How to Prepare Fresh Pineapple

Growing up in the midwest, the only pineapple served at our house was the occasional pineapple upside down cake. Living in the Hawaiian Islands since the late 70s and for the first time experiencing the taste of real fresh pineapple from the field, I have to admit I don't think I've eaten canned pineapple in over 30 years. So I had to get proficient at preparing it......my husband who grew up in the islands showed me how its done.

Fresh pineapple is a favorite tropical fruit to serve at picnics, dinner buffets or any social gathering. If you've ever tasted a fresh, juicy, sweet pineapple, it's a sure bet that like me, you won't want to go back to the canned variety. This page demonstrates how easy it is to prepare fresh pineapple. You'll find preparing fresh pineapple to be as easy as eating one. :)

This photo from the archives of The Honolulu Advertiser, shows a group of Dole pineapple pickers in Wahiawa, HI circa 1971. Ready to prepare fresh pineapple hand picked from the field - it doesn't get much fresher than that.

My Island-Raised Husband Showed Me How to Do This :)

To prepare fresh pineapple, you only need to gather three things. To begin, select the freshest pineapple you can find. You will also need a sharp kitchen knife and a large cutting board.

(Photo credit Pam Irie)

Lay pineapple on its side. With the knife, cut off the top of the pineapple in as straight a line as possible.

Stand pineapple fruit upright on the cutting board and hold firmly with one hand. Slice a small section of the pineapple in a downward motion, making sure to cut as cleanly as possible to preserve the juicy fruit inside. Turn pineapple slightly after each cut and continue in this manner until all outer covering is removed.

If you have a compatible climate and soil and a lot of patience, try growing your own pineapple plant. Just twist off the pineapple topping from the pineapple and this top is what is planted in the earth. There are specific steps to doing this, so if you're really interested, just do a quick search on the internet. It's a fun project to do.

Laying pineapple again on its side, slice the fruit in 1/4" to 1/2" slices. When bottom of pineapple is reached, trim as close as possible to the outer covering.

To prepare for serving, cut the pineapple slices in quarters. Place pineapple top in center of serving dish and arrange the fruit around greenery.

Fill a tiki mug with bamboo skewers to make it easy to spear individual serving slices. It's best to serve with plenty of napkins; a fresh pineapple is extremely juicy and easy to prepare. Enjoy!