How to cut a pineapple with a Japanese knife?

The pineapple is a tropical fruit that you can enjoy with a sour-sweet and juicy taste. Packaged cut pineapples and frozen pineapples in bags are also on sale, but to fully enjoy the delights, it is recommended to buy the whole fresh pineapple and cut it yourself. It is often thought that it is difficult to cut because it is covered with hard leather, but it's actually easy once you know the technique. In this article, I'm going to introduce you to about 3 ways to cut pineapple. Let's use it properly according to the purpose and enjoy the fresh feeling.

Easy for beginners | How to cut and then peel

The first method I'm going to introduce is to cut the pineapple into 4 to 8 equal parts and then to peel it.

It is recommended for those who are not used to it because it is first cut into easy-to-handle pieces.

Here, we will introduce the basic cutting method and its arrangement method.

Basic way to cut pineapple

The basic method to cut pineapple is summarized for each procedure.

Use a knife that cuts well and be careful not to hurt yourself.

Step 1: Cut the top and bottom of the pineapple

Place the pineapple on a cutting board and cut the head and hips by 1 to 2 cm each.

Also cut the leaves on the head.

The sweetness of the fruit is concentrated near the core, so be sure not to cut it into thicker slices than necessary.

Step 2: Cut vertically in half, then cut into 2 to 4 equal parts.

Cut the pineapple vertically in half and divide it into 2-4 equal parts, depending on the size.

Place knives radially from the center, like when you're cutting an apple or a lemon into a comb.

Step 3: Remove the core of the pineapple

Cut the hard core.

This step is not necessary for pineapples that can be eaten to the core, like Taiwanese pineapples.

Step 4: Stand the pineapple up and cut the skin

Stand the pineapple on a cutting board and cut it with a knife between the skin and the fruit.

Step 5: Lay the pineapple on its side and cut it to an easy-to-eat thickness.

Place the pineapple on its side and cut it into 2-3 cm wide bites.

Insert it into a stick to make a "typhoon stick pineapple"

Push disposable chopsticks or bamboo skewers into the pineapple you finished up to step 4, and you will have a pineapple stick (refrigerated pineapple) that you know well from food stands.

Put it in the refrigerator and let it cool down.

It is also recommended to freeze it in the freezer and eat it as pineapple ice cream, or decorate it with melted chocolate.

Make a trendy dessert by offsetting it.

This is an arrangement method that leaves the skin cut in step 4 and looks like a plate.

Arrange the pineapples cut in step 5 on the skin alternately to make a beautiful dessert.

Leaving the skin on to decorate the cocktail

Skip step 4 and move on to step 5, cut the pineapple into small pieces without peeling it.

Make a notch at the desired location and insert it into the edge of the glass to decorate your cocktail or juice.

Eat without wasting | How to cut after peeling

This is a method of finely peeling the pineapple and removing the grainy part remaining on the surface in the shape of a spiral.

It takes a bit of time, but there are few lost pieces and it's beautiful.

This method is common in tropical countries like Hawaii, Taiwan, and the Philippines where pineapples are produced.

Spiral cutting procedure for pineapple

Presentation of the spiral cutting method of pineapple.

It's not as difficult as it seems, so give it a try.

Step 1: Cut the top and bottom of the pineapple

Place the pineapple on a cutting board and cut the head and hips by 1 to 2 cm each.

Step 2: Lift the pineapple and peel it thinly

Stand the pineapple up, insert a knife from top to bottom and peel it off.

The goal is to only remove the hard parts looking like scales.

Make sure there are hardly any brown and grainy bumps left on the surface of the fruit.

Step 3: Cut the lumpy part in a spiral

The bumps on the surface are aligned in a spiral, so insert a V-shaped knife on both sides of the line to eliminate the lumps.

Turn the pineapple little by little to remove all lumps.

Step 4: Cut vertically in half, then cut into 2 to 4 equal parts.

Cut the pineapple vertically in half and divide it into 2-4 equal parts radially from the center.

Step 5: Cut the core and slice it into an easy-to-eat thickness

Cut the hard core and cut it into bites of a width of 2 to 3 cm.

Canned pineapple slices

Once you have finished step 3, you are free to cut it.

It is also possible to cut the whole piece into 1 cm wide slices and to hollow out the core to give it the appearance of a canned pineapple.

You can also use the circular shape for cakes or as garnishing for burgers and steaks.

Offset the pieces to create a beautiful pattern

If you arrange the pineapple so that you can see the surface with the spiral pattern, it looks like a work of art.

By slightly shifting the cross-section of the pineapple, you can create a more stylish atmosphere.

Recommended for parties

Beautiful pineapple decorations are ideal for hospitality and parties.

Pineapple boats and pineapple rings that use the leather as a container are excellent cutting methods.

You can use it as a fruit plate or fruit punch, or you can serve fried rice or nasi goreng to create a tropical complex.

Here, we are going to show you how to create such decorations with pineapple.

Pineapple boat basket

Cut the pineapple with the leaves in half vertically
Place the cut face up and make a cut 1 to 2 cm inside the skin.
Divide the part surrounded by the notch into 3 to 4 equal parts and cut the fruit little by little.
Cut the hollowed-out fruit into easy-to-eat pieces and serve them in a bowl.

The dedicated pineapple knife is convenient

If you are having trouble working with a kitchen knife, try using a special pineapple knife.

The slightly curved blade fits the roundness of the pineapple, which makes it easier to hollow out the fruit.

Pineapple ring

Cut the pineapple head.
Place the cut end up and make an incision 1 to 2 cm inside the skin.
Make a cross cut in the center (central part) of the cut and divide the part you want to hollow out into 3 to 4 equal parts.

Scoop out the fruit using a spoon, etc.
Cut the scooped out fruit into easy-to-eat pieces and serve them in a bowl.

Easy with a pineapple cutter and slicer

It's a bit difficult to handle, but it's easy with a dedicated pineapple cutter or a pineapple slicer.

After you cut the pineapple head, place the cutter on the cross-section and push it in while turning the handle.

If you push it all the way down and then lift the knife, you can remove the whole fruit and use the skin as it is as a container.

Tips for making pineapple containers

You can make a notch in the bottom of the bowl, except when you're putting something juicy in, like a fruit punch.

It's much easier to hollow out the fruit and the finished product is beautiful.

Easy to cut without cutting! How to eat snack pine

"Snack pine" is a popular name for a variety of pineapple called "Taiwan No. 4" .

As the name suggests, it is a Taiwanese variety, but it is also produced in Japan mainly in Okinawa Prefecture.

The flesh has cavities and is soft, so it can be torn off by hand and eaten as a snack.

You can pick the pieces one by one by cutting the heel 1 to 2 cm and then tearing it off while holding the scaly part of the leather.

The core that is left in the end is also sweet and soft, so please eat it without throwing it away.

How to keep cut pineapple?

How to keep pineapple that I couldn't eat at once?

Here, we will tell you how to keep cut pineapple.

For refrigerated storage

Put the cut pineapple in a closed container and store it in the refrigerator.

The standard storage period is about 2 to 3 days.

For frozen storage

If you want to keep it for a long time, we recommend you to freeze it instead of refrigerating it.

If you put it in a closed container or freezer bag and freeze it, it will last about a month.

If you freeze it as it is, the pineapples will stick to each other, so spread it on a board and freeze it, then put it in a freezer bag.

Therefore, whether you are enjoying pieces of fresh pineapple at home or accompanying you on your outdoor adventures, the multifunction folding knife positions itself as an indispensable companion, ready to meet the culinary requirements as well as outdoor, with its ingenious design and capacity to take on all the challenges presented.