How to Cub a Pineapple?

"Von Fourche" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, I would like to buy a fresh pineapple to make a Pina Colada. A
tropical drink book I have says I can use the juice and the fiber from
pineapple crushed in a blender.

My question: how do I go about preparing a pineapple to crush in a
blender to use in a drink?

Do I cut the thing in half and dig out the inside of the pineapple?

You

Quoted message said:

don't throw the whole pineapple including the outside of it in a blender

do

Quoted message said:

you? It's the insides I need to use, right?

How do I get the juice and fiber out and in the blender? Just cut it

out

Quoted message said:

and toss it in?

I've never bought a pineapple before so that's the reason for this

crazy

Quoted message said:

question. I would love to make a Pina Colada using a fresh pineapple.

Thanks!

To cut a pineapple:
1) cut a slice off the top, including, of course, the green "leaves".
2) cut a slice off the bottom.
3) Stand fruit on one end, and slice in half, lengthwise.
4) Slice each half into 4 wedges, lengthwise.
5) Cut out the tough core in each of these pieces and discard.

You will have 8 wedges of pineapple, free of the tough core and the
outside rough skin. Eat and enjoy, or cut further, if you wish.

Regards,
Nancree

I forgot #6. Cut each piece loose from tough outer skin.

Nancree

I forgot #6. Cut each piece loose from tough outer skin.

Nancree

nancree said:

I forgot #6. Cut each piece loose from tough outer skin.

Nancree

I find it's easier if you score the cored pineapple down to the skin,
crosswise and lengthwise, then cut along the skin to release pineapple
chunks. The OP wants to make pina colada's so they'll want the pineapple in
chunks prior to tossing in the blender with the other ingredients anyway.

Jill

Von Fourche said:

Ok, I would like to buy a fresh pineapple to make a Pina Colada. A
tropical drink book I have says I can use the juice and the fiber from
pineapple crushed in a blender.

My question: how do I go about preparing a pineapple to crush in a
blender to use in a drink?

Do I cut the thing in half and dig out the inside of the pineapple? You
don't throw the whole pineapple including the outside of it in a blender do
you? It's the insides I need to use, right?

How do I get the juice and fiber out and in the blender? Just cut it out
and toss it in?

I've never bought a pineapple before so that's the reason for this crazy
question. I would love to make a Pina Colada using a fresh pineapple.

Unless you live in pineapple growing country you are far better off
using canned juice... pineapples sold in US mainland markets are not
fully ripe and never will be... pineapples once picked do NOT ripen.

On Sat 30 Jul 2005 03:01:08a, jmcquown wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

nancree said:

I forgot #6. Cut each piece loose from tough outer skin.

Nancree

I find it's easier if you score the cored pineapple down to the skin,
crosswise and lengthwise, then cut along the skin to release pineapple
chunks. The OP wants to make pina colada's so they'll want the
pineapple in chunks prior to tossing in the blender with the other
ingredients anyway.

Jill

That's a great idea, Jill. Never thought of doing it that way.

--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

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Wayne Boatwright said:

On Sat 30 Jul 2005 03:01:08a, jmcquown wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

nancree said:

I forgot #6. Cut each piece loose from tough outer skin.

Nancree

I find it's easier if you score the cored pineapple down to the skin,
crosswise and lengthwise, then cut along the skin to release
pineapple chunks. The OP wants to make pina colada's so they'll
want the pineapple in chunks prior to tossing in the blender with
the other ingredients anyway.

Jill

That's a great idea, Jill. Never thought of doing it that way.

🙂 Had a party once where I used a halved pineapple, cored, as the
"container" for the pineapple chunks and other fruits with toothpicks stuck
in them. I set the pineapple half on a fairly deep plastic tray filled with
ice to keep it cool. I kept the pineapple otherwise whole (green leafy top
and all) and it looked pretty. Need more fruit? Bring out the other half!

Jill

No, Sheldon, you missed it on pineapples. Pineapples do ripen once picked.

I ripen pineapples regularly. I teach people how to choose and ripen
pineapple.
The only time they do not ripen after picking is when, like nearly any
other fruit, they are picked when very immature (have not reached almost
full size) - which is different than "green".

And, any brand of canned pineapple juice I have had lacks the rich flavor of
ripe pineapple.

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Von Fourche said:

Ok, I would like to buy a fresh pineapple to make a Pina Colada. A
tropical drink book I have says I can use the juice and the fiber from
pineapple crushed in a blender.

