How to Cut a Pineapple: A No-Knife Hack

Co-authored by Randall Chambers and Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Sweet, fresh, and wearing a crown—what’s not to love about pineapple! This summertime fruit is super delicious, but getting to all that juicy meat can sure be a hassle. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to cut your pineapple, look no further. We’ve got the perfect pineapple cutting hack, and it only requires a bit of muscle and a whole lot of appetite! Keep reading to learn how you can "cut" and pull apart a pineapple without a knife.

Things You Should Know

Start with a ripe pineapple. Twist off the pineapple's crown.
Bang the pineapple on a hard surface and then roll the pineapple back and forth to separate the meat from the core.
Grip a spike on the pineapple's skin and pull. Enjoy your piece of pineapple!

1

Choose a ripe pineapple.

This cutting hack works best with ripe pineapples. Search for a pineapple that’s more yellow than green and a bit soft. The riper a pineapple is, the yellower the outside will be and the squishier it’ll feel.^{[1]
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- Smell the base of the pineapple to be sure it’s ripe—it should smell sweet and fruity, not funky or vinegary.
- You can also press the indentation on the bottom of the pineapple. If it has some leeway, you're probably okay.

2

Twist off the pineapple’s crown.

Although gorgeous, the crown gets in the way of “cutting.” Place one hand near the bottom of the pineapple and the other on the leafy top. Hold onto the crown or leafy top tightly and twist—it’s as simple as that!^{[2]
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- The riper your pineapple, the easier this step will be.
- If you can’t twist the crown off, try using a paring knife to cut in-between each pineapple ridge. Then, rip off the top.^{[3]
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3

Bang the bottom of the pineapple on a hard surface.

The first “cut” can’t be made without loosening the pineapple meat. Whack or firmly bang the pineapple onto a cutting board, a counter, or even the ground, keeping the crown end face up. Do this 2 or 3 times to get all those juices moving.^{[4]
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- Be careful when whacking the pineapple down on a table. The sudden force could cause the table to wobble.

4

Roll the pineapple back and forth.

The pineapple meat will “cut” easily if it’s separated from the core. Lay the pineapple on its side and roll it back and forth with your hands. Think of it like kneading a ball of dough. Some juice may start coming out, but don’t panic! That means the hack’s working.^{[5]
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5

Pull the pineapple apart by the thorns or spikes.

The pineapple’s scalloped skin becomes a utensil with this cutting hack. Now that everything’s all loosened up inside, pinch one of the little leaves on the pineapple’s skin. Pull, tug, and wiggle until a piece of pineapple slips out with the skin.^{[6]
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- If you used a knife to help you out earlier, separate the pineapple pieces by digging your finger into the bottom edge of a section’s exterior and pulling upwards.^{[7]
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- The skin or rind will still be attached when you pull out a chunk of pineapple, so make sure to eat only the meat.