For the past couple of weeks, farmers’ markets and supermarkets have been overflowing with pineapple. I’ve not seen the fruit exhibited so extravagantly in the almost five years since we moved to Kaua’i. Pure magnificence!
Preparing a pineapple to cut up begins when you twist off the crown of tough leaves. You’re then left with the naked fruit.
Stand the pineapple on its bottom end (stem end). Using a very sharp chef’s knife, slice downward to remove one slab of skin. Make sure you make your cut about 1/3- to 1/2-inch into the flesh.
I made the cut to avoid leaving bits of the skin. This is a very clean cut, and many times I’ve not been so lucky. Turn the pineapple and continue making cuts until all of the skin has been removed.
And here’s the completely peeled pineapple. If any bits of skin reveal themselves at this point, just use a paring knife to remove them.
The next step is to cut the pineapple vertically into quarters. Or cut into slices if you’re making an upside-down cake. Remember to remove the core.
I quartered the peeled pineapple and removed the cores. Be sure to chew on the cores for some terrific pineapple juice.
Our breakfast includes papaya halves filled with diced pineapple. A squeeze of lime juice onto the papaya brightens its flavor and then I spoon the pineapple on top.
Store the pineapple in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps really well for at least five days.
Happy Pineapple!
I've had fresh pineapple in Jeju Island, S. Korea and Papua New Guinea and the taste of fresh pineapple right off the plant can't compare to the store bought variety in the lower 48. Our local store was loaded with pineapple earlier in August and then I saw your post. I guess I never thought about when they come in season but that would explain the gigantic pile of pineapple at Winco.
A pineapple should be picked ripe. It will not ripen further once it’s off the plant. It’s up to the grower to decide when a crop needs to be picked. The fruit’s aroma is often used to determine ripeness, so I was told years ago by a farmer on a Dole pineapple farm.