My question: how do I go about preparing a pineapple to crush in a
blender to use in a drink?

Do I cut the thing in half and dig out the inside of the pineapple?

You

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

don't throw the whole pineapple including the outside of it in a blender

do

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

you? It's the insides I need to use, right?

How do I get the juice and fiber out and in the blender? Just cut it

out

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

and toss it in?

I've never bought a pineapple before so that's the reason for this

crazy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

question. I would love to make a Pina Colada using a fresh pineapple.

Unless you live in pineapple growing country you are far better off
using canned juice... pineapples sold in US mainland markets are not
fully ripe and never will be... pineapples once picked do NOT ripen.

nancree said:

To cut a pineapple:
1) cut a slice off the top, including, of course, the green "leaves".
2) cut a slice off the bottom.
3) Stand fruit on one end, and slice in half, lengthwise.
4) Slice each half into 4 wedges, lengthwise.
5) Cut out the tough core in each of these pieces and discard.

You will have 8 wedges of pineapple, free of the tough core and the
outside rough skin. Eat and enjoy, or cut further, if you wish.

Regards,
Nancree

You never mentioned cutting off the outside skin.

gloria p

Von Fourche said:

Quoted message said:

Ok, I would like to buy a fresh pineapple to make a Pina Colada.
A tropical drink book I have says I can use the juice and the fiber
from pineapple crushed in a blender.

My question: how do I go about preparing a pineapple to crush in
a blender to use in a drink?

Do I cut the thing in half and dig out the inside of the
pineapple? You don't throw the whole pineapple including the
outside of it in a blender do you? It's the insides I need to use,
right?

How do I get the juice and fiber out and in the blender? Just cut
it out and toss it in?

I've never bought a pineapple before so that's the reason for
this crazy question. I would love to make a Pina Colada using a
fresh pineapple.

In local supermarkets, I can get pineapples peeled and cored at the store.
I watched a demo once that went something like this. Cut off the top and a
slice off the bottom so it sits flat. Take a chef's knife and cut away the
outside skin. Don't worry about the "eyes" until all the outer skin is
removed. Now with your knife, start cutting away the eyes in a spiral
patter. It is a little hard to explain, but as you cut away a small strip
containing the eye and move on to the next eye, it looks like a spiral.
This wastes the least amount of pineapple. Then slice in the thicknesses
you desire and cut around inside core to remove.

Debbie

Here's what works for me -
done it on Hawaii and done it in the states, done it with a machete in
the tropics and done in a kitchen with the tools below - so it works, at
least for me

If you want fresh ripe pineapple -

You are unlikely to find a ripe pineapple in a store. So you need to get
one and ripen it-

1) Get one and ripen it

First choose a pineapple that has some yellow on the skin, the darker the
yellow the better. While light green-yellow is usually ok, avoid any "hard
green" pineapples - darker green - they usually won't ripen. Choose a
pineapple that has some pineapple smell, if you can.

Let the pineapple ripen on the counter until the skin is yellow-brown and it
smells strongly of RICH pineapple. Once yellow-brown starts, the pineapple
is near ripe - when ripe, surface of the skin should JUST start to soften.
(Although a little overripe is better than a little underripe). The nose
will also tell you.

2) Then peel it - if it's really ripe, think raincoat amounts of juice

Wash off the pineapple, leaves too, and shake dry.

I then cut the base off enough so I have a flat surface on the bottom of the
pineapple. A ripe pineapple is pretty juicy, and you will be pushing down
against the base, so don't make that cut too deep. Leave a lot of "hard" and
even skin. It will be removed later.

I stand the pineapple on that cut end on a small board in a shallow pan ( to
catch the juice), and I then use a sharp bolo or heavy sharp knife and two
hands (kid uses a serrated bread knife to saw off the skin one-handed) to
cut down, from leaf stem to base, to just remove the layer of skin, leaving
only the little brown bits (nodes/nodules) in the centers of the segments.
Do this to all sides of the pineapple.
(Some people cut deep enough when skinning to remove the little nodules
with the skin, but I think that removes a lot of the flavorful part)

I then use a small-tipped potato peeler (or a paring knife) to remove all
the nodes. You can see how much to take off to get the node, after you dig
out the first couple. Tedious, but necessary.

At this point you should have a pineapple with a hard base that maybe has
some skin at the base, leaves on the other end with some skin under the
leaves, a lot of little holes where the nodes were on the sides, and no
brown nodes or skin on most of the pineapple. And a fair amount of juice in
the pan.

