What fruits are popular among those losing weight, as well as adherents of proper nutrition? Of course, grapefruits and pineapples! Everyone knows about their “weight loss” properties. If everything is clear with grapefruit, then not everyone knows which side to approach the pineapple. Only someone who eats these fruits for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or is a professional chef, can peel a pineapple like a god. Ordinary people are far from this, so now the topic of our article is how to cut a pineapple correctly and beautifully, how to peel it in ordinary home conditions, and also why it is needed in the diet of a pineapple at all.
Do I need to peel it?
The answers to the questions depend on the method of preparation and serving: how to properly cut a pineapple, peel it, or simply wash it. When the product is intended to be used for preparing various dishes or served in pieces, the peel must be removed. The most delicious pulp is located directly under the crust, so you need to cut it as thinly as possible using a sharp knife.
If pineapple is served as part of a fruit slice, then its foliage and peel can become decorative elements. In this case, it is important to thoroughly wash the fruit and pat dry with a towel. Serving pineapple without preliminary peeling has another advantage: the peel is able to maintain the freshness of the product for a long time, protecting it from chapping and drying out. How to cut a mango correctly?
Useful properties of pineapple
According to nutritionists and nutrition experts, pineapple is one of those few fruits that should be present not only on the holiday table, but also on ordinary days. Pineapple contains numerous beneficial amino acids, vitamins B, A, K, and minerals (zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, potassium, calcium, etc.).
Despite the fact that pineapple stimulates digestion, it is a low-calorie product and consists of eighty-six percent water. It can be safely used by people who monitor their diet and count calories.
In addition, pineapple juice helps lower blood pressure, prevents the formation of blood clots, and helps in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system. And the amazing aroma helps fight stress and improves your mood.
How to clean at home with a knife?
Pineapple often causes panic in people, frightening them with its hard, thorny skin. There is no difficulty in how to peel a pineapple at home with a knife. You will need two sharp knives, a vegetable peeler, and a potato peeler with a sharp end. There are different methods of peeling a pineapple, each of which deserves attention and leads to excellent results. Before peeling a pineapple, it is best to rinse it with water to remove any contaminants.
How to properly peel a pineapple if it is to be used for salad or cut into small cubes:
- Place on a board or table.
- Cut off the bottom and leaves.
- Unfold the pineapple like a barrel.
- Using precise movements, remove all peel.
- Using a potato peeler, remove the eyes point by point.
- Cut the fruit in half lengthwise, and each half into several more pieces.
- Before cutting the pineapple into small pieces, cut off the hard middle at an angle.
The peeled pulp is cut into pieces of the required size and used for its intended purpose. This method is economical and leaves the least amount of waste. Options for fruit salads with mango.
Pineapple peeler
How to properly peel a pineapple to serve in slices:
- Remove base and top.
- Place the fruit on its side and peel off the skin, moving in a spiral.
- Run the knife along the eyes to the right and left of them, holding the blade at an angle.
- Remove the triangular strip with spikes.
This method of removing blackheads will allow you not to lose a lot of juice during the cleaning process.
It is convenient to use the “Thai way” of how to peel a pineapple at home. The peculiarity of the technique is that it is not necessary to cut off the tops immediately: it is convenient to hold the fruit by them during the cleaning process. The sequence of actions will be as follows:
- Cut off the bottom.
- Place the pineapple on the board.
- Cut the skin thinly, holding the fruit by the leaves.
- Cut out the black eyes by cutting them with a knife on both sides diagonally, trying to capture several points at a time.
Gradually a spiral pattern forms. Then the fruit is cut into 4 parts and the core is removed. If the fruit is very large, then it is cut into 6 - 8 sections before slicing.
If you use pineapple leaves as a handle when peeling, your hand will be protected from juice and will not slip.
If you do not plan to use the whole fruit, then this method will do:
- Before peeling a pineapple at home, you need to cut off a few rings.
- Remove the peel with a knife.
- If there are any eyes left, remove them with a potato peeler.
Another method on how to quickly peel a pineapple, which will take just a few minutes:
- Cut off the top.
- From the inside, cut the flesh halfway along the skin along the circumference, holding the knife strictly perpendicular to the base.
- Cut off the bottom.
- Cut through the second half of the pulp.
- Remove the resulting cylinder from the peel.
The disadvantage of this method is that there is a lot of waste, but there is no need to cut out the tenons. It is important that the knife blade is long enough to go through the entire length of the fruit.
Peeling a pineapple is not a difficult task. Having studied all the ways to properly cut and slice a pineapple, you should practice a little, then everything will work out quickly and beautifully.
