How to Cut a Pineapple: 4 Tips for Cutting Pineapple

Picking the right pineapple from the grocery store makes all the difference because pineapple does not continue to ripen after being picked. However, there are a few tricks that pineapple lovers can practice to pick a perfectly ripe pineapple.

1. 1. Look at the pineapple’s color. A ripe pineapple should be mostly yellow on its exterior, with a little bit of brown at the crown where its leaves are. A green pineapple isn’t ripe enough, while a dark golden yellow or orange may be overripe. Choose a pineapple with as much bright yellow skin as possible.
2. 2. Give the pineapple a squeeze. Another way to test the ripeness of a whole pineapple is to give it a light squeeze. A fully ripe pineapple will have firm outer skin with just a bit of give, while underripe pineapples will be completely hard.
3. 3. Judge the pineapple’s weight. A ripe pineapple will be heavier than an unripe pineapple because there will be more sugary juices in the interior flesh of the fruit.
4. 4. Smell the pineapple. Smell the bottom of the pineapple to get a sense of its ripeness. It should have a sweet, fruity smell, not a sour one. No smell may indicate your pineapple is unripe.

You can cut pineapple into several shapes, from pineapple rings to wedges to chunks. To cut the pineapple, you will need a sharp chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a cutting board. For a step-by-step guide on how to cut pineapple to make the most of its sweet flesh, see below.

1. 1. Cut off the ends. Slice off both the crown of the pineapple and its root at the bottom, just enough to see the color of the yellow flesh.
2. 2. Remove the prickly skin. Holding the pineapple up on its bottom side, use a paring knife in a top to bottom motion to closely shave away the prickly skin, working your way from the top of the pineapple to the bottom, around the entire fruit.
3. 3. Cut out the brown eyes. Once you’ve removed the skin of the pineapple, you’ll be left with tough, brown spots called “eyes” that dot the flesh in a diagonal pattern. They are too tough to eat, so you will need to remove them. To remove the eyes, use a small paring knife to cut a series of diagonal, v-shaped trenches around the fruit along the lines of where the eyes are located.
4. 4. Cut the fruit into your desired shape. For pineapple spears or wedges, hold the pineapple upright and cut it in half lengthwise. Place the pieces flat side down on your cutting board and halve them lengthwise again. For rings, hold the pineapple on its side, slicing through the fruit as your desired thickness from right to left or left to right. You can then cut your diced-up rings or wedges into chunks.
5. 5. Core your pineapple. Pineapples come with a tough inner core that needs to be removed before you eat them, but how you remove them depends on how you cut (or are cutting) your pineapple. If you’re making spears or wedges, stand each piece upright and slice out the remaining core from top to bottom. For rings, use a round cookie cutter (or small paring knife) to cut the center core out of the pineapple round.

Pineapple has many uses depending on the way you cut it. Here are some tips for how to make the most out of your ripened pineapple.

1. 1. Hold your pineapple upside down. Holding a pineapple upside-down can help return some of the juices back to the top. Turn your pineapple over for about a half-hour before you cut to keep the sugar evenly distributed.
2. 2. Make pineapple salsa. Add pineapple to a spicy salsa or pico de gallo to sweeten the dish up. Dice up some pineapple into smaller pieces and add to corn, peppers, tomatoes, and beans for a versatile side dish or topping for tacos.
3. 3. Grill your pineapple. If you have an under-ripe pineapple, you can grill it to soften it up before you eat it. Add grilled pineapple for a touch of sweetness on a savory burger, or eat along with ice cream.
4. 4. Try frozen pineapple. Freeze pineapple chunks in freezer-safe bags or airtight containers to use in smoothies, curries, or even just for snacking on later. Cut the fruit into the shape of your choice, then place it in an airtight container or bag with as much air removed as possible to prevent freezer burn. If you only plan on refrigerating your pineapple, you can store it in an airtight storage container and leave it in the fridge for up to seven days.

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