How to Cut Fresh Pineapple Safely

Proper cutting can bring out the best in a pineapple.

Pineapples don't give up their flesh too easily. Cutting one takes time and effort, and improper cutting could result in the loss of too much fruit. To avoid the spread of disease, clean each pineapple before you cut it, and only cut them on a clean, cutting board that has not been used for meat.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Clean, sanitized cutting board
• Bowl for storage
• Rubber gloves

Instructions

1. Rinse the pineapple thoroughly and put on gloves.

2. Lay the pineapple on its side and cut off the stalk.

3. Cut off 3/4 inch from the top and bottom of the pineapple.

4. Stand the pineapple on its side. Cut the skin off all around the pineapple so all you're left with is a cylinder shape of pineapple flesh.

5. Put the pineapple on its side again. Cut it into slices of any size.

6. Pick up a slice of pineapple. Use the knife to cut around the hard center in the core of the fruit. Force the core out with your thumb after it is made loose by the knife.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you can cut up your fresh pineapple, you first need to purchase it. See my article "How to Choose the Perfect Pineapple" (in the resource section) for advice on how to choose, well, the PERFECT pineapple!

• If you insist on having fresh pineapple RINGS, you'll either need a pineapple corer (sold in most grocery and big box stores) or a long, skinny knife to manually cut around the core. Good luck with that! It's not hard, just messy and a pain in the patootie!

• The riper the pineapple, the more messy it will be.

• Make sure to remove the little needle-like pronged bits from the fruit. If you eat one, you get this unexplainable twang in your mouth. Tres Annoying!

• Pineapples are slippery when they're skinless. Handle with care, or they will slide to the floor.

References

• How to Cut a Pineapple