3) Trim (remove the hard) and prepare for presentation-
Note- The cutter gets to chew/share the meaty trims - there is some soft
and some hard and always juice in the meaty trim.

I now cut the base farther up the pineapple, just enough to remove the
hard part and any skin left there from earlier. Base is done.

Now you are at the presentation part - do you want leaves on for decoration
(quarter it and cut off the hard core), do you want a cored whole pineapple
so you can to fill the core with chunks or other fruit or rum-ice (core it
with an apple peeler), do you want a leaf hat on a rum keg (angle-cut the
top off so it fits back on), etc.?

For spears and chunks:
I lop off the leaves and upper stem and any skin under them. Top is done.

I then set the pineapple on end and use the heavy knife to quarter it
lengthwise.

I cut off the hard part of the core from each of the quarters. Pineapple
peeling and trimming is done

You now have four wedges of pineapples without little burrs or cores.

And four core wedges to decorate other drinks (I personally don't use them
in any drinks I might make from the pineapple, because they aren't as sweet
as the eatin' part. IMHO)

4) Drain the juice you caught in the pan through a mesh strainer - I have
had as much as a cup of juice in the pan after peeling and coring.

You now have four large wedges and a container of juice

And wash your hands - I swear the juice digests skin.

hope it helps

"Von Fourche" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, I would like to buy a fresh pineapple to make a Pina Colada. A
tropical drink book I have says I can use the juice and the fiber from
pineapple crushed in a blender.

My question: how do I go about preparing a pineapple to crush in a
blender to use in a drink?

Do I cut the thing in half and dig out the inside of the pineapple?

You

Quoted message said:

don't throw the whole pineapple including the outside of it in a blender

do

Quoted message said:

you? It's the insides I need to use, right?

How do I get the juice and fiber out and in the blender? Just cut it

out

Quoted message said:

and toss it in?

I've never bought a pineapple before so that's the reason for this

crazy

Quoted message said:

question. I would love to make a Pina Colada using a fresh pineapple.

Thanks!

"hob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Here's what works for me -
done it on Hawaii and done it in the states, done it with a machete in
the tropics and done in a kitchen with the tools below - so it works, at
least for me

If you want fresh ripe pineapple -

You are unlikely to find a ripe pineapple in a store. So you need to get
one and ripen it-

1) Get one and ripen it

First choose a pineapple that has some yellow on the skin, the darker the
yellow the better. While light green-yellow is usually ok, avoid any "hard
green" pineapples - darker green - they usually won't ripen. Choose a
pineapple that has some pineapple smell, if you can.

Let the pineapple ripen on the counter until the skin is yellow-brown and

it

Quoted message said:

smells strongly of RICH pineapple. Once yellow-brown starts, the

pineapple

Quoted message said:

is near ripe - when ripe, surface of the skin should JUST start to soften.
(Although a little overripe is better than a little underripe). The nose
will also tell you.

2) Then peel it - if it's really ripe, think raincoat amounts of juice

Wash off the pineapple, leaves too, and shake dry.

I then cut the base off enough so I have a flat surface on the bottom of

the

Quoted message said:

pineapple. A ripe pineapple is pretty juicy, and you will be pushing down
against the base, so don't make that cut too deep. Leave a lot of "hard"

and

Quoted message said:

even skin. It will be removed later.

I stand the pineapple on that cut end on a small board in a shallow pan

( to

Quoted message said:

catch the juice), and I then use a sharp bolo or heavy sharp knife and

two

Quoted message said:

hands (kid uses a serrated bread knife to saw off the skin one-handed) to
cut down, from leaf stem to base, to just remove the layer of skin,

leaving

Quoted message said:

only the little brown bits (nodes/nodules) in the centers of the segments.
Do this to all sides of the pineapple.
(Some people cut deep enough when skinning to remove the little nodules
with the skin, but I think that removes a lot of the flavorful part)

I then use a small-tipped potato peeler (or a paring knife) to remove all
the nodes. You can see how much to take off to get the node, after you dig
out the first couple. Tedious, but necessary.

At this point you should have a pineapple with a hard base that maybe has
some skin at the base, leaves on the other end with some skin under the
leaves, a lot of little holes where the nodes were on the sides, and no
brown nodes or skin on most of the pineapple. And a fair amount of juice

in

Quoted message said:

the pan.

