The fastest way to peel pineapple

With its thorny exterior and delicious interior, pineapples are worth learning how to peel and cut. Here are the quickest and easiest ways to peel a pineapple .

 

Pineapples are incredibly healthy fruits . They are rich in antioxidants, high in vitamin C and fiber, and provide a helpful amount of manganese, an essential trace mineral that helps maintain the body's immune system and nervous system function.

But do you know how to cut a pineapple ? For starters, a ripe, spiky pineapple can be a little intimidating, so this article provides tips on how to choose the perfect fresh pineapple and how to slice it into delicious chunks or rings like a pro.

How to choose good pineapple

Unlike some other fruits, such as bananas or peaches, pineapples are not harvested green and then packaged and shipped to market. This means that a fresh pineapple will arrive at the market ready to eat.

To choose the freshest pineapple, look for one with a strong 'pineapple' aroma and firm green leaves at the top. If the leaves are brown or drooping, the pineapple is too 'ripe' and was not picked at the right time; pineapples will not continue to ripen after harvest, but they can spoil if left too long. Next, check the stem of the pineapple for bruising or discoloration. The freshest pineapples will have a firm skin, without yellow or brown spots.

 

Step by step guide on how to cut pineapple

Cutting a pineapple is a simple four-step process.

Step 1: Cut off the head and tail

Place the whole pineapple on a cutting board. Using a long knife, cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple. To avoid waste, cut off about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) below the stem and 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) above the base.

Step 2: Cut the Pineapple Skin

To peel a fresh pineapple, simply hold the pineapple firmly on a cutting board and cut lengthwise, removing the thick, pointed outer skin.

Once you have cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, lay the pineapple upright on its flat base. Place the pineapple on the cutting board with your non-dominant hand and use your other hand to hold a knife and cut lengthwise. The goal is to cut only the skin, so you will cut about 1/4 inch into the pineapple as you move the knife down the natural curve of the pineapple.

Step 3: Remove the remaining shell

Once you have removed the outer skin of the pineapple, you may find that there is still some sharp skin remaining in the flesh. Using a small, non-serrated knife, such as a paring knife or sharp chef's knife, hold the pineapple upright and carefully cut away the remaining skin.

Step 4: Cut the pineapple core

Now you have a neatly cut pineapple. It should be cylindrical, fleshy, and have no skin left. Next, you will cut out the core, the round, fibrous part that runs the length of the inside of the pineapple. You can cut the pineapple into quarters, then use a knife to cut this part off.

Pineapple eyes are not edible, you just need to use a small sharp knife, diagonally score each pineapple eye to remove them.