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    Home » Recipes » Cooking Tips

    How To Cut Pineapple Bowls

    Published: May 30, 2019 | Last Updated: March 20, 2022 | Lisa 2 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A graphic on how to cut pineapple into chunks for a pineapple bowl also called pineapple boats.

    Last Updated March 20th, 2022 at 02:05 pm by Lisa

    Learn how to cut pineapples and create Bowls or Boats as they are also known. This kitchen tip is a game-changer, just follow the steps and you might not ever buy it cut at the store ever again.

    There are so many recipes to try using this sweet tropical fruit. Make some pineapple fried rice, Shish Kabobs, or Huli Huli Chicken this summer. What a gorgeous way to serve fresh fruit for picnics, cookouts, or anytime...

    Pin
    Pin
    Pineapples packed in a crate in a Lima Peru market 2018. Photo Credit ~ me!

    Top Pineapple Tips

    • Be sure the pineapple has a sweet smell towards the base.
    • Green color indicates that it might not be ripe and was picked too early.
    • Use the "Press Test."  A sweet (and ripe) pineapple will yield slightly to pressure.
    • Make sure to avoid overripe pineapples. They usually have reddish-brownish skins and dark dried leaves that crumble when you touch them and have a fermented smell. Pass on that one, it will taste-off, and be mushy and overripe inside.

    How To Make Pineapple Bowls

    Step-by-Step

    1. Using a large knife cut the pineapple lengthwise and through the leaves into 2 halves.
    2. Next, use a small serrated paring knife, cut all the way around the edge leaving about ¾” of the outside edge.
    3. Cut the core out by cutting down both sides of the core at a slight angle inward in a "V" shape.
    4. Remove the core.
    Pin

    5. Discard as it is tough and inedible.

    6. Slice into chunks by making a grid pattern of about 1" pieces. Be careful not to cut through the outer skin.

    7. Use a large serving spoon, scoop out the pieces, save the juice ~ drink it or make a smoothie.

    8. Place the cut pieces back into the bowl.

    Pin

    Pineapple FAQ

    How long does Pineapple last?


    You'll want to be sure you refrigerate it after you cut it up, and then it may last up to 7 days in a sealed container.

    How To Pick A Ripe Pineapple


    First, smell the bottom for sweetness.  This is the first tell-tale sign to determine how sweet and ripe your pineapple will be.  Sugar comes from the bottom of the fruit, where it migrates to the top as it ripens.  The bottom is where it should be most fragrant, so put your nose there not on the crown with all the leaves.
    If it smells sweet, like pineapple juice, it is ripe.  If you smell nothing, that means there is insufficient sugar and the fruit will not be sweet, and it has been harvested too early. 

    Pineapples ripen very little after they have been harvested. So you don't want to pick one that is underripe, hoping it will get ripened later. Unfortunately, it won't.

    What you want to look for is a yellow-golden color. 
    As the fruit starts to ripen in the field, it starts from the bottom, the higher the yellow rises toward the crown, the more sugar (and sweetness) it will have!
     
    Yellow on the bottom and green on the top will yield inconsistency in sweetness (i.e. some parts are sweet, other parts are not).  Ideally, you want the yellow color to rise all the way to the crown, which means the sugar is distributed evenly through the fruit.

    Pin
    A steel grocery cart filled with fresh ripe whole pineapples in a market.Pin
    Pineapples piled in a shopping cart in a Lima Peru market in 2018. Photo Credit ~ me!
    Pin

    More Pineapple Recipes

    This Kahlua Ham Recipe has pineapple juice, grated ginger, honey, vanilla, Kahlua, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and orange zest/juice.

    For summer grilling, make Huli Huli Chicken and serve in Pineapple Bowls.

    Grill Shish Kabobs have a beef marinade made with pineapple and dark rum brushed on these bright colorful grilled skewers. Or whip up a summer dessert like Fruit Sorbet with no guilt or Pineapple-Coconut Madeleines are so great anytime as a treat. For Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, shake things up and make a new Cranberry Sauce with orange and pineapple as the co-star ingredients.

