Pineapple is tastier when eaten fresh, but cutting and peeling it is a process that appears complicated when compared to other fruits. The best part of the pineapple is the one close to the peel, so it is important to slice it correctly so as not to waste the pulp. This guide will show you how.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing the Pineapple
Step 1. Smell the pineapple
Smell it on the bottom to more accurately perceive its aroma. It must have a sweet and fresh scent. If you feel a fermentation-like odor or no trace of sweetness, choose another fruit.
Step 2. Look at the pineapple
If there are some green spots there is no problem, but if all the fruit is green then it is better not to buy it. The pineapple is usually a nice golden yellow on the bottom, do not buy bruised specimens.
Step 3. Touch the fruit
It must be firm, giving only slightly to the pressure. If it feels soft and spongy, it means it's overripe. A pineapple must be heavy in relation to its size.
Step 4. Check the crown
Pull one of the central leaves. If it comes off easily, the fruit is ripe.
Part 2 of 3: Peel the Pineapple
Step 1. Put the fruit on its side
Use a cutting board or other flat surface for this.
Step 2. Remove the 'crown' and stem
Use a sharp kitchen knife and cut about 1 cm from the end of the fruit.
Step 3. Place the pineapple on one end
Remove the peel by cutting it from top to bottom. Try to remove only the surface layer so as not to waste the outer pulp, which is the sweetest and juiciest part of the fruit.
- Follow the contours of the pineapple to avoid removing the pulp where the fruit is swollen.
- Do not remove the 'eyes' (dark spots) as you proceed with the cut, otherwise you will lose a lot of the pulp.
Step 4. Remove the 'eyes'
These are elements present on the entire surface of the pineapple according to a diagonal pattern. Make V-cuts along these diagonal lines and cut out each 'eye'. You are now ready to slice the rest of the pulp.
This will also detach some of the pulp, but it will always be less than removing each eye individually
Part 3 of 3: Cut the Pineapple
Step 1. Cut the fruit into discs
Lay it on its side and cut into circular slices about 2 cm thick. You can stick a fork in the center of the hard core and hold each slice.
- The core is hard but edible and healthy.
- You can also turn the discs into rings by removing the central part. You can do this with a pastry cutter.
Step 2. Cut the pineapple into small pieces
Hold it vertically and divide it lengthwise into four parts. Core each large wedge and then split each quarter once more in half. Place each wedge on the cutting board and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
One pineapple will be enough for about 4 cups of chunks
Step 3. Add the fruit to recipes or to the meal
It is delicious when eaten plain, but it is also excellent with yogurt, whipped cream, chopped nuts and so on. Alternatively you can use it to cook a cake, to decorate a dessert or to marinate meat.
Advice
- Pineapple is very low in fat and cholesterol-free. It contains vitamin C and also essential nutrients, as well as being rich in fiber.
- The white parts found on the core can alter the flavor making it more bitter, but some people enjoy this type of flavor. It is not harmful, and it is healthy as it contains antioxidants.
- Pineapple contains bromelain; it is an enzyme that degrades proteins. This makes pineapple juice great for marinating particularly tough meats, but not for too long, otherwise you risk destroying the meat's fibers. Bromelain also prevents the jelly from thickening, so if you want to make a jelly dessert using pineapple, you can choose whether to cook it first or use the canned version, as both processes eliminate the bromelain.
