How to Cut a Pineapple

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References

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

1
Smell the pineapple. 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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2
Look at the pineapple. 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.
3
Press on the pineapple. The pineapple should be firm. It will give a little to firm pressure. If the pineapple feels soft and mushy, then it is overripe. The pineapple should be heavy for its size.^{[3]
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4
Check the crown. Pull off one of the middle leaves. If it comes off easily, the pineapple is good to go.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Peeling the Pineapple

1
Place the pineapple on its side. Use a cutting board or other cutting surface.
2
Cut the crown and the stem off. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut them both off about a half inch into the pineapple.
3
Stand the pineapple up on one end. Slice the skin off the sides, going from top to bottom. 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.^{[4]
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- 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.
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.^{[5]
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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

Part 3 of 3:
Cutting the Pineapple

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.^{[6]
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- One pineapple will yield around 4 cups of chunks.
3
Add the pineapple to your recipe or meal. 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.

Community Q&A

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.
Question

Should I add water when storing it in the refrigerator?

Community Answer

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.
Question

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

Community Answer

Yes. Wrap it carefully.
Question

Can I plant the eyes?

will Hawkins

Community Answer

No. New baby pineapples grow from the crown, so planting the eyes does little good. Instead, place the crown on damp soil and it will root to grow a new pineapple plant, though it will take a year in the sunshine to fruit.
Question

If I cut one half of the pineapple and not the other, will it rot?

Community Answer

As long as the uncut side is wrapped in plastic, it shouldn't rot.
Question

Will cut pineapple turn brown?

Community Answer

Yes, cut pineapple does turn brown. This means that it is oxidizing, as the flesh is exposed to air. To slow down this browning process, coat the cut pieces with lemon juice; the ascorbic acid in the lemon juice helps to slow the oxidization. Place the lemon-coated pineapple slices into an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator. Use within four days. Cut pineapple can also be frozen, during which time it will not turn brown. Of course, the best way to prevent the oxidization is to eat the pineapple straight after you've cut it!
Question

Can I use a potato peeler to cut spots out of pineapple?

Community Answer

Yes, that can work. Make sure the peeler is clean, and you have enough pineapple to cut out.
Question

Why can't I cut it when it's green?

Caeiia

Top Answerer

Green flesh is tougher, plus it means the fruit is unripe. Unripe pineapple shouldn't be eaten.
Question

After peeling and cutting, I was told to cook pineapple for about 2 minutes and that would remove some of the acidity, is that right?

Community Answer

I'm no expert, but if you read below about marinating meats and possibly making gelatin, it says the acid can break down the meats to the point of them falling apart. Also it says it stops gelatin from setting, so if you want to make gelatin with pineapple, cook it first.
Question

Will it ripen on the counter?

Community Answer

Yes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get rotten.

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.

Thanks!
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