There are few issues nearly as good as biting right into a contemporary slice of pineapple, however discovering the most effective hack to chop a pineapple correctly (like our hack for chopping a mango) could also be one thing you haven’t tried but.

Whether or not you are attempting to chop your pineapple into chunks or rings, this manner of chopping permits you to lower away the spiky flesh and core with out having to personal a pineapple corer —which is able to simply take up extra room in your kitchen utensil drawer.

There are such a lot of makes use of for contemporary pineapple chunks and rings like our Pineapple Upside Down In a single day Baked Oatmeal or Pineapple Fried Rice Pizza (hungry but?).

And, we’ll additionally let you know the right way to freeze your pineapple in case you are wanting to make use of it later in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada.

Love pineapple? Try these recipes:

How will you inform if a pineapple is ripe?

• Contact it: A ripe pineapple ought to give a bit when squeezed. If it’s laborious as a rock, it’s in all probability underripe, and if it feels mushy or provides loads when squeezed, it’s in all probability too ripe.

• Examine the Coloration: Some inexperienced is OK on a pineapple, however pineapples yellow as they ripen, so that you’ll desire a largely yellow coloration for the ripest pineapple. Too ripe will begin to look darkish orange in coloration, so keep away from that.
• It’s additionally good to know that pineapples received’t actually ripen a lot after they’ve been picked (though it’s going to get a little bit softer with time), so that you’re searching for one which’s already the ripest of the bunch on the retailer.

• Odor it: Your pineapple ought to scent fruity and candy in case you sniff close to the bottom of the pineapple. In case you don’t scent something, it might nonetheless be underripe, and if it smells bitter or fermented, it’s in all probability overripe.
• Tug on the leaves: All these inexperienced fronds protruding the highest don’t simply look cool, they will additionally assist you to decide if a pineapple is ripe. Give a tug on one of many leaves and if it comes out comparatively simply, it’s an indication of ripeness. If it feels such as you’d need to wrestle it out, then it might be underripe.

What’s one of the best ways to retailer a lower pineapple?

You may retailer a lower pineapple in an hermetic container within the fridge and it’ll keep contemporary for 3-4 days.

In case you haven’t eaten it by then, simply throw the chunks right into a freezer bag and freeze to be used in smoothies or frozen cocktails like a pina colada (or pina colada popsicles!).

What’s one of the best ways to freeze pineapple chunks?

As soon as the pineapple is lower, unfold it out onto some parchment paper on a cooking sheet or giant plate within the freezer.

Freezing them unfold out first will maintain them from all forming one giant frozen clump of pineapple. As soon as it’s frozen, add them to an hermetic freezer bag till you might be prepared to make use of.

Do I would like to show a pineapple the wrong way up?

It’s an non-obligatory step, however if you wish to be sure you get the juiciest bits of the pineapple in every chew, you’ll be able to lower off the highest of it and sit it the wrong way up on a plate for half-hour earlier than persevering with to slice it.

As most pineapples are saved sitting upright on a counter or show, this can distribute the juice that has been sitting on the backside of the pineapple to the remainder of the fruit so that you get extra juicy bites from the highest and center as nicely.

What provides do I would like to chop a pineapple?

• Sharp knife: You’ll desire a sharp non-serrated chef’s knife like this to chop your pineapple as serrated knives will set free extra juice than non-serrated blades.

• Small paring knife: It’s non-obligatory, however a small paring knife is useful to chop out any small remaining darkish spots as soon as the pores and skin is lower off.

• Slicing board: You’ll need a big dimension chopping board that may suit your entire pineapple (and it’s further useful to have a non-slip chopping board that may go within the dishwasher as nicely).

• (For Pineapple Rings) Small circle cutter set: A spherical cookie cutter makes it straightforward to easily punch out the center core with an ideal circle, however you can even use a small knife for this.

The right way to lower a pineapple:

Minimize off the highest and backside: Place the pineapple on its aspect and lower off the highest and backside of it so you might be left with a cylinder of pineapple.*

*Be aware: Between chopping the highest and backside off, that is when you’ll be able to optionally flip it the wrong way up, sitting the lower high on a plate for half-hour if you’d like the juices to drip all the way down to the remainder of the pineapple earlier than chopping.

Trim off the pores and skin: Use your knife to chop down the perimeters of the pineapple, following the curves, till all of the pores and skin is eliminated.

The deeper you chop, the extra fruit you’ll waste however the much less “eyes” (the little darkish spots which can be disagreeable to eat) you’ll need to take away later.

Use a small paring knife to chop out any remaining darkish spots earlier than persevering with.

Possibility 1: Make pineapple cubes

• Minimize the halves in half once more: Lay the halves on their flat lower aspect and lower in half once more so you will have 4 triangle-shaped wedges of pineapple.

• Minimize out the core: Stand your wedge up on the chopping board and slice down to chop off the purpose of your triangle which has the pale white core part.

• Minimize into cubes: Now you’ll be able to slice the pineapple into strips after which into cubes no matter dimension you want to your functions.

Possibility 2: Make pineapple rings

• Slice the pineapple into rounds: Minimize your pineapple physique into rounds about 1/2″ thick (or no matter thickness you need).

• Use a spherical cutter or knife to take away core: You may both use a small paring knife to chop out the core from every spherical part, or to make it simpler you need to use a spherical cookie cutter to easily punch out the center with an ideal circle.

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