Things You'll Need
Paring knife or vegetable peeler
rubber gloves
A prickly pear is a fruit that comes from the nopales cactus. This pear has a sweet taste but requires some preparation before it can be consumed. Just like the cactus from which these pears grow, prickly pears are covered in tiny, hair-like thorns and have a thick skin. However, these can be removed easily so that the fruit inside can be used for candy, juice, jam, cocktails and more.
Step 1
Put on rubber gloves to avoid pricking yourself with the thorns.
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Step 2
Peel the fruit with a paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove the outer layer of skin. This will remove the tiny thorns from the skin and allow you to access the fruit inside.
Step 3
Rinse the prickly pear under cold water to remove any remaining thorns.
Step 4
Cut off the ends of the prickly pear and discard.
Step 5
Slice the fruit vertically, just deep enough to break through the thick skin.
Step 6
Peel back the skin until it is removed completely. The skin should come off easily, leaving just the soft insides of the pear behind.
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