If you want to know an easy method for how to cut a pineapple, this guide is for you! Pineapples can be intimidating because of their prickly outer skin, but they’re actually a breeze to peel and slice in a few simple steps!
While developing this guide for how to cut a pineapple, I learned a really neat trick for treating fresh pineapple. If you experience an uncomfortable sensation in your mouth or throat while eating it, you should treat it with salt. A quick saltwater soak neutralizes the enzyme in pineapple that is responsible for the tingling feeling. I share all the details below for why this works and how to do it!
How To Tell When A Pineapple Is Ripe
Contrary to a common belief, pineapples don’t ripen after they are picked! So you want to choose a ripe one at the store. They may get softer, but they will not get sweeter over time. Here are my tips for picking a sweet, ripe pineapple:
- The best way to tell when a pineapple is ripe is by smelling the bottom of the pineapple. It should smell sweet, just like fresh pineapple juice. If it doesn’t smell at all, it’s underripe and will not taste good. If it smells fermented or vinegary, it’s overripe and should be avoided.
- Next, take a look at the pineapple itself. The leaves should be mostly green and firm, and the skin should have a golden hue (the fewer green spots, the better). It should also give slightly when pressed, but shouldn’t be mushy.
- Since you should eat fresh pineapple soon after purchasing, store any ripe pineapples that you don’t plan to cut immediately in the fridge for a few days to maintain their flavor and texture.
Pro Tips For Cutting Pineapple
Use a large, sharp knife for the main work. A sharp chef’s knife is ideal for removing the top, bottom, and sides of the pineapple before working on the eyes. You should also use a large knife to slice the pineapple once it’s prepped.
Use a small paring knife to cut out the brown spots (eyes). Since removing the pineapple eyes is more detailed work, a small, sharp paring knife is ideal. It’s easier to hold and is better at removing the small eyes. Using a large knife for this step would cause you to lose a lot of juicy pineapple flesh!
How To Cut A Pineapple
Below, I’ve highlighted step-by-step process images along with instructions for cutting fresh pineapple into rings and chunks. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Lay the whole pineapple on its side on a cutting board and slice off the woody top of the pineapple with a large, sharp knife.
2. Cut off about 1 inch from the bottom of the fruit.
3. Stand the pineapple upright on one of the flat sides. Use a knife to cut down between the outer skin and the flesh. Try to cut as close to the skin as possible to avoid wasting any sweet flesh. For now, don’t worry about the brown bits (called eyes) that remain.
4. Grab a paring knife and cut out each eye. You can also scoop them out with a small spoon.
5. To cut the pineapple into rings: Lay the pineapple on its side again and cut cross-wise into thin or thick slices to make pineapple rings.
6. If you want to remove the tough core, use a small round cookie cutter, about 1-inch wide, to punch through the center. (While a pineapple corer does exist, I find that some flesh is wasted when using one, so I tend to avoid them.)
7. To dice the pineapple: After removing the brown spots in Step 4, make sure the pineapple is standing upright again. Cut it in half lengthwise.
8. Then lay it on its side and halve each piece lengthwise to make 4 quarters.
9. Cut out the fibrous core and discard it.
10. Chop, slice, or dice the pineapple into whatever size pieces you need. Larger pieces work well for fruit salad and kabobs. Smaller pieces work well for relishes and salsa. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
How To Cut A Pineapple
Cut a pineapple in minutes with my simple guide! Learn how to make pineapple rings, chunks, or small diced fresh pineapple.
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Instructions
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Slice off the top and about 1-inch from the bottom of the pineapple.
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Stand the pineapple upright on one of the flat sides. Using a sharp knife, start at the top of the pineapple and cut down between the skin and the flesh to remove the skin from the pineapple. (It’s ok if some of the “eyes” or brown spots remain. Cutting closer to the skin saves the precious pineapple flesh!)
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Remove the “eyes” with by cutting each out with a paring knife or scooping out with a small spoon.
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To cut into rings: Turn the pineapple on its side and cut cross-wise into your desired thickness. Use a circular cutter, about 1-inch wide, to punch through the center and remove the tough core, if you like.
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To dice: Stand the pineapple upright and cut the pineapple in half lengthwise through the core. Then cut each half in half lengthwise. Lay the quarters on their sides and cut out the core.
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Dice into pieces according to their use. Larger pieces work well for fruit salad and kabobs. Smaller pieces work well for relishes and salsa.
Notes
- How to store cut pineapple: Store cubed, sliced, or peeled pineapple in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. If, during this time, it starts to develop an alcohol-like smell, it’s time to throw it out!
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 247mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Vitamin C: 108mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
*Nutrition Disclaimer
Do You Have To Cut Off The Brown Eye Spots?
If the eyes are very small and not prickly, I leave them alone. But I cut out larger ones as the prickliness makes them unpleasant to eat.
If your pineapple has a lot of large eyes all over and you want to remove all of them, here’s an easy way to cut lots of them at one time. You’ll notice the dark spots line up in a spiral pattern around the pineapple. Lay the pineapple on its side and make long, V-shaped cuts around each one, removing the eyes and cutting a spiral pattern around the pineapple. This trick has the added bonus of looking very pretty, especially if you slice the pineapple into rings after.
Try Soaking Your Pineapple In Salt Water (Really!)
This may sound strange, but my executive editor, Sarah, swears by this pineapple hack. If you’ve ever experienced a tingling or itchy sensation in your mouth or throat after eating fresh pineapple, it’s caused by a protein-digesting enzyme called bromelain. To prevent this sensation, soak the pineapple in salt water to activate the protein before you eat it! This will minimize or totally eliminate that uncomfortable feeling when you eat the fresh pineapple. Keep in mind that you only need to do this if you’re enjoying pineapple raw; cooking eliminates the tingling effect, as well!
For the salt water bath, you need a general ratio of 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of water. To soak one pineapple, mix 1 tablespoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water and stir until dissolved. Add 2 cups of cold water, then add the peeled whole pineapple or cut pineapple chunks. Let it soak for a few minutes (just 5 to 10 minutes will do), then drain and rinse with cold water.
Will the pineapple taste salty? It may have a slightly salty taste, but that actually enhances the sweet flavor, similar to how sprinkling salt on watermelon makes it taste better!
Ways to Use
Fresh cut pineapple is a tasty, refreshing snack on its own. My boys absolutely love nibbling on pineapple rings! An old-fashioned pineapple upside down cake is a classic use of pineapple rings. Diced pineapple is perfect in ambrosia salad, pineapple salsa, or fruit salad. Save some cubes for sweet and sour chicken! (This is also a good way to use pineapple chunks you might have left from a fruit tray.) You can even freeze the cubes to make a homemade piña colada!
Try These Other Helpful Tutorials
If you found my guide for how to cut a pineapple helpful, check out more of my hacks for baking and cooking.
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Pineapples aren’t the only tricky topical fruit to cut! Get my tips for how to cut a mango so you can avoid the pit and have juicy, cubed or sliced mango.
If you’ve tried this “how to cut a pineapple” guide, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
