How To Cut Up A Pineapple

Everything you need to know about how to cut up a pineapple! Ripe, juicy, pineapples are delicious, available year-round, and they’re easy to slice with a few simple steps. 

The year I got married, my husband and I were lucky enough to win a trip to Hawaii! One of the places we visited was the Dole Plantation. They gave us a demonstration on how to cut up a pineapple in a few easy steps. Ever since, I’ve been cutting my tropical fruit like a professional. 

Update: There’s a lot of info out there about how to cut pineapples, but this is the way that I’ve been doing it for years, and it works every time! I’ve updated this post with helpful step-by-step photos and instructions and a video so you can follow along with your own fruit. 

How to Choose the Best Pineapple

Before you get to cutting, you want to select the best-tasting, ripest pineapple at the store. 

When you’re shopping, choose a pineapple that’s firm and fresh looking. It shouldn’t have much give when pressed. The fruit should be mostly yellow, with a vibrant, fruity smell. However, avoid pineapples that smell too strongly, as these might be overripe. Dark spots are another sign that a fruit is too old. 

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How To Cut Up a Pineapple

Easy step-by-step instructions to cut up a pineapple into perfect chunks for grilling, adding to salsas or baking!

Active Time5 mins

Total Time5 mins

Course: Fruit

Author: Barbara Bakes LLC

Equipment

• Knife
• Cutting board

Materials

• 1 Pineapple

Instructions

• Step 1: Gently twist off the top.
  
  
  
• Step 2: Slice off the top and bottom. This allows you to stand the pineapple up on your cutting board, which makes it easier to cut into equal pieces.
  
  
  
• Step 3: Cut the pineapple into quarters lengthwise.
  
  
  
• Step 4: Cut each quarter in half, so you have eight sections. Cutting it into eighths makes it easier to remove the skin without removing too much pineapple or leaving many eyes.
  
  
  
• Step 5: Slice off the core in the center and cut off the skin.
  
  
  
• Step 6: Cut into cubes. And dig in!
  
  

Video

The Best Way To Store Fresh Pineapple

Pineapples are picked ripe so if you’re not eating it right away you should refrigerate it. Otherwise, uncut pineapple can be stored on the counter. 

After it’s sliced, cover the fruit and store in the refrigerator. 

How to Grill Pineapple

We like to eat pineapple as an appetizer before dinner or as a refreshing side dish. We also love to toss it on the grill. Caramelized grilled pineapple is so sweet and juicy, plus there’s something so summery about fruit with grill lines. 

To grill pineapple, slice it into cubes as shown above and thread the cubes onto metal skewers. Preheat a grill and brush the grates to ensure they’re clean (ash will cling to the pineapple otherwise). 

Place the skewers on the grill on medium heat and don’t move them for 3 to 4 minutes to get nice char marks. Then flip and repeat on the other side. Remember to keep a close eye on the fruit to avoid burning. 

Also, I’ll often grill the pineapple before cutting it into cubes, so I can skip using skewers. Just cut the pineapple into eighths and put it on the grill. 

Favorite Fresh Pineapple Recipes

Pineapple is such a diverse fruit. It brings natural sweetness and tropical flare to both savory and sweet dishes. And since it’s available all year long, you’re never far from a festive and fruity dish. 

Here are some of the best recipes to serve with pineapple:

Savory Pineapple Recipes

• Serve Pressure Cooker Kalua Pork from Pressure Cooking Today with grilled pineapple chunks for a Hawaiian feast. 
• Or for a lighter take that’s just as flavorful, try Instant Pot Kalua Chicken.
• Hawaiian Barbecue Pork Tacos with Pineapple Cashew Coleslaw from Tidbits are a bit spicy, fruity, crunchy and satisfying.
• Mix chopped pineapple into a topping for Bruschetta Turkey Burger Sliders for a healthy and refreshing summer dinner.  
• Make-Ahead Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs are cooked until tender in the pressure cooker and finished on the grill, where you can also char up pineapple skewers for a delicious one-ingredient side dish.

Sweet Pineapple Recipes

• Pineapple Coconut Bar Cookies are tropical sweets to brighten up any day.
• Pineapple Upside-Down Cake is the sticky-sweet and centerpiece-worthy fruit cake to showcase your baking chops.
• No-Bake Pina Colada Cheesecake Bites make a cute, fun and festive hand-held summer dessert for entertaining.
• Make a decadent Brown Sugar Rum Sauce from Cookin’ Canuck to turn grilled pineapple into a complete dessert.  

More How To Tips You Might Like:

• How To Slice A Watermelon – three easy ways: bite-sized cubes, triangles without rinds, and hand-held wedges! Plus, how to choose the best watermelon and store it to stay fresh.
• How To Slice A Peach – The best way to eat a sweet, juicy, ripe peach is with the juice dripping down your hands, but if you want to bake with them, you’ll want to slip off the skins and slice them up.
• How to Freeze Lemon Juice – I love to keep lemon juice in the freezer so it’s easy to use in recipes without having to buy lemons and juice them each time.

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