How to Peel a Pineapple

Co-authored by Ed Kuoha and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: April 21, 2022 References Approved

There's something very satisfying about peeling your own ripe pineapple. You'll enjoy more flavorful, juicy fruit than if you bought canned pineapple and you can control how the pieces are cut. Once you remove the top and bottom of the fruit, simply slice away the tough thick peel. Then, trim off the eyes and enjoy your fresh pineapple!

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Trimming the Ends

1
Start with a ripe pineapple that's more yellow than green. Press into the pineapple gently to feel if the fruit yields under your finger. Then, smell the base of the pineapple to tell if it's fragrant and sweet. If you can't smell the pineapple at all, it's not ripe enough.^{[1]
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- If you're using a plastic cutting board, lay a kitchen towel underneath it to prevent the board from sliding around as you cut.
2
Lay the pineapple on its side and slice off the crown ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) below the leaves.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.} Hold the pineapple against the cutting board with your non-dominant hand and keep your fingers curled under so you don't accidentally cut them. Use a large knife to carefully slice off the end with the prickly leaves. The leaves are called the crown.^{[3]
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- Use a chef's knife or serrated bread knife.
Tip: Set the crown aside if you'd like to use it to decorate a fruit platter. You could place it in the center of a platter and arrange chopped pineapple and other fresh fruit around it.

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3
Slice off the bottom of the pineapple so the fruit could sit flat. Turn the pineapple 180-degrees and hold it in place with your non-dominant hand. Cut the base of the pineapple off so you remove the bottom ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm).^{[4]
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Expert Source

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.}
- The pineapple will now sit flat on its bottom so it will be easier to peel the sides.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Slicing the Peel Off of the Sides

1
Turn the pineapple upright and place a knife near the top edge.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.} Stand the pineapple so it's flat on your cutting board and hold it in place. Position a large knife at the top where the flat edge meets the side with the peel.^{[6]
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- It doesn't matter which end of the pineapple is up or down.
2
Cut down the side of the pineapple from top to bottom to remove a strip of the peel.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.} Slowly move your knife back and forth to help it move down the pineapple. Try to cut the peel without removing too much fruit.^{[8]
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- To keep the most fruit on the pineapple, remove about ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) off the sides.
Tip: Since pineapple is curved near the top and bottom, follow the natural arc of the fruit as you cut.
3
Slice the peel away from the entire pineapple.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Expert Interview. 9 November 2021.} Turn the pineapple a little so you can cut the peel away from another side of the pineapple. Continue to turn and slice off the peel until you've removed the whole thing.^{[10]
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- Your pineapple is now peeled, but you'll see prickly eyes all over the fruit.
- Discard the pineapple peels or toss them in your compost.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Removing the Eyes

1
Look for the rows of eyes on the fruit. Keep your pineapple upright on the cutting board and look closely at the prickly eyes. You'll see that these eyes fall in diagonal lines, which will make them easy to trim away.^{[11]
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- Although you could leave the eyes in the fruit, they can be unpleasantly prickly to eat.
2
Cut a diagonal line next to a row of eyes. Take a small paring knife and cut into the pineapple's fruit at a 45-degree angle. Make a long diagonal cut next to 2 to 3 of the eyes.^{[12]
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- You can cut above the eyes or below them.
3
Slice another diagonal line on the opposite side of the eyes. Move the paring knife so it's on the other side of the eyes and slice another line at a 45-degree angle. This will create a V-shaped trench with the eyes in the middle.^{[13]
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Variation: If you don't want your pineapple to have diagonal cuts running across it, you could use a paring knife to trim away each individual eye. This will leave more of the fruit intact, but it will be more time-consuming.
4
Pull away the eyes and discard them. If the diagonal lines you cut intersect, the V-shaped piece of fruit with the eyes should be easy to remove. Use your finger to pull it out and away.^{[14]
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- You can discard the strip of fruit with the eyes or trim the fruit between the eyes and save it.
5
Continue to cut diagonal rows of eyes around the entire pineapple. Cut another row of eyes below the row you just cut. Once you've cut away all the eyes from 1 side, turn the pineapple and cut all the eyes on that side.^{[15]
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- The pineapple will begin to have a spiral shape from where you've removed the eyes.
6
Cut the pineapple into rings or wedges. To make rings, place the pineapple on its side and make slices as thick as you like. Use a small round cutter to slice out the tough center from each ring. If you'd rather cut wedges, cut the pineapple lengthwise into quarters. Then, cut out the tough core from the center of each wedge.^{[16]
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- If you'd like to make chunks, take a wedge and slice crosswise to make pieces that are as wide as you want.

Expert Q&A

Question

Do you cut a pineapple from the top or bottom?

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Ed Kuoha is a Chef and the Owner of Kuoha Culinary based in Aiea, Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of experience in various culinary kitchens and settings such as Morimoto Waikiki, where he received hands-on training from Iron Chef Morimoto. Chef Ed specializes in small catering events and private chef requests. He holds an Associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College.

Ed Kuoha

Chef

Expert Answer

You always want to cut from top to bottom in one continuous slice. The idea is to clear the eyes of the pineapple without going in too deep, or you'll waste the fruit.
Question

How do you peel pineapple skin easily?

Ed Kuoha
Chef
Ed Kuoha is a Chef and the Owner of Kuoha Culinary based in Aiea, Hawaii. He has more than 20 years of experience in various culinary kitchens and settings such as Morimoto Waikiki, where he received hands-on training from Iron Chef Morimoto. Chef Ed specializes in small catering events and private chef requests. He holds an Associate’s degree from The Culinary Institute of the Pacific at Kapiolani Community College.

Ed Kuoha

Chef

Expert Answer

Cut off the top and the bottom to create a stable base. The first cut is always the hardest one, especially since the idea is to cut it like a slice. Then, just cut it from top to bottom. If you're new with a knife, know that you probably won't have a nice clean cut at first and that's okay.
Question

How do you peel a pineapple without cutting it?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

This is not as easy as the viral videos might make it seem, but it can be done! You may need to use an easy peeling variety, such as the Tainung no. 4. Make sure your pineapple is nice and ripe as well. Firmly roll the pineapple over a flat, hard surface to loosen the connections between the sections. Grab the base of the leaves and twist hard to remove them. Apply a little pressure at the base of each section, or fruitlet, to loosen it and pull it away from the core. If you’re having trouble, you may need to “cheat” and cut off the crown with a paring knife to get the process started.