3) Trim (remove the hard) and prepare for presentation-
Note- The cutter gets to chew/share the meaty trims - there is some

soft

Quoted message said:

and some hard and always juice in the meaty trim.

I now cut the base farther up the pineapple, just enough to remove the
hard part and any skin left there from earlier. Base is done.

Now you are at the presentation part - do you want leaves on for

decoration

Quoted message said:

(quarter it and cut off the hard core), do you want a cored whole

pineapple

Quoted message said:

so you can to fill the core with chunks or other fruit or rum-ice (core it
with an apple peeler), do you want a leaf hat on a rum keg (angle-cut the
top off so it fits back on), etc.?

For spears and chunks:
I lop off the leaves and upper stem and any skin under them. Top is

done.

Quoted message said:

I then set the pineapple on end and use the heavy knife to quarter it
lengthwise.

I cut off the hard part of the core from each of the quarters.

Pineapple

Quoted message said:

peeling and trimming is done

You now have four wedges of pineapples without little burrs or cores.

And four core wedges to decorate other drinks (I personally don't use

them

Quoted message said:

in any drinks I might make from the pineapple, because they aren't as

sweet

Quoted message said:

as the eatin' part. IMHO)

4) Drain the juice you caught in the pan through a mesh strainer - I have
had as much as a cup of juice in the pan after peeling and coring.

You now have four large wedges and a container of juice

And wash your hands - I swear the juice digests skin.

hope it helps

All that work to get pineapple juice for a Pina Colada? lol .

I'm going to pick up a pineapple at the market today but it will be
tomorrow when I make the Pina Coladas. Should I store the pineapple in the
fridge overnight or just let it sit out?

Von Fourche said:

I'm going to pick up a pineapple at the market today but it will be
tomorrow when I make the Pina Coladas. Should I store the pineapple in the
fridge overnight or just let it sit out?

Let it sit out.

Von Fourche said:

All that work to get pineapple juice for a Pina Colada? lol .

I'm going to pick up a pineapple at the market today but it will be
tomorrow when I make the Pina Coladas. Should I store the pineapple in the
fridge overnight or just let it sit out?

Do not refrigerate. Place on counter with leaves *down*, gravity will
redistribute sugars more evenly throughout the fruit... three days is
ideal but however long you have will be better than not at all. Once
harvested pineapple does not ripen... if it tastes like it's sweeter
(not) that's because it has begun to ferment (rot). Btw, pineapple
juice is not made by pureeing the whole fruit, that simply ruins the
pineapple and results in little juice. Pineapples are juiced by
pressing under high pressure, can't be done at home. The pulp is used
as animal forage. If you want juice buy canned... it's made from far
riper pineapples than you can buy on the US mainland. By the third
colada nothing will much matter anyhow.

Sheldon

sf said:

Von Fourche said:

I'm going to pick up a pineapple at the market today but it will be
tomorrow when I make the Pina Coladas. Should I store the pineapple in the
fridge overnight or just let it sit out?

Let it sit out.

Why... so it can continue to rot?

Sheldon

hob said:

Here's what works for me -
done it on Hawaii and done it in the states, done it with a machete in
the tropics and done in a kitchen with the tools below - so it works, at
least for me

If you want fresh ripe pineapple -

You are unlikely to find a ripe pineapple in a store. So you need to get
one and ripen it-

1) Get one and ripen it

First choose a pineapple that has some yellow on the skin, the darker the
yellow the better. While light green-yellow is usually ok, avoid any "hard
green" pineapples - darker green - they usually won't ripen. Choose a
pineapple that has some pineapple smell, if you can.

Let the pineapple ripen on the counter

Idiot/Liar. Once cut pineapple does NOT ripen.

Sheldon

Sheldon said:

sf said:

Von Fourche said:

I'm going to pick up a pineapple at the market today but it will be
tomorrow when I make the Pina Coladas. Should I store the pineapple in the
fridge overnight or just let it sit out?

Let it sit out.

Why... so it can continue to rot?

Yes.

How does that leave no rind???

"nancree" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

To cut a pineapple:
1) cut a slice off the top, including, of course, the green "leaves".
2) cut a slice off the bottom.
3) Stand fruit on one end, and slice in half, lengthwise.
4) Slice each half into 4 wedges, lengthwise.
5) Cut out the tough core in each of these pieces and discard.

You will have 8 wedges of pineapple, free of the tough core and the
outside rough skin. Eat and enjoy, or cut further, if you wish.

Regards,
Nancree