How To Cut A Pineapple: Easy Step-by-Step Guide
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Cutting a pineapple might look daunting, but once you know how, it’s actually pretty simple. Not only will you save a little money by doing it yourself, but fresh pineapple lasts longer than the pre-cut stuff, which is often past its prime by the time you buy it. Whether you’re making my pineapple salsa, tossing it into fruit salad, grilling it for a tropical side, baking a cake, or blending it into a smoothie, fresh pineapple makes all the difference in your favorite pineapple recipes. Follow the steps below to select and cut one like a pro.
Table of Contents
How To Select A Pineapple
First things first—to ensure that you select a ripe pineapple while at the store, smell it. The fruit should smell fragrant and a bit sweet at the stem end. Look for fresh green leaves at the top of the pineapple. Also, if you gently squeeze the pineapple, it should “give” just a little (but avoid any pineapples that have soft spots or bruises, as those are signs that it’s past its prime).
How To Cut A Pineapple: Step-by-Step Instructions
Before cutting into the pineapple, wash it under cold running water and scrub it gently with a produce brush if you’ve got one. Lay it down on its side on a large cutting board and cut a slice off of the bottom of the pineapple using a sharp chef’s knife.
Slice off the top taking care to avoid the pointy leaves (they can be sharp)!
Stand the pineapple up with the flat bottom on your cutting board. Holding the top of the pineapple steady with one hand, use your other hand to start cutting away the pineapple’s outer skin.
Take off enough to get just past the brown spots (or eyes) in the flesh, but take care not to cut too far into the fruit.
Keep the pineapple standing on one flat end and carefully slice each side of the fruit, getting close to but not cutting into the center core.
Lay the pieces down with the flat side on the cutting board and cut into spears, wedges, or bite-sized pieces.
Enjoy!
Storage
Before cutting, keep a whole pineapple at room temperature for 1 to 2 days (it will continue to ripen). Once cut, place the pineapple in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you’d like to store it longer, freeze the pineapple by laying the pieces on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Frozen pineapple will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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A few more tips based on experience from living 20+ years in Central America:
For testing pineapple ripeness, pull one of the centermost leaves straight up. If it comes loosely, it’s ready; if it’s a struggle, it needs more time to ripen.
There’s a technique for taking out the eyes by cutting them in a spiral. This way you leave more of the fruit.
Locals usually slice the pineapple crossways about half an inch thick, then halve the disks through the core. The piece of core provides a handle to hold while nibbling on the juicy fruit.
Finally, don’t throw out the pineapple peel and core. Locals cook the extra parts in water with 3-4 allspice balls and/or stick cinnamon, then drink it as a tea (ponche de piña).
¡Muchas gracias Corita! Voy hacer el ponche con la piña que tengo en la cocina hoy.
How to cut a Papaya?
Hi Judy, I’ll have to add that to my list of how-to’s to work on! In the meantime, I think wikiHow does a good job with those kinds of things.