How To Peel A Pineapple: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Peel a Pineapple PDF download Download Article Explore this Article parts 1 Trimming the Ends 2 Slicing the Peel Off of the Sides 3 Removing the Eyes Other Sections Expert Q&A VideoWATCH NOW Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Ed Kuoha and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: October 5, 2024 Approved

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This article was co-authored by Ed Kuoha and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Ed Kuoha is a Chef and the Owner of Kuoha Culinary based in Aiea, Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of experience in various culinary kitchens and settings such as Morimoto Waikiki, where he received hands-on training from Iron Chef Morimoto. Chef Ed specializes in small catering events and private chef requests. He holds an Associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 14 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 285,684 times.

There's something very satisfying about peeling your own ripe pineapple. You'll enjoy more flavorful, juicy fruit than if you bought canned pineapple and you can control how the pieces are cut. Once you remove the top and bottom of the fruit, simply slice away the tough thick peel. Then, trim off the eyes and enjoy your fresh pineapple!

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Trimming the Ends

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  1. Step 1 Start with a ripe pineapple that's more yellow than green. 1 Start with a ripe pineapple that's more yellow than green. Press into the pineapple gently to feel if the fruit yields under your finger. Then, smell the base of the pineapple to tell if it's fragrant and sweet. If you can't smell the pineapple at all, it's not ripe enough.[1]
    • If you're using a plastic cutting board, lay a kitchen towel underneath it to prevent the board from sliding around as you cut.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 2 Lay the pineapple on its side and slice off the crown 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) below the leaves.[2] Hold the pineapple against the cutting board with your non-dominant hand and keep your fingers curled under so you don't accidentally cut them. Use a large knife to carefully slice off the end with the prickly leaves. The leaves are called the crown.[3]
    • Use a chef's knife or serrated bread knife.

    Tip: Set the crown aside if you'd like to use it to decorate a fruit platter. You could place it in the center of a platter and arrange chopped pineapple and other fresh fruit around it.

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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 3 Slice off the bottom of the pineapple so the fruit could sit flat. Turn the pineapple 180-degrees and hold it in place with your non-dominant hand. Cut the base of the pineapple off so you remove the bottom 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm).[4]
    • The pineapple will now sit flat on its bottom so it will be easier to peel the sides.
    Andrew Dornenburg Andrew Dornenburg, James Beard Award-Winning Chef

    Always peel a pineapple before cutting to remove the prickly skin. Then, place it base-down and slice off the top and bottom. Stand it upright and cut down along the contour of the fruit, following the shape to remove the peel and eyes in long strips.

    4. Advertisement
Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Slicing the Peel Off of the Sides

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  1. Step 1 Turn the pineapple upright and place a knife near the top edge. 1 Turn the pineapple upright and place a knife near the top edge.[5] Stand the pineapple so it's flat on your cutting board and hold it in place. Position a large knife at the top where the flat edge meets the side with the peel.[6]
    • It doesn't matter which end of the pineapple is up or down.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 2 Cut down the side of the pineapple from top to bottom to remove a strip of the peel.[7] Slowly move your knife back and forth to help it move down the pineapple. Try to cut the peel without removing too much fruit.[8]
    • To keep the most fruit on the pineapple, remove about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) off the sides.

    Tip: Since pineapple is curved near the top and bottom, follow the natural arc of the fruit as you cut.

  3. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 3 Slice the peel away from the entire pineapple.[9] Turn the pineapple a little so you can cut the peel away from another side of the pineapple. Continue to turn and slice off the peel until you've removed the whole thing.[10]
    • Your pineapple is now peeled, but you'll see prickly eyes all over the fruit.
    • Discard the pineapple peels or toss them in your compost.
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Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Removing the Eyes

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  1. Step 1 Look for the rows of eyes on the fruit. 1 Look for the rows of eyes on the fruit. Keep your pineapple upright on the cutting board and look closely at the prickly eyes. You'll see that these eyes fall in diagonal lines, which will make them easy to trim away.[11]
    • Although you could leave the eyes in the fruit, they can be unpleasantly prickly to eat.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 2 Cut a diagonal line next to a row of eyes. Take a small paring knife and cut into the pineapple's fruit at a 45-degree angle. Make a long diagonal cut next to 2 to 3 of the eyes.[12]
    • You can cut above the eyes or below them.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 3 Slice another diagonal line on the opposite side of the eyes. Move the paring knife so it's on the other side of the eyes and slice another line at a 45-degree angle. This will create a V-shaped trench with the eyes in the middle.[13]

    Variation: If you don't want your pineapple to have diagonal cuts running across it, you could use a paring knife to trim away each individual eye. This will leave more of the fruit intact, but it will be more time-consuming.

