How to Cut a Pineapple

Co-authored by Randall Chambers

Last Updated: July 11, 2024 Approved

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The best-tasting parts of the pineapple are on the very edge of the fruit, so it is very important to get the cut right. First, wash the pineapple. Use a sharp chef's knife to lop off the top and bottom of the fruit. Stand the pineapple on one end, and carefully make thin slices down the sides until you have removed all of the prickly skin.^{[1]
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Research source} Leave as much flesh as possible on the pineapple, and do not worry about removing the "eyes" or brown spots. Once you have removed the stem, the crown, and the skin: cut the pineapple into large circles, or chop it into chunks.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Pineapple

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Smell from the bottom to get the most accurate aroma. The pineapple must smell sweet and fresh. If you detect an odor that suggests fermentation or there is no sweetness present, skip that pineapple.^{[2]
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Research source}
Some green on the sides of a pineapple is OK, but the entire pineapple should not be green. A good pineapple is typically golden on the bottom. Avoid pineapples with visible bruising.

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The pineapple should be firm. It will give a little to firm pressure.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef

Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.} If the pineapple feels soft and mushy, then it is overripe. The pineapple should be heavy for its size.^{[4]
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Research source}
Pull off one of the middle leaves. If it comes off easily, the pineapple is good to go.

Part 2

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Peeling the Pineapple

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Use a cutting board or other cutting surface.
Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut them both off about a half inch into the pineapple.^{[5]
X
Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef

Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.}
3
Stand the pineapple up on one end. Slice the skin off the sides, going from top to bottom.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef

Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.} Cut as thinly as possible. Leave as much flesh as you can remaining on the pineapple; the sweetest part of the pineapple is the most outer flesh.^{[7]
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Research source}
- Following the contour of the fruit will help prevent loss of flesh where the pineapple bulges in the middle.
- Do not remove the eyes (brown spots) while cutting away the skin, or you will lose too much of the good flesh.
- Cut off the skin in ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) slices to remove all of the spines.^{[8]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Randall Chambers
  Personal Chef
  
  Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.}
- About 6 cuts should be enough to remove the skin from each side of the fruit.^{[9]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Randall Chambers
  Personal Chef
  
  Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.}
4
Remove the eye spots. Eye spots will all line up in diagonal rows on the pineapple. Cut a V-shaped groove along the diagonal line to remove each set of eye spots.^{[10]
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Research source} The remaining flesh is ready for cutting now.
- You will lose a bit more of the good pineapple flesh by removing the eyes this way, but it takes significantly less time than removing each eye one by one.

Part 3

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Cutting the Pineapple

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1
Cut pineapple circles. Lay the peeled pineapple on its side and cut slices around 3/4" inch thick. This will leave you with whole circles of pineapple. You can stick a fork into the thick core to hold the circle.
- The core is tough, but edible and healthy.
- You can turn the circles into rings by cutting out the core. This can be done with ease using a round pastry or dough cutter.
2
Cut the pineapple into chunks. Stand the pineapple up and cut it into quarters length-wise. Cut the core from each quarter of pineapple, and then cut each quarter in half length-wise again. Lay each of the strips down and slice them into chunks.^{[11]
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Research source}
- One pineapple will yield around 4 cups of chunks.
It is delicious eaten as it is with nothing added or you can add yogurt, whipped cream, crushed nuts, etc. Or use it to make pineapple upside-down cake, as an addition to a meat dish or as a decoration atop a dessert.

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Question

Why does fresh pineapple make the tongue feel so strange?

Community Answer

The chemicals in the pineapple burn the proteins in your tongue. In other words, when you eat pineapples, the pineapple eats you right back.

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Should I add water when storing it in the refrigerator?

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No, since pineapple has its own juice, it will stay moist as long as you keep it in an air tight container. If you put it in water it will dilute the juice and the flavor will be weaker. Kind of like when ice melts in soda.

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Can I cut and clean only half, and keep the other half wrapped in the refrigerator to cut a few days later?

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Yes. Wrap it carefully.

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Tips

The white fibrous matter in the core tastes bitter but some people like this taste. It is safe to eat, and healthy (it contains antioxidants), but it may not be to your liking because it's generally tough, although the actual taste is mild and quite appealing.

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Pineapples are low in fat and cholesterol free. They contain vitamin C and trace essential nutrients. And they are brimful of great fiber.

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Pineapples contain bromelain; this is an enzyme that breaks down protein. This makes pineapple juice great for marinating tough meat but don't marinate for too long or the meat will fall apart. Bromelain also stops gelatin from setting, so if you want to make gelatin desserts using pineapple, either cook it first or used the canned version, as both processes destroy bromelain.

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Warnings

Exercise the usual caution when using a knife. Make sure that the base of the pineapple is stable before slicing off the fruit skin.

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