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Grilling Fruit? Do People do That?
I was hesitant at first too. My first thought went to pizza. Hawaiian pizza has never been my first choice when it comes to deciding on what toppings to get for dinner. In fact, it is probably closer to my last. Combining a food that is normally served hot and is savory, with another that is usually eaten cold and is sweet, seemed strange to me. This made me shy away from the thought of grilling pineapple for a long time. But boy was I misguided. Grilled pineapple is incredible. So I am hoping by writing about it I can save you from waiting as long as I did to give it a try. Because if you do, you are missing out on a healthy dish that can be the perfect addition on a main course, served on the side, or even eaten as a snack. I have done all three.
How To Prepare
Grilling pineapple can be as simple as slicing the fruit lengthwise into circle shapes, (as pictured above), or small bite-sized chunks, and place on the grill plain. It tastes great on its own so why not take advantage of that? It keeps this dish simple and healthy.
But if you are looking for something a bit more fun, I like to add a little bit of cinnamon and sugar. Since the fruit has moisture naturally, you can sprinkle the spices directly on the slices and they will stick pretty well. Or if you prefer you can mix the seasoning with some olive oil and brush it on to the pineapple.
I have also seen a lot of grilled pineapple recipes that include honey. You could add honey to the combination mentioned above for extra flavor. If you do this, I would recommend adding a little lemon juice, just to counter all the sweets in the mixture.
Substitution Secret
I finally broke my rule of combining this pineapple with a savory counterpart. No, I have not gotten the courage to start ordering Hawaiian pizza, but this dish is really tasty and a lot healthier than that pie would be.
I grill my pineapple like in the photo above and put it on a grilled chicken breast for an amazing grilled chicken sandwich. This substitute enables you to skip any cheese or fattening condiments on the sandwich without missing them. Put it on a regular hamburger bun, try out a healthier bun alternative, or even make it into a lettuce wrap! This will make grilling out with friends guilt-free.
Recipe
So far I have mentioned many ways to prepare and use grilled pineapple. It is very versatile and that is one of my favorite things about it. But now I want to refocus and share my go-to preparation method that is one of the simplest, healthiest, and fastest ways to make this dish. And then whether you want it as a snack, side dish, or addition to a main course, you can choose which way you’d like to add it to your next meal!
Grilled Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 pineapple
- Cinnamon to taste
- Sugar to taste (omit for Whole30 compliance)
Instructions
- Core pineapple (I use my nifty pineapple corer)
- Slice the pineapple lengthwise, in slices that are about 1/4 inch thick. This will create a doughnut like shape.
- Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on both sides of each slice.
- Put on grill, or greased grill pan (I have one and love it, it’s great for when you don’t want to bring out the grill, get one here) and cook until pineapple is soft and grill marks are visible – to get a little bit of that yummy burnt flavor. About 7-10 minutes.
Pineapple Pizza?
Comment below how you plan to use your grilled pineapple, and if you have any great new ideas let us know! Also, if anyone has a compelling argument for pineapple on their pizza – I’d love to hear it. Maybe something can convince me to branch out and give it a try…
