To open a pineapple by hand, first, find the right pineapple. It should be ripe enough to smell sweet and fresh, but it shouldn’t be mushy or smushed at all.

Then, hold the pineapple with your left hand and place your right thumb over the pineapple’s eye, which will give you an idea of where to cut.

Next, hold the knife in your right hand and place its blade against the pineapple’s skin where you marked the eye earlier.

How to open pineapple by hand

A brilliant pineapple hack to cut the fruit without using a knife

This one is so easy that it seems ridiculous to write it down but just in case you haven’t thought of it yet (or in case your next luau is around the corner), here’s how you can cut up a fresh pineapple without even using a knife.

For extra credit, try eating your way out of it serve with utensils as if nothing happened and people will be impressed. In fact, don’t tell anyone how easy it was or they might think you’re eating sawdust. Here is about How to eat a pineapple without a knife

But you won’t be disappointed because once you bite into your sweet treat there’ll be no doubt that effort went into its preparation.

Pick the ripest pineapple you can get your hands on

Pineapples are picked when they’re fully ripe usually because that’s also when they’ve reached peak size and appearance.

Pineapples can be tricky to judge at first glance, but you’ll want one that has tight scales (the outermost layer of skin) and leaves with just a small amount of browning on them.

Don’t skip the rolling step

This step is crucial when opening a pineapple by hand. Rolling your pinapple on the counter gives you more leverage when cutting it open with a knife. Use your hands: Rather than using a can opener or some other tool, try using your hands instead.

First, twist off both ends of your fruit (the spiky top and bottom), then make circular motions until you’ve completely opened up your fruit.

Give it a whack

When ripe pineapples go on sale for about $1, there’s no reason not to stock up. Keep one on your countertop so you can easily grab it whenever you need it.

When you get hungry in between meals (or breakfast and lunch) and want a mid-morning snack or afternoon pick-me-up, let’s just say that opening up an entire pineapple is an undertaking that could leave you with sticky hands but no fruit.

The best way to tackle tough tasks? Take them head-on. When it comes time to cut open your delicious fresh fruit at home (most grocery stores carry pineapples now), simply use a chef’s knife to whack off one end of your pineapple.

Wait, don’t throw away the crown

While you might be tempted to toss out that crown—especially if it’s already giving you splinters—don’t let it go to waste.

The crown is rich in bromelain, an enzyme that can aid digestion and boost your immune system; it’s also believed to help with arthritis and muscle inflammation.

Take a moment (or longer) when enjoying your pineapple to pick out all of those sweet little tendrils from around that cone of leaves, then add them to smoothies for an easy nutritional boost. Here is Pickbeast