Move over, pumpkin! There’s a new fruit in town that’s set to take over Halloween .
Pineapples are juicy, citrusy, and the perfect canvas for carving out scary shapes. The spiky leaves help further create that menacing look.
Plus, you can always use the leftover filling to make a pineapple-inspired Halloween cocktail or pineapple salsa! Here’s how to carve a pineapple for Halloween.
First, let’s look at the history of carving pumpkins for Halloween.
The story of the infamous Jack o’ lantern originated in Ireland . In the Irish folktale, there was a man named Stingy Jack who invited the devil to have a drink with him.
But since he’s, well, “stingy,” he didn’t want to pay for this drink.
He somehow convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin so that Jack could use that coin to buy their drinks. But once the Devil did that, Jack decided to keep the coin.
He placed it inside his pocket next to a silver cross so that the Devil wasn’t able to change back to his original form.
When Jack eventually freed the devil, it was under two conditions: one, he would not bother Jack for one year.
And two, he wouldn’t claim Jack’s soul if he died.
Jack was up to his same tricks the next year. He tricked the devil into climbing up a tree to get a piece of fruit. But while the Devil was up there, Jack carved the sign of the cross so that he couldn’t get down.
He didn’t let the Devil down until he promised not to bother him for 10 more years.
When Jack died, his mischief caught up to him. God wouldn’t allow him into heaven and the Devil, upset at Jack for his tricks, refused him into hell.
Instead, he sent Jack into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way.
Jack ended up putting that coal into a carved-out turnip. The legend goes that he’s been roaming the Earth ever since. Ooo, spooky!
In places like Ireland and Scotland, people still carve scary faces into turnips and potatoes.
But here in Canada and the United States, we use pumpkins. Although pineapple doesn’t have quite the same history as the pumpkin — or turnip — it does make the perfect Jack o’ lantern!
And it’s so easy to make! Simply follow these steps, according to ‘Taste of Home.’
Step One: you want to start by cutting off the top of the pineapple, making sure to leave the leaves attached. Do this carefully by steadying the pineapple with a dishtowel.
Step Two: similar to a pumpkin carving, you want to remove the “guts.”
Leave the pineapple upright as you do this and use a pineapple corer or a knife. Be sure to save the “guts” to make all sorts of delicious recipes with it.
Step Three: carve the face.
Time for the fun part! Get creative with this, creating a spooky design just as you would with a pumpkin.
Be sure to dry the parts you cut with a paper towel and splash the inside with orange juice to prevent browning.
Step Four: add a candle inside and reattach the top.
Your pineapple jack o’lantern is ready to shine! Keep it inside for your Halloween party or place it outside to scare those who dare to walk by!
H/T: Taste of Home , History
