How to Eat a Pineapple

Co-authored by Ed Kuoha

Pineapple is a delicious tropical fruit that you can eat raw, grill, bake into tasty desserts, or turn into yummy drinks and smoothies. But if you’ve never eaten a pineapple before, it can be somewhat intimidating. Pineapples are covered in a thick and somewhat prickly skin, and they have a large leafy stem on top too. Luckily, peeling, cutting, and eating pineapple is quite simple, and all you have to do is remove the top and bottom stems, the skin, and the core.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Peeling and Cutting the Pineapple

1
Remove the stem and bottom. Lay the pineapple on its side. Hold it in place with one hand and grab the base of the leafy stem with your other hand. Gently twist and pull the leaves to remove the stem. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the top and bottom half-inch (1.3 cm) of the pineapple.
- To determine if a pineapple is ready for eating, hold the fruit steady, pinch a center leaf from the stem with two fingers, and gently pull the leaf. If it comes out easily, the pineapple is ripe.^{[1]
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2
Remove the skin. Stand the pineapple on its bottom base. Use a sharp knife to slice off thin lengthwise strips of skin from the pineapple. The slices should be about a quarter-inch (0.6 cm) deep to remove as much of the skin and divots as possible. Go around the entire fruit until all the skin has been peeled off.^{[2]
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- Once the skin is gone, go around the fruit and carefully cut out any brown divots that are still left in the fruit.
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3
Cut the fruit into slices. Lay the peeled pineapple on its side. Hold the fruit steady with one hand and use the other to cut. Cut the pineapple into slices or discs that are between a half-inch and an inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) thick.^{[3]
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- You may need to cut the slices thinner or thicker than this for different applications, so read and follow any recipes that you may be using before slicing the fruit.
4
Remove the cores from the slices. Lay each pineapple slice flat on a cutting board. Use a 1-inch (2.5-cm) round cookie cutter to punch the center core from each slice.^{[4]
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Research source} The core is the darker yellow flesh that runs through the middle of the fruit.
- You can also use a knife to cut the core from each slice if you don’t have a cookie cutter.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Eating the Fruit Raw

1
Eat slices with your hands. It is perfectly acceptable to eat pineapples slices with your hands. Pick up a slice either with your hands or a serving utensil, bring the slice to your mouth, and bite off a small piece of fruit from the slice. Chew and swallow your bite before taking another one.
- Sometimes, people serve pineapple wedges with the skin still on. In this case, eat the wedge from the tip toward the skin, but don’t eat the skin.
2
Have napkins nearby. Ripe pineapple is quite juicy, and eating slices with your hands can get a little messy. Before you start eating, grab a couple of napkins that you can use to wipe juice from your hands and face as you eat.
3
Eat small chunks of fruit with a knife and fork as an alternative. You don’t have to eat pineapple with your hands, especially if you don’t want to get your hands covered in juice. Place the pineapple on a plate and use a knife and fork to cut it into bite-sized pieces. Use the fork to pick up single bites of pineapple and bring them to your mouth.
- Eat one bite at a time, and don’t pick up more pineapple until you’ve chewed and swallowed the piece in your mouth.
4
Don’t be alarmed by the tingling sensation. Pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain, and this may cause a mild tingling in your mouth. This is perfectly normal, and it doesn’t mean that you're allergic to the pineapple.
- Bromelain is concentrated around the center and core of the fruit, so removing the core will reduce the tingling you feel.^{[5]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Enjoying Pineapple Other Ways

1
Grill the pineapple. Barbecued or grilled pineapple can be enjoyed on its own, served with meats or burgers, or even added to warm salads. You can either marinate the pineapple beforehand or cook it plain. You can also cook it in foil or directly on the grill, depending on your preferences.
- Cooking pineapple breaks down the bromelain that makes your mouth tingle, so if you don’t like the sensation you get from eating raw pineapple, try eating it grilled.^{[6]
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2
Use pineapple in baked goods. Pineapple is a delicious and sweet fruit that you can use in baking, just like you would bananas or apples. There are a number of different recipes that you can try, and a few of the more popular pineapple baked goods include:
- Pineapple upside down cake
- Pineapple bread
- Pineapple pancakes
3
Whip up a pineapple salsa. Pineapple salsa is a delicious condiment that you can use in place of traditional tomato salsa. Pineapple salsa is cool and refreshing, so it’s particularly tasty in summer, at picnics, and at barbecues.
- You can eat pineapple salsa with tortilla chips, put it on burgers or hotdogs, or use it as a side for different meat and vegetable dishes.^{[7]
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4
Try pineapple-based drinks. Because pineapple is so sweet and juicy, it’s great in smoothies, piña coladas, and other drinks.^{[8]
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Research source} You can also drink pineapple juice plain, add it to a fruit punch, or mix it with carbonated water and ice to make a refreshing homemade soda.
5
Pair pineapple with savory dishes. Pineapple is often thought of as a dessert food because of how sweet it is, but it also goes great with meats, vegetables, and other savory meals. Cut the pineapple into bite-sized chunks and:
- Put it on pizza
- Skewer it between pieces of meat on a kebab
- Serve it with shrimp
- Add it to tacos
- Serve it on top of rice
- Add it to stir fries

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I tell if a pineapple is ripe?

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef
Randall (Randy) Chambers is a Personal Chef and the Owner of Luxury Meals From Home based in Arvada, Colorado. He has more than 16 years of commercial kitchen experience, five years of sous chef experience, and two years of experience as an executive chef. Chef Randy draws inspiration from his half Bolivian background and his forte is South American cuisine. He holds an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute.

Randall Chambers

Personal Chef

Expert Answer

What I recommend is to press the indentation on the bottom of the pineapple. If it has some leeway, it's likely ripe!
Question

How do I relive an itching tongue after pineapple?

Community Answer

Drink water or milk until the sensation goes away.
Question

What do pineapples taste like?

Community Answer

Pineapples taste sweet and tropical, and can have a tangy acidic bite.