There’s nothing like biting into a chunk of fresh pineapple. But if cleaning and coring a pineapple seems like too much work, I’m here to let you in on a secret for how you can remove the core in as little as 1 minute with no mess and no struggle.

Learning how to core a pineapple can be hard. Before I learned this hack for coring a pineapple, I would often want fresh pineapple, but not buy it, because I didn’t want the hassle of cleaning and coring it. But now, I don’t hesitate to buy fresh pineapple anytime because I invested in a simple pineapple spiralizing tool, and it’s made it so easy! (this is NOT a sponsored post)

Sure, you can just cut the pineapple away from the core, but then you’re left with uneven pieces of pineapple, and it seems like you end up wasting some of the pineapple flesh. A pineapple spiralizer removes the center stalk at the same time that it removes the pineapple flesh from the hard exterior, leaving you with a beautiful shell to use for decoration and rings of pineapple to eat with almost no mess.

You would think this would take some effort, but it is the easiest way to core a pineapple.

Fresh pineapple is truly one of life’s pleasures, and can make so many recipes taste a bit better. Chop one into chunks and add it to any fruit salad, make a fresh pineapple salsa, serve it on a burger or grill it and serve with tequila chicken. Pineapple will give everything a sweet and tangy zip!

Why can’t we eat the pineapple core?

Actually, you can consume the core if you want to. There are a few reasons why the pineapple core is not typically eaten:

Texture: The core of a pineapple is significantly harder and fibrous compared to the yellow flesh. It can be chewy and difficult to bite through, so it’s not very appealing to eat.

Taste: The core of a pineapple tends to be more tart and less sweet compared to the juicy flesh.

However, it’s worth noting that the pineapple core is not harmful or toxic to consume. You might choose to include small amounts of the core in recipes like smoothies or juices, where it can be blended, and its texture is less noticeable. But in most cases, we toss the core and stick to eating the sweet, juicy flesh instead.

Why You’ll Love This Kitchen Hack for How to Core a Pineapple?

Effortless: With just a few simple twists, the tool effortlessly removes the tough core and rind while producing perfectly shaped pineapple rounds or rings.
Timesaving: Using a pineapple corer is much quicker compared to manually cutting and removing the core with a knife.
Consistent and Neat Results: Pineapple corer and spiralizer tools are designed to produce consistent results every time. The serrated edge of the corer is precise, so you end up with evenly sized pineapple rounds or rings without any rough edges or uneven cuts.
Minimizes Waste: This tool removes the core efficiently and doesn’t scoop away the pineapple flesh, so you don’t end up throwing away perfectly good fruit.

What You’ll Need

A fresh pineapple on a platter. — Start with a fresh pineapple.

A fresh pineapple
A pineapple coring tool

How To Use a Pineapple Corer

Step 1: Trim the ends.

Place the pineapple on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to trim off the top leafy portion of the pineapple.

The top removed from a pineapple. — Remove the top.

Step 2: Position the coring tool.

Take the pineapple coring tool and position it over the top of the pineapple, aligning it with the core.

Step 3: Twist and push down.

Apply gentle downward pressure while twisting the coring tool clockwise. The sharp serrated edge of the coring tool will start to cut through the pineapple flesh. Keep twisting and pushing the coring tool until it reaches the bottom of the pineapple. Apply steady pressure and adjust as necessary.

A corer halfway into a pineapple. — Turn the corer and gently push down.

If you want to use the outside of the pineapple for decoration or to serve a drink in, stop twisting before it reaches the bottom.

Step 4: Remove the core.

Once the coring tool has reached the bottom, lift it out of the pineapple. The core will be in the center of the tool and, wrapped around the outside of the tool, you’ll have perfectly spiralized pineapple flesh, ready to slice and eat.

A corer removing the pineapple flesh. — Pull the corer out.

Step 5: Slice and serve.

The top of the corer comes off and you can remove the corer from the pineapple. Cut the pineapple into slices, rings, or chunks using a clean, sharp knife. Serve immediately or store in a container in the fridge.

Pineapple slices on a platter. — Remove the corer and it’s ready to eat.

Pro Tip: Be careful when cleaning your coring tool. The serrated edge is sharp! Use warm soapy water so you can get all of the pineapple out of the teeth. Dry it well before putting it away.

How to Core a Pineapple Without a Corer

If you don’t have one of these kitchen gadgets, don’t wait! Go buy one, and I promise you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to clean pineapple. They range in price from $7 to $22. But if you don’t have one and you need to clean a pineapple today, here’s what you can try.

Use a Knife to Core a Pineapple

Start by cutting off the top leafy portion and the bottom of the pineapple to create a stable base.

Stand the pineapple upright on the cutting board and use a sharp knife to carefully slice off the outer rind in downward motions, following the contour of the pineapple.

Once the rind is removed, lay the pineapple horizontally and cut it into rounds or desired slices.

To remove the core from each slice, use a smaller knife to cut out the tough core in the center of the slice.

Alternatively, you can cut the pineapple flesh away from the core after the rind is removed. Cut carefully in a downward motion, moving around the core. Unfortunately, this method makes it difficult to get even slices of pineapple and might end up wasting a bit of the fruit.

How to Choose the Perfect Pineapple

If you’ve ever been overwhelmed trying to select the best pineapple, here are some tips for you!

Size and Weight: Choose a pineapple that feels heavy for its size. Heaviness indicates there’s plenty of juice in the pineapple and tells you the pineapple is more likely to be ripe. However, keep in mind that size alone is not an indicator of quality, as smaller pineapples can be just as flavorful as larger ones.

Appearance: Look for a pineapple that has a vibrant golden or yellow color. Leave behind pineapples with excessive green patches, as they’re likely under-ripe. The pineapple should also have a healthy-looking rind without any soft spots, bruises, or mold.

Aroma: Smell the base of the pineapple (where it was attached to the plant). A ripe pineapple should have a sweet, tropical aroma. If it smells fermented or sour, it may be overripe or past its prime.

Leaf Appearance: The condition of the pineapple’s leaves might help you choose a ripe pineapple as well. If the leaves look green and healthy-looking, the pineapple is probably fresher. If the leaves are missing, the pineapple might still be fine to eat, but if they are brown or dried out, the pineapple was probably picked quite a long time ago.

Texture: Gently squeeze the pineapple. It should yield slightly to your pressure but still feel firm. If the pineapple is excessively soft or mushy, it’s probably overripe or spoiled.

Pineapple FAQs

When are pineapples in season?

Pineapples are available year-round, but their peak season may vary depending on the region. The good thing is, you can almost always get a pineapple that’s fresh at the supermarket, all year long.

What can I do with the pineapple core?

Pineapple cores aren’t usually used for consumption.

How long can I store a cored pineapple in the refrigerator?

Cored pineapple rings or chunks should last in the refrigerator for 3-5 days in a covered container. They’ll become soggier the longer they sit, so try to use them up quickly.

Surprisingly Yummy Pineapple Recipes

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.