Pineapples are delicious fruits that can be enjoyed in many ways. You can eat them fresh, juice, grill, bake, or add them to salads, smoothies, pizzas, and desserts. But before enjoying a pineapple’s sweet and tangy flesh, you must know how to cut it properly.
Pineapples have tough and prickly skin that can be intimidating to deal with. But don’t worry; cutting a pineapple is not as complicated as it looks.
You can do it like a ninja with some simple techniques and tools. Here is how to cut a pineapple like a ninja in six easy steps.
Step 1: Choose a ripe pineapple
The first step is to choose a ripe and juicy pineapple. A ripe pineapple will have a yellowish skin, a sweet aroma, and a slight give when you squeeze it. Avoid pineapples that are green, bruised, mouldy, or dry.
You can also test the ripeness of a pineapple by pulling one of the leaves from the crown. If it comes out quickly, the pineapple is ripe. If not, it is underripe.
Step 2: Cut off the crown and the base
The next step is to cut off the crown and the pineapple base. This step requires a sharp chef’s knife and a cutting board. Lay the pineapple on its side and cut off about an inch from the top and the bottom.
This will create a flat surface for the pineapple to stand on. You can save the crown for decoration or planting or discard it.
Step 3: Cut off the skin in strips
The third step is to cut off the skin in strips. Stand the pineapple upright on the cutting board and hold it firmly with one hand. On the other hand, use the knife to slice off the skin from top to bottom, following the curve of the pineapple.
Cut as close to the skin as possible without wasting too much flesh. Repeat this process until all the skin is removed. You can save the skin by making or composting pineapple tea or vinegar.
Step 4: Cut out the eyes in a spiral
The fourth step is to cut out the eyes in a spiral. The eyes are the brown spots left on the pineapple after you remove the skin. They are not edible and can be unpleasant to bite into. You will need a small paring knife and a steady hand to remove them.
You will notice that the eyes are arranged in diagonal rows that spiral around the pineapple. To cut them out, you must make a V-shaped cut along each row, following the spiral pattern.
This will create a groove you can lift out with the knife, removing the eyes. Repeat this process until all the eyes are removed.
Step 5: Cut the pineapple into quarters and remove the core
The fifth step is to cut the pineapple into quarters and extract the core. The core is the complex and fibrous part in the centre of the pineapple. It is edible but not very tasty or juicy. You need to cut the pineapple into four equal pieces to remove it.
Lay the pineapple on its side and cut it in half from top to bottom. Then, cut each half in half again, creating four quarters.
To remove the core, stand each quarter on its base and cut it out with a knife, following the shape of the core. You can save the core for juicing or discard it.
Step 6: Cut the pineapple into chunks, slices, or rings
The final step is to cut the pineapple into chunks, slices, or rings, depending on how you want to use it. Lay each quarter on its side and cut it into bite-sized pieces to make chunks.
Lay each quarter on its side and cut it into thin or thick slices to make slices. To create rings, lay the pineapple on its side and cut it into round slices.
Then, use a cookie cutter or a knife to cut out the centre of each slice, removing the core. You can also use a pineapple corer to make rings more easily.
However, you have now successfully cut a pineapple like a ninja. You can enjoy your pineapple as it is or use it in your favourite recipes. Some of the recipes that you can try with pineapple are:
– Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
– Pineapple Fried Rice
– Also, Pineapple Salsa
– Pineapple Smoothie
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