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A pineapple with some of its skin being cut off with a knife
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5 from 1 vote

How to Cut a Pineapple (without Waste)

Here's a step by step guide on how to cut a pineapple. Also includes tips for cutting them into wedges and rings quicky and efficiently.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 1 pineapple
Calories: 452.5kcal
Author: Priya Maha

Ingredients

  • 1 pineapple
  • 1 knife

Instructions

How to Peel the Skin

  • Place the fruit horizontally on a chopping or cutting board and slice off a small section of the pineapple top.
  • Repeat the same for the bottom.
  • Place the pineapple on a cutting board with its sliced bottom resting on the cutting board. Hold it in place with one hand and use a sharp knife to slice off a thin layer of the skin following the natural curve of the fruit all around (see Note 1) with the other. At this stage, the green/orange skin of the pineapple should be completely sliced off but not the eyes.
  • To remove the eyes, use sharp knife to carve small wedges where the eyes are. Do this in spiral rows (see Note 2). Place the fruit on a chopping board if it is too slippery to hold.
  • Once all the eyes are removed, the pineapple can be cut into wedges, rings or cubes (see the sections below) and the core removed before serving or using in recipes (see Note 3).

How to Cut Pineapple Wedges

  • Once peeled and the eyes carved out, cut the pineapple in half lengthwise.
  • Cut each half into two to make 4 long quarters of the pineapple.
  • Using a sharp knife, slice off the core. Make sure to remove the core properly without cutting off too much of the fruit.
  • Serve or use as intended.

How to Cut Pineapple Rings

  • Once peeled and eyes carved out, place the peeled pineapple in a horizontal position on a cutting board.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut it out into thin round slices (about 1cm thick).
  • To remove the core, press a round metal cookie cutter in the center of each slice. Choose a cutter that is sufficiently small to cut only the core without cutting off too much of the flesh. Discard the core (see Notes 4 & 5) and serve.

How to Cut Pineapple Cubes

  • Peel the pineapple, remove the eyes and cut it into wedges (see the section above on how to cut wedges).
  • Place the wedges horizontally and slice them into small cubes. Serve or use as intended.

Video

Notes

  1. When peeling and cutting pineapples, it is important that your knife is sharp. A sharp knife will help you cut the fruit without having to exert much pressure. A blunt knife means you would have to press the knife in harder as you cut and would indirectly squash the fruit as you are cutting it (resulting in the juices dripping and making it harder for you to hold and cut it).
  2. You would typically be able to see the eyes in a spiral pattern around the fruit and you can easily follow the pattern in carving them out.
  3. The core is edible but is often discarded because it can be harder and fibrous. In my experience, I find eating the core can cause the tongue to become a little itchy (for a short while) so I normally discard it.
  4. The core can be hard, and it is advisable to use a sturdy metal cookie cutter. 
  5. If you do not have a round cookie cutter, use a small sharp knife to cut the core circles out.

Nutrition

Calories: 452.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 118.7g | Protein: 4.9g | Fat: 1.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 9.1mg | Potassium: 986.5mg | Fiber: 12.7g | Sugar: 89.1g | Vitamin A: 524.9IU | Vitamin C: 432.6mg | Calcium: 117.7mg | Iron: 2.6mg