I prefer to get local, seasonal fruits and vegetables whenever possible. But no matter how often I check, it never seems to be pineapple season in Cleveland. So I make do with the imported ones. Whether you have access to local ones or not, it’s handy to know how to cut them once you get them.
Start with a whole pineapple.
Lay it down and cut the top off, about an inch from the end.
Set the top aside to use in a centerpiece, or on top of whatever dish you’re making with the pineapple.
Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise.
Lay each half down and cut in half lengthwise again. Make sure you cut right through the center of the core.
There are three ways you can hold it to cut the core out. First, stand the quarter up with the core facing to the side and, using your large knife, cut straight down.
The second way is to turn it so the core is facing you and use a paring knife. This is a bit slower, but you have better control so you can trim closer to the core.
The third way is to lay it down and slice toward yourself with the paring knife. This offers the most control, so you can get the closest trim, but cutting toward yourself is slightly risky. Don’t do it unless you’re very confident in your knife handling.
Next, cut each quarter in half lengthwise again.
Now you’ll cut the peel off. Again there are a couple of ways to do it. First, stand the segment up and cut down with the paring knife.
I’ve tried that step with the big knife and I can’t get it trimmed close on the first try. I end up spending more time cleaning it up than it would have taken to work slower with the smaller knife to begin with.
If you have a curved knife you can get even closer, and you can work with quarters instead of doing that last cut two pictures back. I don’t have a curved knife, so I go slower.
The second way is to slice toward yourself. Again, don’t use this method unless you are very confident in your knife handling.
You want to trim as close to the peel as possible, but sometimes you get too close. Then you end up with bits of “eye” left in. These are stiff, almost spiny pieces of the peel. You don’t want to eat them, and will need to trim out any of them that you left.
If you didn’t get it all while you were cutting off the peel, trim off the bottom.
Now for one last lengthwise cut — we’re down to one-sixteenth wedges if you’re counting.
Lay these long, skinny wedges on their sides and cut lengthwise about a third of the way from the base. You want a wide slice of the skinny end of the wedge, and a skinny slice of the wide end.
Turn all the segments sideways and dice into bite-sized chunks.
And that’s it.
I’ve got a really incredible recipe coming up that I used this in. If you like pineapple even a little bit, you’re going to want to come back for this one. Sign up using the form below.
12 Comments
Mmmm–can’t wait to see what you did with this baby!
What, there really are no pineapples native to Cleveland?!
I LOVE fresh pineapple! Erm….but if one happens to eat a whole pineapple by themselves, there may be stomach distress later. Not like *I* would know….I’m just saying. ::cough::
I don’t like the fruit; its the texture of it in my mouth. Weird I know. My daughter is like that about oranges. But I love pineapple juice!
Good tutorial though on prepping a fruit thats not easy to handle.
Ali @ A Cosy Life
Jenni, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you say where you live now. If you live someplace where you can get them, I really don’t want to hear it. Not with forecasts for the low 30s later in the week.
Amy, a whole pineapple? I like them, but about halfway through I think I’d be tired of it.
Ali, that’s not weird at all. Mouth feel counts for a lot. For instance, Jelly Belly makes a buttered popcorn flavor that tastes exactly like buttered popcorn. I love jelly beans. I love buttered popcorn. But those things make me want to hurl. That flavor isn’t supposed to be chewy.
I’ve got a fresh pineapple sitting on my counter awaiting your recipe!
No pineapple growers in Delaware… (:D
I’m the same way with Buttered Popcorn Jelly Bellies. Glad you told me the “Why” behind it. They say that that’s their #1 flavor. I don’t get it.
On one of my trips to Hawaii (when I was younger and my parents were paying the bills) I remember being told that if the pineapple was too sour to sprinkle a bit of sugar on it and if it were to sweet (I don't think it's possible) to sprinkle with salt.
And I have a stepson (22 years old) who could sit down with 4 fresh pineapples and leave not but the crowns & peels.
April, get yourself a loaf of good, sturdy bread. Italian, or firm white … just not “Wonder bread” soft.
Barb, it’s a conspiracy I tell ya.
Carol, that’s really their #1? I’ve met people who like them, but never anyone who said they were their favorite. Weird.
Stephanie, that’s too much pineapple. I mean, really.
Mmmmm, pineapple. Great tutorial, thanks!
I think your pineapple is unripe.
Being in Australia I eat heaps of pineapple and I know when it has those green bits between the segments it will be tart/sour and not as juicy.
I generally leave it to ripen up (so the green bits are brown or at least 'less green') – that makes it much nicer… (sweeter and juicier).
Try sticking it in a fruit bowl with some bananas to accelerate the ripening process.
JM2C
Anon, thanks for the tip. This was pretty sweet as it was, and I actually like a bit of tartness. Nice to know what to look for though.