Overseas guest
We all know that no matter how high-quality canned fruit is, when fresh it is more aromatic, healthier, and more beautiful in appearance. As in Europe, in our country pineapple most often appears on holiday tables in canned form. In this case, the question of how to properly peel and cut a pineapple disappears for housewives. But if you have already decided to pamper your guests with something delicious, then in the store feel free to walk past the shelves with canned goods and go to those racks where fresh fruits are located.
I must say that pineapple is simply ideal for holiday slicing. Not only can it serve as an independent dessert, it also harmonizes perfectly with meat dishes. And the non-standard shape of the fruit allows you to fulfill your culinary fantasies and offers many unusual cutting methods.
How to cut correctly?
Before cutting the pineapple, you need to wash and prepare it. There is no one right way to peel and cut a pineapple, so you can consider the options above. How to properly serve and eat mango?
If you plan to serve it in slices, then before cutting the pineapple, you need to properly remove the core. A thin long knife or a special device is used. The core can be cut from the whole fruit or from each individual “puck”. If the fruit is used for pizza, you can simplify the process as much as possible:
- Cut off the bottom and the tuft.
- Cut into rings of the desired thickness.
- Divide each part into 4 segments.
- Peel all the pieces one by one.
To preserve as much of the tasty pulp as possible, it is important to know how to cut a pineapple correctly: you need to move the blade of the knife along the peel, forming an outer arc. It is also convenient to cut off the peel in small pieces tangentially.
Pineapple serving option
Canapes
As we have already noted, pineapple goes well with many foods. This is an ideal option for preparing canapés:
- Cut several types of cheeses, Parma ham and pineapple into small cubes. Place on a skewer, alternating cheese and pineapple slices, with ham on top.
- Pineapple is ideal for making seafood canapés. Place finely chopped pineapple and boiled shrimp in a thin sheet of ham. Wrap it in a roll and thread it onto a skewer. You can decorate the top with an olive.
- Alternate pineapple cubes and olives. You can add a small cucumber cube in the middle.
- How to cut a pineapple beautifully so that it looks unusual on a skewer in splendid isolation? The option is very simple. Cut the fruit into rings. Cut a small piece from the ring and put it on a skewer. It turns out to be a kind of sail. You can put a piece of peach or apple at the bottom to make a full-fledged boat.
How to cut beautifully?
To effectively serve fruit slices, it matters how you cut the pineapple.
To cut a pineapple like a melon, you need:
- Divide the fruit lengthwise into 4 fragments without removing the foliage.
- Cut off the core.
- Run a knife on one side between the pulp and the skin, and then on the other.
- Leave the separated pulp on the skin.
- Cut it into 1.5-2 cm slices.
- Move the pieces relative to each other in opposite directions.
The following is a way to beautifully cut a pineapple and arrange its presentation on a plate:
- Cut the fruit in half lengthwise.
- Cut out all the pulp.
- Cut it into cubes.
- Place everything in peel “baskets.”
You can add fruits of different colors to the “baskets” made from peels, then you will get a spectacular holiday dish.
The last option on how to beautifully cut a pineapple is suitable for those who want to use part of the fruit:
- Cut off a few “washers”.
- Remove flakes with a vegetable peeler.
- Cut each circle into 8 segments.
In this cutting method, the core is not removed. It is different in color and not as juicy as the main part, so it is convenient to hold it with your hand.
Peel and cut the flesh of pineapple using different knives.
Effectiveness
However, no matter what people say, there is a very good reason why this method actually works. Pineapples grow as individual fruits, the parts of which join together to form a core as they ripen. So, in theory, pulling out pieces of pineapple like the one shown in the video makes a lot more sense than cutting off the skin. However, you should not think that everything will really be as simple as it is in the picture.
How to cut quickly using a slicing device?
A special device for cutting pineapple is called a slicer. It has the appearance of a corkscrew and a similar principle of operation. The slicer is screwed into the middle of the fruit and cuts its pulp into a spiral, evenly separating it from the peel and the middle.
Before cutting a pineapple with a slicer, you need to take it in your hand and gradually twist it clockwise. The core will remain in the handle of the device, and the peel will be intact and can be used for serving. The pineapple pulp will be placed on the slicer handle and cut into equal thin rings.
Using this kitchen gadget solves two questions at once: how to peel a pineapple and how to cut a pineapple beautifully. The whole process is reduced to a minute, and the result exceeds expectations.
Shaped slicing of small pineapples
Rings
How to cut a pineapple and serve it in such a way that it takes little time, but at the same time looks original and unusual? The “Rings” option is the most popular and favorite among chefs.
First, you need to peel the pineapple. The skin is cut off like a potato. Then we place the fruit on its side and cut into neat rings. If you have small metal cookie cutters in your kitchen, you can use them. Using molds, squeeze out shapes from the pineapple pulp. These could be flowers, butterflies or stars (for an adult table) or cars, bows, etc. (table setting for children).
