How to peel & cut a pineapple
Why struggle to cut a pineapple while there is an easy way to do it using just a sharp knife. No fancy gadgets required.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe pineapple
Instructions
Peeling the pineapple
- Start by cleaning your pineapple with a brush and plain water. (This step is necessary if you intend to use the peel to make pineapple peel tea using the peels).
- Place the pineapple sideways on a cutting board and cut off the ends ( both top or crown and bottom).
- Stand the pineapple upright and use a sharp knife to slice off the outer skin/peel/rind. You can do this in two ways: one, you can make thin slices leaving the back spots which you can remove later or make thicker slices which of course will remove more flesh plus the black spots too.
- If you made the thin slices, use a small paring knife to remove each black spot. This method is ideal for reducing waste but more time consuming.
Chopping the pineapple
- There are different ways in which you can chop a pineapple depending on what shape you want to achieve. It ranges from slices/rings, wedges/spears, tiny pieces, etc.
- To achieve wedges/spears: cut the pineapple into quarters lengthwise and then simply slice the core (which is the very inner part of each slice and will be visible). You can then slice the pineapple lengthwise to make thinner spears. (Remember to keep the core aside if you wanna make pineapple peel tea or juice it)
- To achieve chunks/cubes: start with wedges/spears then cut them into desired chunks/cubes
- To achieve rings: lay the pineapple on its side immediately after peeling the skin off and carefully slice it into rings as thin/thick as you'd like. You can use a small cookie cutter to core by simply pressing it into each piece and remove it.
- Alternatively, you can use a small, sharp knife to cut off the core from each piece, though you wont achieve clean cuts.
How to store
- You can store the cut pineapple chunks/ rings/spears in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To freeze: Place the pineapple chunks/rings/spears on a single layer on a large tray to semi freeze (to avoid clumping together) then transfer them to an airtight bag/container for storing. Can last up to 6 months.
Notes
- If you experience the burning sensation a lot after eating pineapples, you can consider cooking it or grilling it as the chemical responsible for that burning sensation breaks down on cooking.
- Since pineapples are very acidic, it's advisable that those who struggle with heart burns or rather acid reflux to avoid eating too much pineapples on their own. A perfect way to enjoy them would be making a smoothie with them using yoghurt or dairy milk to help neutralize the acidity.