There are few things as good as biting into a fresh slice of pineapple, but finding the best hack to cut a pineapple properly (like our hack for cutting a mango) may be something you haven’t tried yet.
Whether you are trying to cut your pineapple into chunks or rings, this way of cutting allows you to cut away the spiky flesh and core without having to own a pineapple corer —which will just take up more room in your kitchen utensil drawer.
There are so many uses for fresh pineapple chunks and rings like our Pineapple Upside Down Overnight Baked Oatmeal or Pineapple Fried Rice Pizza (hungry yet?).
And, we’ll also tell you how to freeze your pineapple if you are wanting to use it later in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada.
Love pineapple? Check out these recipes:
- Pineapple Upside Down Gooey Butter Cake
- Pineapple Citrus Punch
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake Jello Shots
- Panna Cotta with Pineapple Chia Glaze (Vegan Friendly)
- Grilled Pineapple Latte
How can you tell if a pineapple is ripe?
- Touch it: A ripe pineapple should give a bit when squeezed. If it’s hard as a rock, it’s probably underripe, and if it feels mushy or gives a lot when squeezed, it’s probably too ripe.
- Check the Color: Some green is OK on a pineapple, but pineapples yellow as they ripen, so you’ll want a mostly yellow color for the ripest pineapple. Too ripe will start to look dark orange in color, so avoid that.
- It’s also good to know that pineapples won’t really ripen much after they’ve been picked (although it will get a little softer with time), so you’re looking for one that’s already the ripest of the bunch at the store.
- Smell it: Your pineapple should smell fruity and sweet if you sniff near the base of the pineapple. If you don’t smell anything, it may still be underripe, and if it smells sour or fermented, it is probably overripe.
- Tug at the leaves: All those green fronds sticking out the top don’t just look cool, they can also help you determine if a pineapple is ripe. Give a tug on one of the leaves and if it comes out relatively easily, it’s a sign of ripeness. If it feels like you’d have to wrestle it out, then it may be underripe.
What’s the best way to store a cut pineapple?
You can store a cut pineapple in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
If you haven’t eaten it by then, just throw the chunks into a freezer bag and freeze for use in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada (or pina colada popsicles!).
What’s the best way to freeze pineapple chunks?
Once the pineapple is cut, spread it out onto some parchment paper on a cooking sheet or large plate in the freezer.
Freezing them spread out first will keep them from all forming one large frozen clump of pineapple. Once it’s frozen, add them to an airtight freezer bag until you are ready to use.
Do I need to turn a pineapple upside down?
It’s an optional step, but if you want to make sure you get the juiciest bits of the pineapple in each bite, you can cut off the top of it and sit it upside down on a plate for 30 minutes before continuing to slice it.
As most pineapples are stored sitting upright on a counter or display, this will distribute the juice that has been sitting at the bottom of the pineapple to the rest of the fruit so you get more juicy bites from the top and middle as well.
What supplies do I need to cut a pineapple?
- Sharp knife: You’ll want a sharp non-serrated chef’s knife like this to cut your pineapple as serrated knives will let out more juice than non-serrated blades.
- Small paring knife: It’s optional, but a small paring knife is helpful to cut out any small remaining dark spots once the skin is cut off.
- Cutting board: You’ll want a large size cutting board that can fit your whole pineapple (and it’s extra helpful to have a non-slip cutting board that can go in the dishwasher as well).
- (For Pineapple Rings) Small circle cutter set: A round cookie cutter makes it easy to simply punch out the middle core with a perfect circle, but you can also use a small knife for this.
- Airtight storage containers (if storing): We love glass food storage containers for storing food in the fridge, and these reusable Stasher bags are great for storing cut fruit in the fridge or freezer.
How to cut a pineapple:
Cut off the top and bottom: Place the pineapple on its side and cut off the top and bottom of it so you are left with a cylinder of pineapple.*
*Note: Between cutting the top and bottom off, this is when you can optionally turn it upside down, sitting the cut top on a plate for 30 minutes if you want the juices to drip down to the rest of the pineapple before cutting.
