How to Slice a Pineapple

The first time I looked at one of these things, I didn’t have a clue as to what to do.  I butchered the thing miserably.  Then I learned, but fresh pineapple is pretty expensive in Wyoming, so I didn’t think much about it.  However, recently we got one through Bountiful Harvest.  Before I knew what was happening, Mike decided to have some, so he butchered the thing… <sigh>

That’s when I realized that there are probably many people who don’t get fresh pineapples because they don’t know what to do with it.

You need a strong, sharp knife.  Something heavy-duty like a chef’s knife works well.

How to Slice a Pineapple:

Slice the top off. You can take that top and put it into a dish of water. When it roots, you can actually grow another plant from that top.

 

Slice the bottom end off. You can probably go closer than I did in the picture, but you want a good solid base.

Stand the pineapple on end, then slice the skin off. 

You will want to follow the curve of the fruit, so as you get closer to the bottom, follow the curve.

The fruit is indented, so you will probably have bits of skin left. Once you’ve gotten the main part of the skin off, you can go back to catch those bits of skin still left.  Sometimes I use a paring knife, sometimes I simply slice back over it, trying not to waste too much of that delicious fruit.

Slice the fruit in half length-wise

There is a pithy core running the length of the fruit. You will want to remove it.

The easiest and safest way to do this is to quarter the fruit lengthwise.

Now it’s an easy process to simply slice away that pithy core from each section.

    

Lay the fruit on the cut core section. You want a stable base, no wobbling.  Tuck your fingers so you don’t season it with blood. Then slice your sections cross-wise.

 Many thanks to Hubby Mike for his help with the photography! <grin> Usually I'm the one behind the camera, but found I can't cut, slice, and click at the same time! <she rolls her eyes>