    • A spiral baked ham on white platter with wedges of pineapple and sliced oranges.
      Kahlua Pineapple Glazed Ham
    • Overhead looking a madeleines cooled on a round baking rack with fresh pineapple and coconut fruit.
      Pineapple Coconut Madeleines
    • A crystal bowl filled with cranberry sauce with pineapple and cranberries in the background.
      Pineapple-Orange Cranberry Sauce
    • Two pineapple halves carved out filled with coconut rice, grilled pineapple and huli huli chicken.
      Huli Huli Chicken
    • A wooden platter filled with Shish Kabob grilled skewers.
      Shish Kabobs
    • Bright yellow lemons carved out and filled with raspberry strawberry lemon sorbet as a summer dessert.
      Raspberry Lemon Sorbet

    Did you love this recipe? We would love to hear from you! If you make this recipe and love it, give it a 5-star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ with a comment. THANK YOU!! Follow Delicious Table with my free newsletter and share this recipe with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

    A pineapple bowl filled with fresh cut chunks of pineapple ready to eat.Pin
    Print Pin Recipe

    How To Make Pineapple Bowls

    Learn how to cut pineapple bowls or boats the easy way plus how to use the chunks for recipes like shish kabobs, huli huli chicken or sorbet.
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 pineapple bowls
    Calories 226kcal
    Author Lisa Hatfield
    Cost $5

    Equipment

    Epicurean Non-Slip Cutting Board
    Small Serrated Knife
    Chef's Knife

    Ingredients

    Pineapple Bowls

    • 1 large fresh pineapple
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    Instructions

    • Using a large knife cut the pineapple lengthwise and through the leaves into 2 halves.
    • Next, use a small serrated paring knife, cut all the way around the edge leaving about ¾” of the outside edge.
    • Cut the core out by cutting down both sides of the core at a slight angle inward in a "V" shape.
    • Now remove the core.
    • Discard as it is tough and inedible.
    • Slice into chunks by making a grid pattern of about 1" pieces. Be careful not to cut through the skin.
    • Use a large serving spoon, scoop out the pieces, save the juice ~ drink it or make a smoothie.
    • Place the cut pineapple back into the bowl.

    Notes

    Top Ripe Pineapple Tips

    • Be sure the pineapple has a sweet smell towards the base.
    • A green color indicates that it might not be ripe and was picked too early.
    • Use the "Press Test."  A sweet (and ripe) pineapple will yield slightly to pressure.
    • Make sure to avoid overripe pineapples. They usually have reddish-brownish skins and dark dried leaves that crumble when you touch them and have a fermented smell. Pass on that pineapple, it will taste-off, and be mushy and overripe inside.

    How To Store Pineapple Bowls

    Keep chilled in the fridge covered with plastic wrap. Serve within two days.

    Ripe Pineapple

    Wondering how to pick a juicy pineapple ready to use that day?
    First, smell the bottom for sweetness.  This is the first tell-tale sign to determine how sweet and ripe your pineapple will be.  Sugar comes from the bottom of the fruit, where it migrates to the top as it ripens.  The bottom is where it should be most fragrant, so put your nose there not on the crown.
    If it smells sweet, like pineapple juice, it is ripe.  If you smell nothing, that means there is insufficient sugar and the fruit will not be sweet, and it has been harvested too early. 
    Pineapples ripen very little after they have been harvested. So you don't want to pick one that is underripe, hoping it will get ripen later. Unfortunately, it won't.
    What you want to look for is a yellow-golden color. As the fruit starts to ripen in the field, it starts from the bottom, the higher the yellow rises toward the crown, the more sugar (and sweetness) it will have!  
    Yellow on the bottom and green on the top will yield inconsistency in sweetness (i.e. some parts are sweet, other parts are not).  Ideally, you want the yellow color to rise all the way to the crown, which means the sugar is distributed evenly through the fruit.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 493mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 216.3mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let's see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
    Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. rohit aggarwal says

      December 20, 2019 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      thank you delicioustable for giving me wonderful information

      Reply
    2. Kathy says

      March 05, 2018 at 1:50 pm

      5 stars
      I did a dry run of this in hopes of having a pineapple boat at Easter brunch and it was so much easier than I thought and turned out beautifully! Thank you for this great how-to Lisa!

      Reply

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