How To Cut Pears: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

Home » How To Slice A Pear » How To Cut Pears: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

Maybe your like

Skip to ContentQuizzes
  • Home
  • Random
  • Browse Articles
  • Quizzes & Games
  • All QuizzesHot
  • Love Quizzes
  • Personality Quizzes
  • Fun Games
  • Dating Simulator
  • Learn Something New
  • Forums
  • Courses
  • Happiness Hub
  • Explore More
  • Support wikiHow
  • About wikiHow
  • Log in / Sign up
Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Cut Pears Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: January 27, 2026 References

  • Slicing Your Pears
    • |
  • Cubing the Pears
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Things You'll Need
|Show more |Show less ARTICLE VIDEO X

This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger, BA. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 179,542 times.

Pears are a versatile and delicious fruit that you can enjoy fresh, poached, baked, and even grilled. Whether you want to eat your pears on their own or as part of a salad, tart, or pie, it’s easy to cut pears into a variety of shapes. If you’re slicing pears, you can start by cutting right through the core, but if you want evenly-shaped cubes, it’s best to cut around the core first.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Slicing Your Pears

  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 1 Rinse the pear in cool water. Whether you're peeling the pear or not, it's important to wash the skin to remove any dirt or bacteria that might be on the fruit's surface. You may want to use your fingers or a vegetable brush to gently scrub the surface of the peel to ensure it gets clean.[1]
    • Using warm or hot water may change the texture of the pear.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 2 Peel the pear with a fruit peeler unless the peel is very thin. On many pears, the peel is thick and not necessarily pleasant to eat, even though it contains a lot of nutrients. If you want to peel the pear, hold the pear in one hand and the fruit peeler in the other, then drag the peeler down the pear vertically to remove the skin. Continue working all the way around the pear.[2]
    • If you like, once you remove the skin from the pear, you can use the peeler to smooth out any rough edges.
    Advertisement
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 3 Place the pear on a cutting board and slice the pear in half vertically. Carefully use a sharp knife to slice the pear from the stem to the bottom. You can easily slice through a pear’s core, much like an apple.[3]
    • Using a cutting board will help ensure you don’t damage your countertop with the knife. In addition, it will protect your knife from becoming dull, especially if your counters are made from a hard surface like tile or granite.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 4 Cut a V-shape in the bottom of each half of the pear to remove the calyx. Use the tip of your knife to cut a small notch around the woody portion at the bottom of both halves of the pear to remove it. This portion of the pear has a tough texture and is not usually eaten.[4]
    • The calyx is part of the pear’s flower that stays attached after the fruit is formed.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 5 Use your knife to help you pull off the stem and its string. Hold the stem against the flat edge of the knife with your thumb, being very careful not to cut yourself. Pull the stem away gently, pulling upward so the stringy flesh attached to the stem comes away as well.[5]
    • If the string doesn’t come off with the stem, you can just pull it away by hand.
    • In most cases, the stem will only be present on one half of the pear, although both halves may contain the string.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 6 Scoop out the core from both halves with a spoon or melon baller. The core is a small round area in the middle of the fullest part of the pear, and it contains the seeds. It will have a slightly different texture if you touch the pear’s flesh, and it may look slightly more matte, while the rest of the pear will appear more juicy.[6]
    • Discard the core that you remove from the pear.
    • If you’re serving pear halves, the hole left by the core is perfect for filling with caramel, cheese, or whipped cream.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 7 Turn the pear halves flat-side down and cut them into slices. For longer slices, make vertical cuts, or cut the pear halves horizontally if you want smaller slices. You can slice the pears as thin or as thick as you want them to be.[7]
    • By placing the flat, cut side of the pears face-down, it will be less likely to shift as you’re cutting it. This will result in more even cuts, and it will reduce your chances of accidentally cutting yourself.
    8. Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Cubing the Pears

