Fresh pineapple is very sweet and juicy, reminding you of tropical fruit. Whether you are enjoying fresh fruit or using pineapple for a fruit board, in a cake, or in a smoothie, you need to learn how to properly cut a pineapple.
BENEFITS OF A PINEAPPLE-
Not only is the pineapple so delicious, but it also has so many health benefits. Here are some of the healthy benefits of pineapple.
NutrientsHealthy antibodiesMay boost immunityPotassium and Magnesium
Different parts of a pineapple:
Crown – the top floral-like leaves Skin – prickly diamond- shaped peelCore – the rough center of the fruitFlesh – the edible part of the pineapple
FINDING THE PERFECT PINEAPPLE-
You want to make sure you have the perfectly ripe fruit in any situation. Here are some of the ways to determine whether your pineapple is ripe:
COLOR– The color of a ripe pineapple is going to be yellow. If the color is still green, that means it isn’t quite ready, if the skin is brown it’s overripe and should be tossed.SMELL– When the bottom of the pineapple begins to smell fruity and sweet then you know it is ready!TEXTURE– A pineapple while it is still unripe will have hard and stiff skin but once the pineapple is ready and ripe it will be soft.LEAVES– When the fruit is ripe when you try to pull a leaf off it will come off easily.
HOW TO CUT A PINEAPPLE-
PREP and CLEANING-
Clean the pineapple and with a sharp knife. Cut off the crown and base of the pineapple.Stand the pineapple up. Start by cutting off the skin going along with the shape of the fruit.Slice the cleaned pineapple in half down the middle, lengthwise.Lay the halves of the pineapple flat on the cutting board and cut the core at an angle.
CUTTING CUBES– For even cubes, just cut the pineapple into even parts.SLICED– Cut into even slices.FINELY DICED– Slice the pineapple, then cut into strands. Stack the stands and finely dice.SPEARS– Control the thickness of the spears by how big the cut them.
HOW TO STORE FRESH CUT PINEAPPLE-
After you have your pineapple cut, you want to make sure it’s stored properly. There are several different ways to store pineapples:
REFRIGERATOR– Add the cut up fruit into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. We love to refrigerate the fruit and snack on throughout the day.FREEZE– Cut up pineapple is also GREAT to freeze. Lay the pineapple pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. Once the fruit is fully frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. (Note: If you do not freeze the fruit separately, the fruit will just freeze together in one big lump.)
With these simple steps, you too can properly cut a pineapple. We hope you find this post useful!
uses for fresh-cut pineapple:
Fruit Board– add to fruit board.Chocolate Fruit Dip– serve with fruit dip.Carrot Cake– add to cake.Pineapple Mango Smoothie– in a smoothie.
