The way to Lower A Pineapple (Step-By-Step With Video!)

There are few issues pretty much as good as biting right into a contemporary slice of pineapple, however discovering the perfect hack to chop a pineapple correctly (like our hack for chopping a mango) could also be one thing you haven’t tried but.

Whether or not you are attempting to chop your pineapple into chunks or rings, this fashion of chopping lets you reduce away the spiky flesh and core with out having to personal a pineapple corer —which can simply take up extra room in your kitchen utensil drawer.

There are such a lot of makes use of for contemporary pineapple chunks and rings like our Pineapple Upside Down In a single day Baked Oatmeal or Pineapple Fried Rice Pizza (hungry but?).

And, we’ll additionally let you know how you can freeze your pineapple in case you are wanting to make use of it later in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada.

Love pineapple? Take a look at these recipes:

pineapple on cutting board

How are you going to inform if a pineapple is ripe?

  • Contact it: A ripe pineapple ought to give a bit when squeezed. If it’s laborious as a rock, it’s most likely underripe, and if it feels mushy or offers loads when squeezed, it’s most likely too ripe.
  • Examine the Colour: Some inexperienced is OK on a pineapple, however pineapples yellow as they ripen, so that you’ll need a principally yellow coloration for the ripest pineapple. Too ripe will begin to look darkish orange in coloration, so keep away from that.
  • It’s additionally good to know that pineapples gained’t actually ripen a lot after they’ve been picked (though it’s going to get just a little softer with time), so that you’re searching for one which’s already the ripest of the bunch on the retailer.
  • Odor it: Your pineapple ought to scent fruity and candy in the event you sniff close to the bottom of the pineapple. If you happen to don’t scent something, it might nonetheless be underripe, and if it smells bitter or fermented, it’s most likely overripe.
  • Tug on the leaves: All these inexperienced fronds protruding the highest don’t simply look cool, they’ll additionally show you how to decide if a pineapple is ripe. Give a tug on one of many leaves and if it comes out comparatively simply, it’s an indication of ripeness. If it feels such as you’d must wrestle it out, then it might be underripe.
storage container of cut pineapple

What’s the easiest way to retailer a reduce pineapple?

You may retailer a reduce pineapple in an airtight container within the fridge and it’ll keep contemporary for 3-4 days.

If you happen to haven’t eaten it by then, simply throw the chunks right into a freezer bag and freeze to be used in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada (or pina colada popsicles!).

What’s the easiest way to freeze pineapple chunks?

As soon as the pineapple is reduce, unfold it out onto some parchment paper on a cooking sheet or giant plate within the freezer.

Freezing them unfold out first will maintain them from all forming one giant frozen clump of pineapple. As soon as it’s frozen, add them to an airtight freezer bag till you might be prepared to make use of.

cut pineapple upside down on plate

Do I would like to show a pineapple the wrong way up?

It’s an non-obligatory step, however if you wish to be sure to get the juiciest bits of the pineapple in every chew, you possibly can reduce off the highest of it and sit it the wrong way up on a plate for half-hour earlier than persevering with to slice it.

As most pineapples are saved sitting upright on a counter or show, it will distribute the juice that has been sitting on the backside of the pineapple to the remainder of the fruit so that you get extra juicy bites from the highest and center as properly.

What provides do I would like to chop a pineapple?

  • Sharp knife: You’ll need a sharp non-serrated chef’s knife like this to chop your pineapple as serrated knives will set free extra juice than non-serrated blades.
  • Small paring knife: It’s non-obligatory, however a small paring knife is useful to chop out any small remaining darkish spots as soon as the pores and skin is reduce off.
  • Reducing board: You’ll need a big measurement chopping board that may suit your complete pineapple (and it’s further useful to have a non-slip cutting board that may go within the dishwasher as properly).
  • (For Pineapple Rings) Small circle cutter set: A round cookie cutter makes it straightforward to easily punch out the center core with an ideal circle, however you can too use a small knife for this.
pineapple with bottom and top cut off

The way to reduce a pineapple:

Lower off the highest and backside: Place the pineapple on its aspect and reduce off the highest and backside of it so you might be left with a cylinder of pineapple.*

*Observe: Between chopping the highest and backside off, that is when you possibly can optionally flip it the wrong way up, sitting the reduce high on a plate for half-hour if you would like the juices to drip all the way down to the remainder of the pineapple earlier than chopping.

Trim off the pores and skin: Use your knife to chop down the perimeters of the pineapple, following the curves, till all of the pores and skin is eliminated.

The deeper you narrow, the extra fruit you’ll waste however the much less “eyes” (the little darkish spots which might be disagreeable to eat) you’ll must take away later.

Use a small paring knife to chop out any remaining darkish spots earlier than persevering with.

Choice 1: Make pineapple cubes

  • Lower the halves in half once more: Lay the halves on their flat reduce aspect and reduce in half once more so you have got 4 triangle-shaped wedges of pineapple.
  • Lower out the core: Stand your wedge up on the chopping board and slice down to chop off the purpose of your triangle which has the pale white core part.
cutting a pineapple into cubes
  • Lower into cubes: Now you possibly can slice the pineapple into strips after which into cubes no matter measurement you want on your functions.
slicing a pineapple into rounds

Choice 2: Make pineapple rings

  • Slice the pineapple into rounds: Lower your pineapple physique into rounds about 1/2″ thick (or no matter thickness you need).
making pineapple rings
  • Use a spherical cutter or knife to take away core: You may both use a small paring knife to chop out the core from every spherical part, or to make it simpler you should utilize a round cookie cutter to easily punch out the center with an ideal circle.
cubed and rings of pineapple
fresh and cut pineapple on counter

On the lookout for extra kitchen suggestions and hacks? Take a look at:


Print

get the recipe
Get the Recipe

2 methods to chop a pineapple into chunks or rings

Directions

OPTION 1: Make pineapple cubes

  • Lower the pineapple in half: Standing the pineapple on its flat high or backside, use your giant knife to chop the pineapple in half down the center of its laborious core. You’ll see a pale yellow fibrous core operating the size of the pineapple and that’s what we’ll take away earlier than cubing.

  • Lower the halves in half once more: Lay the halves on their flat reduce aspect and reduce in half once more so you have got 4 triangle-shaped wedges of pineapple.

  • Lower out the core: Stand your wedge up on the chopping board and slice down to chop off the purpose of your triangle which has the pale white core part.

  • Lower into cubes: Now you possibly can slice the pineapple into strips after which into cubes no matter measurement you want on your functions.

OPTION 2: Make pineapple rings

Notes

  • Between chopping the highest and backside off, that is when you possibly can optionally flip it the wrong way up sitting on the reduce high on a plate for half-hour if you would like the juices to drip all the way down to the remainder of the pineapple earlier than chopping.
  • You may retailer a reduce pineapple in an hermetic container within the fridge and it’ll keep contemporary for 3-4 days. If you happen to haven’t eaten it by then, simply throw the chunks right into a freezer bag and freeze to be used in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada (or Piña Colada Popsicles!).
  • To freeze pineapple, as soon as the pineapple is reduce, unfold it out onto some parchment paper on a cooking sheet or giant plate within the freezer. Freezing them unfold out first will maintain them from all forming one giant frozen clump of pineapple. As soon as it’s frozen, add them to an airtight freezer bag till you might be prepared to make use of.