  4. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 4 Pull away the eyes and discard them. If the diagonal lines you cut intersect, the V-shaped piece of fruit with the eyes should be easy to remove. Use your finger to pull it out and away.[14]
    • You can discard the strip of fruit with the eyes or trim the fruit between the eyes and save it.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 5 Continue to cut diagonal rows of eyes around the entire pineapple. Cut another row of eyes below the row you just cut. Once you've cut away all the eyes from 1 side, turn the pineapple and cut all the eyes on that side.[15]
    • The pineapple will begin to have a spiral shape from where you've removed the eyes.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Peel a Pineapple 6 Cut the pineapple into rings or wedges. To make rings, place the pineapple on its side and make slices as thick as you like. Use a small round cutter to slice out the tough center from each ring. If you'd rather cut wedges, cut the pineapple lengthwise into quarters. Then, cut out the tough core from the center of each wedge.[16]
    • If you'd like to make chunks, take a wedge and slice crosswise to make pieces that are as wide as you want.
    7. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

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  • Question Do you cut a pineapple from the top or bottom? Ed Kuoha Ed Kuoha Chef Ed Kuoha is a Chef and the Owner of Kuoha Culinary based in Aiea, Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of experience in various culinary kitchens and settings such as Morimoto Waikiki, where he received hands-on training from Iron Chef Morimoto. Chef Ed specializes in small catering events and private chef requests. He holds an Associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College. Ed Kuoha Ed Kuoha Chef Expert Answer You always want to cut from top to bottom in one continuous slice. The idea is to clear the eyes of the pineapple without going in too deep, or you'll waste the fruit. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 6
  • Question How do you peel pineapple skin easily? Ed Kuoha Ed Kuoha Chef Ed Kuoha is a Chef and the Owner of Kuoha Culinary based in Aiea, Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of experience in various culinary kitchens and settings such as Morimoto Waikiki, where he received hands-on training from Iron Chef Morimoto. Chef Ed specializes in small catering events and private chef requests. He holds an Associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College. Ed Kuoha Ed Kuoha Chef Expert Answer Cut off the top and the bottom to create a stable base. The first cut is always the hardest one, especially since the idea is to cut it like a slice. Then, just cut it from top to bottom. If you're new with a knife, know that you probably won't have a nice clean cut at first and that's okay. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 3
  • Question Can you eat the core of a pineapple? wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow Staff Editor wikiHow Staff Editor Staff Answer It depends on the variety of pineapple. Some types have a sweet, soft core that’s easy to eat. Even the harder, more fibrous cores are edible, but they may be a bit tough and not as tasty as the outer sections. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 2
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Video

Tips

  • If the pineapple is leaking a lot of juice over your cutting board, wipe off the juice with a clean cloth. This can prevent the pineapple from sliding around as you peel it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
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! Advertisement

Things You'll Need

  • Large knife
  • Small knife
  • Cutting board
  • Kitchen towel, optional

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-tell-if-a-pineapple-is-ripe
  2. ↑ Ed Kuoha. Chef. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/photos/how-to-cut-a-pineapple
  4. ↑ Ed Kuoha. Chef. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ Ed Kuoha. Chef. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/WtPvFaA1fXk?t=46
  7. ↑ Ed Kuoha. Chef. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ https://youtu.be/WtPvFaA1fXk?t=50
  9. ↑ Ed Kuoha. Chef. Expert Interview
More References (7)
  1. ↑ https://youtu.be/WtPvFaA1fXk?t=55
  2. ↑ https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_a_pineapple/
  3. ↑ https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-cut-a-pineapple/
  4. ↑ https://www.jessicagavin.com/how-to-cut-a-pineapple/
  5. ↑ https://youtu.be/WtPvFaA1fXk?t=78
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/WtPvFaA1fXk?t=85
  7. ↑ https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cut_a_pineapple/

About This Article

Ed Kuoha Co-authored by: Ed Kuoha Chef This article was co-authored by Ed Kuoha and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Ed Kuoha is a Chef and the Owner of Kuoha Culinary based in Aiea, Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of experience in various culinary kitchens and settings such as Morimoto Waikiki, where he received hands-on training from Iron Chef Morimoto. Chef Ed specializes in small catering events and private chef requests. He holds an Associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College. This article has been viewed 285,684 times. 23 votes - 79% Co-authors: 20 Updated: October 5, 2024 Views: 285,684 Categories: Featured Articles | Peeling Food | Fruits and Vegetables Article SummaryX

To peel a whole pineapple, lay it on its side and cut off the top, about 1/4 inch below the leaves. Stand your pineapple up and slice downwards through the peel, then turn it slightly and repeat. Lay the pineapple on its side again and slice off the bottom. To get rid of the eyes, make an angled cut above and below each diagonal line of eyes to remove them in small wedges, leaving a spiral pattern. Then, cut out the core of the pineapple and slice up the remaining fruit to eat. For more tips, including how to choose the best pineapple, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Tom Loomis

    Tom Loomis

    Apr 24, 2018

    "The tip about how to cut the eyes out in a spiral was for me the most helpful part. Not that the rest of it was..." more
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Ed Kuoha Co-authored by: Ed Kuoha Chef 23 votes - 79% Click a star to vote Co-authors: 20 Updated: October 5, 2024 Views: 285,684 Tom Loomis

Tom Loomis

Apr 24, 2018

"The tip about how to cut the eyes out in a spiral was for me the most helpful part. Not that the rest of it was..." more Cat Ebarbo

Cat Ebarbo

Mar 7, 2017

"You need to purchase a decent knife. That one you are using is not a good example. Thank you for tip about cutting..." more Fran Ahlstrom

Fran Ahlstrom

Sep 22, 2021

"I'm old and a relatively accomplished home cook, however I've never cut a fresh pineapple correctly. I..." more Rated this article: Mitchell L.

Mitchell L.

Dec 9, 2016

"Personally I love to eat the hard core, sweet or not. Great way to diagonally cut out the eyes. So smart and I have..." more Danny Dolo

Danny Dolo

Oct 7, 2016

"Before, I had no idea where to start! I'd end up throwing away a lot of the edible part of the pineapple. Now..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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