Cook Crook Technique: Coring a Pineapple

Some people drool over fashion, car or travel magazines. I drool over food magazines AND kitchen equipment catalogs, especially Williams-Sonoma. I love the photography and I love seeing all the gadgets. However, over the years I have learned some of those gadgets are just not necessary and not worth the expense and clutter in your kitchen.

Take for example the pineapple corer/slicer. Maybe it's because I visited my grandparents in Hawaii every other summer growing up and I watched how easy it is or maybe it's because every time I try to use one of these easy, time saving gadgets, I spend more time figuring out how to properly use the gadget to get the result I want.

So, today I am going through the pineapple slicing and coring process! Start with one fresh pineapple. If  has no soft spots, doesn't smell too strong and the green leafy part can pulled gently from the fruit, it's ready.

Slice off the top and the bottom, making flat ends.

 Now cut the "spiny" parts off, being careful to cut just deep enough to remove the outside but not ot remove too much flesh.

 In the end your pineapple should look like this. Then all you have to do is cut the fruit lengthwise into two halves and then those halves into two lengthwise halves, creating quarters. The core can then be easily sliced out of each quarter.

 Dice and store in an airtight container or use immediately.

I am not a baker so you'll never see a recipe for pineapple upside down cake, but I love grilling pineapple on its own, using it in kebabs, and in this recipe: Roasted Pepper and Pineapple Salsa courtesy of Guy Fieri.