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.
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] X Research source
Be careful when whacking the pineapple down on a table. The sudden force could cause the table to wobble.
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] X Research source The skin or rind will still be attached when you pull out a chunk of pineapple, so make sure to eat only the meat.
