How To Cut A Mango

Oohhhh, mango! There’s nothing like the sweet-tart, juicy flesh of fresh mangoes during the spring and summer. This “fruit of queens” is not only incredibly delicious eaten fresh or when used to add a tropical flair to recipes (smoothies, salads and salsas are just a few examples of what are mangoes good for) it’s incredibly healthy, too! A nutritional powerhouse, the health benefits of mango are many: high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, a fresh mango has so much beta-carotene you can see it! (That’s what gives the succulent flesh its characteristic, dark-gold hue.) Plus, a one-cup serving of diced mango has only about 120 calories, so mango benefits a low-calorie diet, too.

Are mangoes delicious? Yes. Are mangoes good for you? Yes. So why don’t more people make them a regular part of their diets? One reason is probably because removing their large pit without reducing the flesh to a mangled mess seems like a daunting task. The good news is that, once you know how, it’s not hard at all!

Removing the Pit From a Mango

There are a couple of different ways to de-stone a mango, but we’re going to share the method most favored by author Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. Notoriously fussy and compulsive with an obsession for “order and method,” it’s no wonder Poirot favors this technique, because it’s not only the neatest way to remove the pit – it’s also the one that will leave you with the most usable fruit.

As Poirot would say, it’s as easy as un, deux, trois. All you’ll need is a sharp knife and a large spoon. (You can remove the peel first, but keep in mind this will make the mango harder to hold while you’re taking the pit out.)

Step 1 (un)

Stand the mango on end on a plate or cutting board and insert the tip of a sharp knife into the stem end until you feel the pit. Next, cut all the way around the mango in a circle, lengthwise, keeping the tip of the knife in contact with the pit along the way.

Step 2 (deux)

Insert a spoon into the incision you’ve made, going over and across the pit all the way around until you are able to separate the mango in half. You can then scoop out the pit with the spoon.

Step 3 (trois)

Make long, lengthwise slits in each half of the mango to create multiple parallel lines of desired thickness. To make cubes, turn the mango 90 degrees and cut similarly sized lines perpendicular to the other tracks as to form a crosshatch pattern. You can then invert the skin, making it easier to remove the pieces of mango with a paring knife.

Voila!

Storing Mango Fruit

Store your freshly cut mango pieces in an airtight container for up to five days. Cut mango chunks can also be placed in a re-sealable plastic bag in portions to be used later in smoothies or other recipes. To keep the pieces of mango from sticking together, you can also put them on a parchment-lined sheet pan, freeze them until hardened, then transfer them to a re-sealable bag for storage in the freezer (this is a great method if you can’t use all your mangoes right away).

Where to Find the Best Mangoes

Where’s the best place to buy mango? You can mail order mangoes from Hale Groves! Unlike fruit found in chain grocery stores, our South Florida Mangos are as close as you’ll get to enjoying fresh mango straight from the tree (unless, of course, you have your own mango tree)! When you buy mangoes online from Hale Groves, you know you’re getting the best available.

You can place your mango order online for yourself or for someone else you know who might be needing a taste of the tropics – our mango gifts are always welcome! Purchase them alone or as part of our popular All Seasons Fruit Club.

Bon appetit!