Trim off the skin: Use your knife to cut down the sides of the pineapple, following the curves, until all the skin is removed.
The deeper you cut, the more fruit you’ll waste but the less “eyes” (the little dark spots that are unpleasant to eat) you’ll have to remove later.
Use a small paring knife to cut out any remaining dark spots before continuing.
Option 1: Make pineapple cubes
- Cut the pineapple in half: Standing the pineapple on its flat top or bottom, use your large knife to cut the pineapple in half down the middle of its hard core.
You’ll see a pale yellow fibrous core running the length of the pineapple and that’s what we’ll remove before cubing.
- Cut the halves in half again: Lay the halves on their flat cut side and cut in half again so you have 4 triangle-shaped wedges of pineapple.
- Cut out the core: Stand your wedge up on the cutting board and slice down to cut off the point of your triangle which has the pale white core section.
- Cut into cubes: Now you can slice the pineapple into strips and then into cubes whatever size you need for your purposes.
Option 2: Make pineapple rings
- Slice the pineapple into rounds: Cut your pineapple body into rounds about 1/2″ thick (or whatever thickness you want).
- Use a round cutter or knife to remove core: You can either use a small paring knife to cut out the core from each round section, or to make it easier you can use a round cookie cutter to simply punch out the middle with a perfect circle.
Looking for more kitchen tips and hacks? Check out:
- 40 Easy 30-Minute Dinner Ideas
- Easiest Way To Cut A Mango (With Video!)
- The Best Non-Toxic Cookware (Comparison Guide + Reviews!)
- Our Best Cake Recipes & Decorating Tips
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Ingredients
- 1 pineapple (ripe)
Equipment
- 1 sharp chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 small paring knife optional to cut out dark spots
- 1 small ring cookie cutter optional to cut pineapple rings
- airtight containers if storing
Instructions
How to cut a pineapple:
- Cut off the top and bottom. Place the pineapple on its side and cut off the top and bottom of it so you are left with a cylinder of pineapple.*
- Trim off the skin: Use your knife to cut down the sides of the pineapple, following the curves, until all the skin is removed. The deeper you cut, the more fruit you’ll waste but the less “eyes” (the little dark spots that are unpleasant to eat) you’ll have to remove later.
- Use a small paring knife to cut out any remaining dark spots before continuing.
OPTION 1: Make pineapple cubes
- Cut the pineapple in half: Standing the pineapple on its flat top or bottom, use your large knife to cut the pineapple in half down the middle of its hard core. You’ll see a pale yellow fibrous core running the length of the pineapple and that’s what we’ll remove before cubing.
- Cut the halves in half again: Lay the halves on their flat cut side and cut in half again so you have 4 triangle-shaped wedges of pineapple.
- Cut out the core: Stand your wedge up on the cutting board and slice down to cut off the point of your triangle which has the pale white core section.
- Cut into cubes: Now you can slice the pineapple into strips and then into cubes whatever size you need for your purposes.
OPTION 2: Make pineapple rings
- Slice the pineapple into rounds: Cut your pineapple body into rounds about 1/2″ thick (or whatever thickness you want).
- Use a round cutter or knife to remove core: You can either use a small paring knife to cut out the core from each round section, or to make it easier you can use a round cookie cutter to simply punch out the middle with a perfect circle.
Notes
- Between cutting the top and bottom off, this is when you can optionally turn it upside down sitting on the cut top on a plate for 30 minutes if you want the juices to drip down to the rest of the pineapple before cutting.
- You can store a cut pineapple in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will stay fresh for 3-4 days. If you haven’t eaten it by then, just throw the chunks into a freezer bag and freeze for use in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada (or Piña Colada Popsicles!).
- To freeze pineapple, once the pineapple is cut, spread it out onto some parchment paper on a cooking sheet or large plate in the freezer. Freezing them spread out first will keep them from all forming one large frozen clump of pineapple. Once it’s frozen, add them to an airtight freezer bag until you are ready to use.
Loves these tips!