How to cut a pineapple and keep as much of the flesh as possible

Pineapple is a great treat during the Christmas season and it is full of vitamins our body needs so much especially during the winter. It is loaded with enzymes that break down proteins, so our bodies can utilize proteins more efficiently. In the following lines, we shall focus how to slice a pineapple and keep as much flesh as possible. It would be a shame to throw away the delicious stuff, right? But before we tell you how to cut pineapple properly, let us tell you where pineapples grow and how to choose the right one.

Pineapple comes from South America

In the past, pineapple grew only in South America, but now it grows in many countries where the climate offers suitable conditions, i.e enough sun, warmth and humidity. These countries include Thailand, Australia, Africa, Hawaii, the Philippines, Mexico and other countries. Pineapple is highly valued in these countries, so people learned how to cut it efficiently as to use as much of the pulp as possible.

Photo: Pixabay

How to choose the best pineaple?

A pineapple that is not fully ripe but has already been plucked, will not ripe. Take this into account when purchasing pineapple and always try to buy the ripe one. You can tell that pineapple is ripe when you can peel off the convex scales of the bark. The leaf rosette must have green leaves – not brown. Pineapple must give out a fresh and very pleasant, sweet aroma. If you keep pineapple at a room temperature it will only last for few days but you can keep cuts in the fridge and they will last little longer. But make sure you cover them with a foil or lid, otherwise the edges will become stale and turn sour.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

How to best cut pineapple

People living in the countries where pineapple grows know the best. First, cut the leaf rosette off. You can plant the rosette later and try growing your own pineapple at home just like you would a regular household plant.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Now, cut off the thinnest possible layer of the bark so that the little “black eyes” with small thorns remain on the flesh.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Photo: Radek Štěpán

You will remove the black eyes by cutting a notch in the shape of the letter V. See the picture.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Now you may cut the fruit any way you like, but you should remove the hard centre because nobody likes the hard middle stuff. Watch the video clip how we cut and portioned our pineapple.

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán