Wondering How to Hull a Strawberry? This is the Easiest Way

Strawberries are one of my favorite summertime treats. When they’re in season, they boast a bright red exterior and the sweetest flesh. They make a perfect little snack and a brilliant addition to salsas and sauces. But, those green tops aren’t exactly tasty. While they make a nice handle when dipping strawberries for a snack, the tops do need to be removed before using strawberries for any other use. It got me to thinking about how to hull a strawberry so I could save the most amount of fruit.

In the past, I’ve simply cut off the top 1/4-inch or so to remove the calyx (the green, leafy top of the strawberry). This is easy enough – and it can certainly be done quickly – because all you’re doing is cutting straight down on a cutting board. You can even do a few at a time! But this really isn’t the best way because you lose a lot of perfectly good fruit in the process. Certainly, there had to be a better way.

The Precise Way – Using a Paring Knife

Some people swear that the best way is to get in there with a small paring knife and carefully cut out the green parts. It’s true that this way sacrifices much less edible fruit and it keeps the strawberry whole and intact. If you’re careful and have good precision with the knife, you might not lose any flesh at all! But, this way takes a really long time because you have to be so careful, so I kept looking for an easier way.

Then, I found out about the straw method. This way is not only quick and easy, but it’s also a very safe way to remove both the white hull and the green strawberry top. Since you’re not using a sharp knife, it’s also a great way to involve the kids! It requires a little bit of practice to get the technique down, but it’s really easy once you get the hang of it.

 

How To Hull a Strawberry Using a Straw

To hull a strawberry using a straw, hold the strawberry in one hand while holding a straw in the other. Insert the straw into the bottom of the strawberry. Push up with gentle force, aiming towards the green top of the strawberry. The straw will emerge, taking the green top off with it.

As you can imagine, the straw method does poke a hole through the entire strawberry. While it’s our favorite way it might not be ideal if you can’t stand the thought of a hole-filled strawberry for presentation purposes. If you’re slicing the strawberry into halves or quarters (or dicing them), it shouldn’t matter too much!

If you want to leave the strawberry whole, take advantage of the hole in the center. For a super sweet treat, taking a piping bag (or a regular Ziploc bag with the corner cut off) and fill your hulled strawberries with your favorite filling. Go sweet with sugar-whipped cream cheese or savory with nut butters or Nutella. You could even dip them in chocolate afterward if you want to make an especially fancy treat.

Does it seem weird that the solution to how to hull a strawberry doesn’t involve a knife? We encourage you to give it a try and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

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