The Best Way to Cut Pineapple!

Who doesn’t love the sweet, yellow flesh of a perfect pineapple? But given their tough outer skin and leaves, they’re about as intimidating as a porcupine! What’s the best way to cut pineapple?

I loved pineapple growing up. But it wasn’t fresh. I just don’t think my mom was up to dealing with the beast. No, what I had was the little tidbits or the rings. Wow, I was really missing out! Those are great for cooking, but there’s no comparison to the fresh fruit.

Now I’m on the hunt for a fresh pineapple whenever the price is right. Here’s how I cut my pineapples…

Start with the crown

I couldn’t find a specific term for the leafy top of the pineapple. But I think it kinda looks like a crown so I’m gonna go with that. Feel free to borrow that term!

Lay the pineapple on its side and slice the crown off first, about a half to ¾-inch into the fruit. A large chef’s knife is perfect for this due to size and sharpness. Then spin your pineapple and slice off the bottom (again, about a half to ¾-inch into the fruit). Remove both excess pieces from your cutting board along with any “prickles” that may have come off while you were cutting.

Removing the prickly outside

Now stand the pineapple on one of the flat ends. Cut away the outer shell, about a ½-inch into the fruit. A pineapple isn’t straight up and down; try to follow the natural curve of it so you don’t cut off too much of the flesh in this step. Again, clear away any prickles on the cutting board as you don’t want them clinging to the flesh as you cut. No one wants that in their bite of pineapple!

Getting to the core of it all

Notice the lighter yellow right in the center. This is the core. It’s really fibrous and for the most part, not edible. I run my knife down beside it, cutting the flesh away from the core in one big slice. Turn the fruit, and slice again on the next side. Turn and slice 2 more times and you should have the core isolated to throw away.

Bite-sized gold!

Due to the pineapple’s original size, these pieces are too big to be eaten as is. Time to take them down to bite size! I often cut the biggest piece into 3 long “spears” before cutting those down into small chunks. The two medium pieces make 2 spears, and the last slice is often just one spear on its own. Be warned – it may take some self-control to keep from eating it as you go!

A tasty reward

It’s quite a treat when you find fresh pineapple as the fruit for your evening meal. My kids almost danced any time they saw it on the table. No greater reward than the smiles on their faces AND the sweet juicy taste freed from its prickly exterior!

Eat it plain or try my new favorite pineapple drink for hot days here – I make my Frozen Pineapple Margaritas without alcohol and they are FABULOUS!

Been afraid to tackle one of these babies? Try this method and let me know if you agree it’s the best way to cut pineapple in the comments below!

Here are some other “best way to cut” articles:

• Dice that onion before it brings you to tears
• The easiest, fastest way to cut bell peppers
• Another tasty rice alternative – butternut squash!
• The best way to cut a cantaloupe