A pineapple wraps its delicious flesh in a particularly decorative way. It's almost a shame to attack her with a knife. Except that it's not that easy. With a few tricks, however, it is possible to free them completely from the shell.

Peeling a pineapple is not child's play

Picked pineapples no longer ripen

Is there an aromatic pulp hidden under the skin of the purchased pineapple? The secret will be revealed at the latest after peeling, but then it could be too late. Unlike some exotic fruits, the pineapple's degree of ripeness remains unchanged after picking.

  • Fruit does not continue to ripen during storage
  • therefore only buy ripe fruit
  • Consume quickly after purchase
  • after a long "waiting time" the fruit spoils
  • often invisible from the outside

Identify ripe fruit with certainty

The quality at the time of purchase determines later enjoyment. A ripe pineapple shows the following characteristics:

  • a pleasant, sweet scent
  • Shell yields slightly under pressure
  • the inner leaves come off easily

The tool for peeling

To remove the skin from a pineapple, you need the following kitchen tools:

  • a large, clean cutting board
  • a large serrated knife
  • a small, sharp knife
  • if necessary a pineapple cutter

This is how you go about peeling

  1. Lay the pineapple flat on the cutting board.
  2. Use the serrated knife to remove the green tuft of leaves while at the same time cutting off an approximately 1 cm thin slice from the fruit.
  3. Cut a slice from the other end as well.
  4. Stand the pineapple up so that one of the cut faces is on the board.
  5. Hold the fruit with one hand to keep it from slipping.
  6. Begin peeling by positioning the knife at the top and cutting off part of the peel at the bottom. Peel generously, the skin can easily be 5 mm thick.
  7. Remove the peel from the entire fruit one after the other.
  8. Using a small, sharp knife, poke out the remaining "brown eyes".
  9. Use a pineapple cutter to cut out the hard core of the pineapple. You can also quarter the pineapple and cut out the hard, fibrous part with a sharp knife.
  10. All that's left now is usable pulp, which you can break up into smaller pieces as needed.

tips

Even if the shell is not edible, it does not have to be thrown away. A fruity-sweet tea can be prepared from it.

Arrange the pineapple on the shell

You can also remove the skin from a pineapple so that the flesh can then be served on top.

  • cut off the bottom of the fruit
  • Stand the fruit up and quarter it lengthways
  • Separate the flesh from the peel
  • use a long, sharp knife
  • Make a deep cut all around between the skin and the flesh
  • Cut the flesh into 1 cm wide slices
  • leave on the dish and serve with it

Just leave the bowl on

If a pineapple is cut into small pieces and used as an edible decoration for cocktails or desserts or as a snack, it does not necessarily have to be peeled beforehand. On the contrary, each piece of pineapple looks more interesting with the skin on and is easier to hold while eating.

Of course, the fruit must be washed thoroughly beforehand. It is also an advantage if the pineapple comes from organic farming, otherwise potentially harmful substances can get into the drinks or food.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Quality: does not ripen; buy fit for consumption; peel and use quickly
  • Maturity characteristics: aromatic fragrance; slightly yielding shell; Leaves can be detached
  • Utensils needed: Large cutting board; large serrated knife, small pointed knife
  • Step 1: Cut off the tuft of leaves and a slice from each side
  • Step 2: Straighten Pineapple; hold with one hand
  • Step 3: Cut off the peel in strips from top to bottom with sawing movements
  • Tip: A delicious tea can be prepared from the skin of an organic pineapple
  • Alternatively: Cut off the lower end; Quarter the fruit lengthwise; scoop out the pulp
  • Serving: Cut the flesh into slices and place on the bowl
  • Do not peel: only cut the fruit into pieces for decorative purposes; nibble off the pulp if necessary

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

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Trees