Health benefits and harms
Pineapple is a unique product. It contains organic acids that stimulate the digestion process. The product reduces blood viscosity.
Pineapple contains the substance bromelain, which prevents the deposition of triglycerides. You need to be careful: the acids contained in the fruit negatively affect the condition of tooth enamel.
During the process of peeling and cutting the pineapple, the core is discarded. It is considered to be rough and spoil the taste of the product. However, those who want to lose weight should focus on this part. The core also contains the substance bromelain (and even in greater quantities than the pulp itself), which helps fight excess weight. Banana diet.
Rules for treating a foreigner
Pineapples are sold in large supermarkets all year round. But we still prefer to buy canned circles or slices in sugar syrup. And mainly because of the prejudice that there will be more waste when peeling fruit than “income”. Indeed, pineapple has a thick skin and a hard core; these parts are unsuitable for eating.
Some scientists classify pineapples as cereals, proving this by the similarity of growth
This is interesting. On average, a pineapple weighs about 1.5 kg, although there are cases when the fruit reached 15 kg.
Due to the appearance of the peel with scales and coarse hairs, it is unlikely that it would occur to anyone to taste it, but with the core everything is different: many “lazy people”, not wanting to fight with the correct serving of pineapple, eat it. And then for a long time they remember such consequences as:
- astringent taste in the mouth;
- tongue swollen with itching;
- unpleasant bitterness.
Therefore, when buying a pineapple, remember that it will need to be peeled and cored.
Scientists from France have found that the core of the fruit and the pulp adjacent to it contain a lot of bromelain, a substance that actively breaks down fats and removes them from the body. This reaction occurs 24 hours after eating the fibrous part of the exotic fruit.
How to choose in the store?
Pineapples can be found on store shelves at any time of the year. When purchasing, pay attention to the following points:
- a juicy fruit will be heavy, and too light a fruit may turn out dry;
- if you bring the fruit close to your nose, you can feel a subtle sweet aroma;
- the tail should be green, but dry;
- the scales should be dense;
- if you pull the sheet, it should come out without effort.
Color is not always an indicator of ripeness: some varieties remain green even after ripening.
Having bought a pineapple with fresh leaves, you can keep it in your apartment for several days - it will ripen and become tasty.
Choosing ripe fruit
It’s easy to choose a juicy pineapple if you follow a few simple rules:
- The green “top” should be a rich green color, thick, without yellow spots. The leaves of a ripe pineapple are dense and can be torn off with a slight movement of the hand. If the green tuft does not come out, leave this product in the store. Make sure that the pineapple is sold together with the green tuft. If there is no greenery, then most likely it has rotted.
- The shell of the ripened superfruit is brown, with a slight yellow-greenish tint. Solid brown scales indicate that it is overripe.
- Ripe, fragrant, sweet pineapples are elastic to the touch. If you press a little on the rough surface, it springs back under your fingers. If the surface is soft, then it is better to leave such a product on the store counter.
- Never buy a pineapple if there are visible dents on its surface. Most likely, it will be spoiled inside.
- Feel free to smell this exotic fruit. An excessively cloying smell is a signal that the shell is damaged and putrefactive bacteria are already multiplying inside.
Never buy pineapples for future use. It is almost impossible to create ideal storage conditions at home, and they will begin to deteriorate very quickly.
You may find it useful:
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A well-known life hack on how to extract fruit pulp without a knife really works. A nuance with pineapple
- The fruit should be placed horizontally on a cutting board. Next, you should cut off the upper part with the leaves, retreating about 2 cm from the edge. Similarly, you need to cut off the lower part of the fruit. Next, the pineapple should be placed vertically. The result should be a stable barrel.
- Using a sharp knife with a thin blade, cut off the pineapple peel with vertical movements from top to bottom.
- The remaining eyes on the surface are removed in a spiral using a potato peeler or cut out with a knife (each section separately).
- Using a sharp knife with a long, thin blade, carefully cut out the core.
- Peeled pineapple is cut into rings on a cutting board.
Knowing simple ways to peel a pineapple, you can often delight your loved ones with this aromatic delicacy or delicious dishes made from it. After all, fresh pineapples are much superior in taste and beneficial properties to their canned “brothers”.
What does the tops tell the buyer?
The top of the fruit is decorated with a sultan - a lush bunch of greenery. Due to the foliage growing on the top of the head, the fruit is officially called large-tufted pineapple.
A ripe pineapple has salad tops, slightly yellowish in color. The topmost leaf is usually yellow. A bunch of leaves on a ripe fruit twists easily. If you pull one of the leaves, it will easily separate from the rest.