  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 1 Wash the pear under cool running water. Even though you'll be peeling the pear, it's important to wash it first. This is because bacteria and dirt that are on the surface of the peel can be transferred to the pear's flesh while you're peeling it.
    • Use your fingers or a fruit brush to gently scrub the surface of the pear to ensure it gets completely clean.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 2 Peel your pear with a fruit peeler. Hold the fruit in your hand and run a fruit peeler vertically down the pear, removing the skin in long pieces. If you need to, go back over the pear once you’ve removed the peel to remove any small pieces you might have missed.[8]
    • Cubed pears are often used in dishes like pies, so it’s best to remove the entire peel.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 3 Lay the pear on its side and make a vertical cut on one side of the core. Cut away one side of the pear, slicing as close to the core as you can without going through it. If you feel your knife meeting any resistance when you’re slicing through the pear, you’ve hit the core. Simply remove the knife and make another cut a little further outward.[9]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 4 Turn the pear so the flat, cut side is facing down, and make 2 more cuts. By placing the cut side face-down, the pear will be more stable, and it will be less likely to roll under the knife. Make 2 cuts, once to the left of the core and once to the right. Again, be sure not to cut into the core itself.[10]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 5 Rotate the pear onto one of the new cuts and cut away the final side. At this point, you should only have 1 round side left on the pear. Turn the fruit so you can slice this side away from the core with a downward motion, which is safer than trying to cut the pear horizontally[11]
    • Discard the core when you’re finished.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 6 Cut each of the 4 pieces horizontally into 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) slices. Lay each of the pieces with the flat side down and cut them into long, even slices about 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) wide.[12]
    • If you want bigger pieces, it’s fine to make your cuts a little wider.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Cut Pears 7 Turn the pieces 90° and continue cutting at 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) intervals. You’ll be left with evenly-sized cubes, perfect for baking into a pie, adding to a fruit salad, or just enjoying as a snack.[13]
    8. Advertisement

Common Questions: Tips to Slice and Eat Pears

Do you eat the skin of a pear?

Yes, the best way to enjoy a pear is to eat the entire fruit. The skin is packed with nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which may fight inflammation and certain diseases.[14] Just be sure to wash the skin thoroughly before you eat it.

How do you cut a pear for a baby?

For a 6 to 9 month old baby, slice a ripe pear into large spears that are roughly the size and shape of a finger. Make sure the skin and flesh is soft enough so you can mash it between your fingers.[15]

Is it OK to eat a pear every day?

Yes, it’s safe to eat a pear every day. A medium pear contains 6 g of fiber, or 21% of the recommended daily value, so eating 2 pears meets the fruit intake outlined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.[16]

Video

Read Video Transcript

Tips

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Things You'll Need

  • Fruit peeler
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • Spoon or melon baller (if slicing the pear)

You Might Also Like

How toStore Pears Steam PearsHow toSteam Pears Core a PearHow toCore a Pear Eat a PearHow toEat a Pear Peel a PersimmonHow toPeel a Persimmon Core ApplesHow to Core an Apple Quickly (With & Without a Corer) Easy and Effective Ways to Keep Cut Pears Fresh and Avoid Browning Open a PomegranateHow toOpen a Pomegranate Eat an AppleHow toEat an Apple Cut a PomegranateThe Best Way to Cut, Deseed & Eat Pomegranates 4 Parsnip Prep Techniques: Julienne, Disk on the Bias & More Cut a PersimmonHow to Cut a Persimmon Fruit: Easy Tips & Tricks Eat a PomegranateHow to Cut, Deseed, and Eat a Pomegranate Pare an AppleHow toPare an Apple Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-wash-fruit-and-vegetables/
  2. ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/pear_halved.html
  3. ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/pear_halved.html
  4. ↑ https://www.runningtothekitchen.com/how-to-cut-a-pear/
  5. ↑ https://youtu.be/9zblOIXvTpo?t=76
  6. ↑ https://www.healthylittlefoodies.com/baked-pears/
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/9zblOIXvTpo?t=135
  8. ↑ https://www.craftybaking.com/how-to/pears-how-to-cube/
  9. ↑ https://www.craftybaking.com/how-to/pears-how-to-cube/
More References (7)
  1. ↑ https://www.craftybaking.com/how-to/pears-how-to-cube/
  2. ↑ https://www.craftybaking.com/how-to/pears-how-to-cube/
  3. ↑ https://www.craftybaking.com/how-to/pears-how-to-cube/
  4. ↑ https://www.craftybaking.com/how-to/pears-how-to-cube/
  5. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8409479/
  6. ↑ https://usapears.org/how-to-introduce-pears-to-babies/
  7. ↑ https://usapears.org/pears-and-diabetes-2/

About This Article

Ollie George Cigliano Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger, BA. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 179,542 times. 3 votes - 33% Co-authors: 6 Updated: January 27, 2026 Views: 179,542 Categories: Fruits and Vegetables | Food Cutting Techniques Article SummaryX

To cut a pear, start by washing it in cold water to remove any dirt or bacteria. Once you’ve finished washing it, slice the pear in half lengthwise on a cutting board. Then, cut a V-shape out of the bottom of each half to remove the calyx, which is a tough part of the pear that isn’t eaten. Pull out the stalk and string with your hands before removing the core with a spoon. If you want to chop the halves into slices, place each half on the cutting board with the flat side facing down and cut them to any size you’d like. For tips on how to cube a pear, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

In other languages Spanish German Italian French Japanese
  • Print
  • Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 179,542 times.

Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Ollie George Cigliano Co-authored by: Ollie George Cigliano Private Chef & Food Educator 3 votes - 33% Click a star to vote 33% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 6 Updated: January 27, 2026 Views: 179,542

Quizzes & Games

What Fruit Am I QuizWhat Fruit Am I QuizTake QuizWhat's the Best Meal Kit for Me QuizWhat's the Best Meal Kit for Me QuizTake QuizIQ TestIQ TestTake QuizFinish the Phrase QuizFinish the Phrase QuizTake Quiz

You Might Also Like

Store PearsHow toStore PearsSteam PearsHow toSteam PearsCore a PearHow toCore a PearEat a PearHow toEat a Pear

Trending Articles

What Every Domain Expansion Hand Sign Means In Jujutsu KaisenWhat Every Domain Expansion Hand Sign Means In Jujutsu KaisenSigns a Woman is Sexually Attracted to YouSigns a Woman is Sexually Attracted to YouWhat Female Body Shape Are You? How to Identify YoursWhat Female Body Shape Are You? How to Identify YoursWhat Fruit Am I QuizWhat Fruit Am I Quiz

Trending Articles

Do You Agree with These "Hear Me Out" Character Hot Takes?Do You Agree with These "Hear Me Out" Character Hot Takes?Do I Have Main Character Energy?Do I Have Main Character Energy?Finish the Lyrics QuizFinish the Lyrics QuizCan Your Finger Length Tell Your Personality?Can Your Finger Length Tell Your Personality?

Take the Quiz Everyone Is Talking About

160+ Good Roasts to Burn Your Friends & Family Members160+ Good Roasts to Burn Your Friends & Family Members Play the Snaps Guessing GameHow to Play the Snaps Guessing Game140+ Wavelength Game Categories & Questions to Extend Your Play140+ Wavelength Game Categories & Questions to Extend Your PlayThe Ultimate Collection of Funny, Cheesy, & Romantic Rizz LinesThe Ultimate Collection of Funny, Cheesy, & Romantic Rizz Lines

You've Seen These All Over Your Feed

What Animal Am I QuizWhat Animal Am I QuizAm I Gay QuizAm I Gay QuizHow Well Do I Know My Best Friend QuizHow Well Do I Know My Best Friend QuizAm I an Alpha, Beta, or Omega QuizAm I an Alpha, Beta, or Omega Quiz

Featured Videos

Play Dice (2 Dice Gambling Games)How toPlay Dice (2 Dice Gambling Games)Persuade a Girl over TextHow toPersuade a Girl over TextGive Someone the Silent TreatmentHow toGive Someone the Silent TreatmentMake Hibiscus TeaHow toMake Hibiscus Tea

Hot Takes 🔥 🔥 🔥

Do You Agree with These Food Hot Takes?Do You Agree with These Food Hot Takes?Do You Agree With These Fashion Hot Takes?Do You Agree With These Fashion Hot Takes?Do You Agree with These Pop Culture Hot Takes?Do You Agree with These Pop Culture Hot Takes?Do You Agree With These Board Game Hot Takes?Do You Agree With These Board Game Hot Takes?

Your Daily Dose of Fun!

Am I a Bruh Girl?Am I a Bruh Girl?Which My Little Pony Am I QuizWhich My Little Pony Am I QuizWhen Will I Get My First Period QuizWhen Will I Get My First Period QuizWhat Type of Girl Am I QuizWhat Type of Girl Am I Quiz wikiHow
  • Categories
  • Food and Entertaining
  • Recipes
  • Fruits and Vegetables
wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy.
  • Home
  • About wikiHow
  • Experts
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Info
  • Not Selling Info
  • Contribute

Follow Us

×

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

Let's do this! X --636

Tag » How To Slice A Pear