How to Cut a Pineapple: A No-Knife Hack

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Sweet, fresh, and wearing a crown—what’s not to love about pineapple! This summertime fruit is super delicious, but getting to all that juicy meat can sure be a hassle. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to cut your pineapple, look no further. We’ve got the perfect pineapple cutting hack, and it only requires a bit of muscle and a whole lot of appetite! Keep reading to learn how you can "cut" and pull apart a pineapple without a knife.

Things You Should Know

  • Start with a ripe pineapple. Twist off the pineapple's crown.
  • Bang the pineapple on a hard surface and then roll the pineapple back and forth to separate the meat from the core.
  • Grip a spike on the pineapple's skin and pull. Enjoy your piece of pineapple!
1

Choose a ripe pineapple.

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    Search for a pineapple that’s more yellow than green and a bit soft. The riper a pineapple is, the yellower the outside will be and the squishier it’ll feel. [1]
    • Smell the base of the pineapple to be sure it’s ripe—it should smell sweet and fruity, not funky or vinegary.
    • You can also press the indentation on the bottom of the pineapple. If it has some leeway, you're probably okay.
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2

Twist off the pineapple’s crown.

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    Place one hand near the bottom of the pineapple and the other on the leafy top. Hold onto the crown or leafy top tightly and twist—it’s as simple as that! [2]
    • The riper your pineapple, the easier this step will be.
    • If you can’t twist the crown off, try using a paring knife to cut in-between each pineapple ridge. Then, rip off the top. [3]
3

Bang the bottom of the pineapple on a hard surface.

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    Whack or firmly bang the pineapple onto a cutting board, a counter, or even the ground, keeping the crown end face up. Do this 2 or 3 times to get all those juices moving. [4]
    • Be careful when whacking the pineapple down on a table. The sudden force could cause the table to wobble.
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4

Roll the pineapple back and forth.

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    Lay the pineapple on its side and roll it back and forth with your hands. Think of it like kneading a ball of dough. Some juice may start coming out, but don’t panic! That means the hack’s working. [5]
5

Pull the pineapple apart by the thorns or spikes.

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    Now that everything’s all loosened up inside, pinch one of the little leaves on the pineapple’s skin. Pull, tug, and wiggle until a piece of pineapple slips out with the skin. [6]
    • If you used a knife to help you out earlier, separate the pineapple pieces by digging your finger into the bottom edge of a section’s exterior and pulling upwards. [7]
    • The skin or rind will still be attached when you pull out a chunk of pineapple, so make sure to eat only the meat.
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      Tips

      • If this hack doesn’t work for you, don’t fret! The ripeness and type of pineapple you have can all play a factor. There are plenty of other ways you can cut a pineapple , so you can still have a tasty treat (just with a few more dishes).
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-tell-if-a-pineapple-is-ripe
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/2SBRtNTpupM?t=7
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/o8jQbaJ9u50?t=220
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/2SBRtNTpupM?t=12
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/2SBRtNTpupM?t=15
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/2SBRtNTpupM?t=29
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/o8jQbaJ9u50?t=348

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