Cutting Fresh Pineapple

[CookinBlondie]

My family and I have recently started a healthy eating plan within our household. To follow this, we are going to start drinking fresh juice drinks, (aka, juicing our own fruits/veggies). We just bought A beautiful pineapple in the fresh produce section of the supermarket, but due to never having eaten pineapple but from a can, we have no idea on how to clean it.

If you have any special tips, I would be most obliged. Thank you so much in advance.

-Lauren

 

[Andy M.]

Cut off the top and the bottom.

Stand the pineapple up on its flat bottom. Using a sharp knife or bread knife, cut strips of the skin following the curve of the pineapple down from top to bottom with the knife blade. Continue cutting off vertical strips until the pineapple is skinless.

The core of the pineapple is inedible. Cut the pineapple in half from top to bottom. Working with one of the halves, place the half pineapple flat side down and cut it in half lengthwise so you have two long thin strips. Repeat with the other half of the pineapple.

Stand a quarter pineapple piece on end and and cut off the portion of the core attached to it. Repeat with the other quarters.

From there, cut it up any way you want.

 

[CookinBlondie]

Thanks a lot Andy!

-Lauren

 

[Aurora]

The core of the pineapple is inedible.

I disagree. The core is a crunchy treat at our house. We buy 2 to 3 pineapples a week at Costco (usually $2.99 apiece) and there is a rush to chomp down on the core. Of course, the volume of pineapples at Costco is so high that they are always fresh and ripe so we have not had any problems with woody or pulpy cores.

I would liken the texture of the pineapple core to that of water chestnuts. They can be included in salads and stir fry for texture and crunch. Be sure to cut them in small chunks.

Here is another site link which has some alternate ways of preparing and serving fresh pineapple:

http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/foods_view/1,1523,64,00.html

I've even seen the core of pineapple sliced lengthwise into 4 inch strips and used as swizzle sticks in cocktails.

 

[Gretchen]

I agree about the core also

And it adds fiber to your diet. I know juicing is popular, but I believe the consensus is that it is healthier to eat the complete fruit. The juice is calorie laden and without the fiber that the whole fruit provides.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Every Week

i buy pineapples every week for the past three years due to illness I have that requires fresh fruit. There is no way I could eat the core. Do you think this is due to the pineapples being old? It is actually like a piece of wood and no knife can cut it. If the knife I use wouldn't do it how can you expect the teeth to chew it? You pique my curiousity somewhat and I will buy at Costco to see if I get different results. I have read where the core of the pineapple is the most healthy but I have consistently failed to eat it. thanks for info.

 

[Aurora]

i buy pineapples every week for the past three years due to illness I have that requires fresh fruit. There is no way I could eat the core. Do you think this is due to the pineapples being old? It is actually like a piece of wood and no knife can cut it. If the knife I use wouldn't do it how can you expect the teeth to chew it? You pique my curiousity somewhat and I will buy at Costco to see if I get different results. I have read where the core of the pineapple is the most healthy but I have consistently failed to eat it. thanks for info.

I do not know enough about pineapples to know when or why the core becomes woody, but I do know that there are different varieties of pineapple and perhaps different varieties have different core characteristics (perhaps in the nature of peaches and nectarines having cling and free-stone varieties).

Even if the core seems to be a bit fibrous if you cut it in small pieces across the grain (like you would a flank or skirt steak) the smaller pieces are quite chewable. If a health limitation, such as diverticular disease, precludes you from eating certain foods high in fiber I would check with your doctor since there is definitely lots of fiber in a pineapple core.

 

[Gretchen]

If it's too tough then don't eat it. Sometimes they are and sometimes they aren't.

 

[Andy M.]

Here's another way to prepare pineapple.

 

[Jikoni]

Having been brought up in the tropics, I know that there are more than one way to skin a cat...ehm i mean to prepare a pineapple. This might be helpful. if you have eaten the pineapple already, then for the next time you buy one. http://www.hormel.com/templates/template.asp?catitemid=113&id=835
just like my mama taught me!
I always enjoy the core, my kids are beginning to like it too.

 

[Andy M.]

Interestingly enough, all the sites linked direct you to remove and toss the core.

 

[Jikoni]

^ I know Andy, but I keep trying what everyone tells me to throw away...not everything exactly.Mango skin for example, I love it, amd I love to eat crunchy prawn's tail inn Tempura or anywhere else that prawn is left with a tail! My husband gets so embarrased, I have learnt to chew it quietly in restaurants. Please don't tell anyone except friends in DC!

 

[lindatooo]

Sizzles you are in excellent company! My son eats the tails too!

 

[Dove]

Wasabi !!! We need your opinon...
I have eaten the core from the ones purchased at Costco. No problem.
Marge

 

[In the Kitchen]

Core

The Costco pineapples may be different. Don't they charge you to go int there like Sam's Club? I checked the site and they don't indicate if they have groceries in there or not. I will ask you who get to go in do they have regular grocery items? I don't think anyone could eat the core i throw out. I am with Andy M on this one. I gave one to the dog and he ate around it guess cause I had eaten on it and he just bit around on it and left the core too. The ones at Whole Foods are the same as the brand I get from regular grocery store. Costco must have different ones or else maybe something to do with some being older. I just have to buy every week.

 

[marmalady]

I'd be wary of eating mango skin, as it has a sap in it that can cause a rash like poison ivy.

 

[In the Kitchen]

marmalady

I thank you for sharing that as I feel knowledge is power. That is new to me. I appreciate someone who is willing to help. Thanks again.

 

[Jikoni]

I'd be wary of eating mango skin, as it has a sap in it that can cause a rash like poison ivy.

I really did not know that marmalady. Interestingly, it's true that since I could climb a tree, I used to climb my granpa's mango tree and sit on the branches and eat the mangoes, skin and all and not even washed. I don't know anyone from Kenya who peels mangoes before eating them. In most fruits and vegs, under the skin is where all the goodness is. I certainly will research on it further.Thanks anyway for bringing this to everyone else's notice. I wouldn't want anyone to have a bad rash from my mango post.

 

[GB]

I used to climb my granpa's mango tree and sit on the branches and eat the mangoes

That really sounds like heaven. Next time I am stressed out I am going to picture this in my mind. Wow does that sound peaceful and relaxing

 

[marmalady]

Sizzles, if I remember correctly, it's only certain species of mango that produce the 'itchy' sap - perhaps the ones from Africa don't have it? Are you susceptible to poison ivy - asking because all my life, I've never had poison ivy til we moved here to Charleston, and I've now had 2 cases that were just terrible - doc said it's a different type of poison ivy than we had in NJ.

Sorry I got off topic here, didn't mean to hijack the pineapple questions.