hold your pineapple upright then tap its top and bottom parts on the counter or any hard surface.
- Lay the pineapple on its side, then press it down hard while rolling it.
- Pull out small pieces of the pineapple (follow the circular pattern that surrounds each pineapple eye. This will help you figure out the fleshy sections to pull out).
How to Pick a Pineapple
Though available all year round, the months of March to July are considered the pineapple season where juicier and sweeter ones are available almost everywhere. But if it is not in season, it’s best to know how to pick a good pineapple when supply is low at the grocery store. Learning how to choose a pineapple is almost as easy as learning to cut a pineapple – just three simple steps! Here’s how to tell if a pineapple is ripe:
- Gently press on the pineapple. A nicely ripen pineapple should have a tough outer skin with tender meaty flesh.
- Note its color. Pineapples should have a greenish-yellow hue with a set of leaves with vibrant green color.
- Smell the base of the pineapple. If it smells sweet, it is fresh and ripe.
How to Ripen a Pineapple at Home
If you’re thinking about how long it takes for a pineapple to ripen on its own, it doesn’t. Generally, pineapple takes about 28 months to grow once planted and another 6 months before it is mature enough to be picked. That said, plucked pineapples do not actually ripen on their own. This is because they don’t produce a specific gas substance – ethylene gas, that is responsible for ripening fruits. So, how to ripen a pineapple? There are three easy ways to do this.
- Place pineapples inside a paper or plastic bag together with fruits that produce ethylene (like bananas, apples, and tomatoes) and store it at room temperature. Ethylene is a hormone that helps ripen the fruit, so placing pineapples near these fruits helps ripen them faster.
- Bury your pineapple in uncooked rice. Removing moisture from your fruit makes it mature faster, and rice is a natural drying agent that can help you absorb moisture.
- Storing your pineapple upside down. Since starch like sugar helps ripen fruits, positioning it upside down will help sugar, which usually settles at the base of the pineapple, reach the upper portion of the fruit making it ripen faster and more evenly.
- Besides pineapples, lemons, limes, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes, grapefruit, and watermelons also do not ripen once picked. These non-climacteric fruits rely on their stem for starch production, which is essential in their maturing process. Thus, immaturely plucked, they no longer ripen due to lack of starch supply. Also, these fruits produce little to no ethylene gas, which helps them mature on their own.
READ ALSO: How To Ripen Avocados Quickly
How to Store Fresh Pineapple
Can you freeze pineapples? Or pop them inside your refrigerator? Yes, you can! Freezing and refrigerating pineapples can help to lengthen their shelflife. Here’s how:
- Refrigerate whole pineapples. Store your pineapples in a plastic bag with holes. In the refrigerator, whole ripe pineapples can last for 4 to 5 days.
- Refrigerate already cut pineapple slices. Place your cut pineapples in an airtight container before refrigerating them. These sliced pineapples are consumable within 5 to 7 days.
- Freeze pineapples. Just open and slice the pineapples first before placing them in plastic bags or covered freezer containers. These will last up to 6 months.
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Krishia
KC is a writer, an artist, a theatre enthusiast, and a food lover. She believes in the saying, “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” That is why she has myriads of interests—from photography, cooking, designing, journaling, and the list still goes on. She dreams of traveling the whole country on her own someday to satiate her eyes, her curiosity, and of course, her stomach.
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