Easy Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple is the quintessential side dish to any summer meals you’re making and it takes just a few minutes in a pan.
This refreshing Summer Side Dish is full of fruity flavor, sweetened with a little brown sugar. For more fruity sides and desserts, try this Honey Lime Berry Fruit Salad, a Summer Fruit Galette, or this fun Fruit Salsa.
When you are fully in the summer swing of things here and the grill is fired up, Grilled Pineapple will become one of your favorite side dishes to make all summer long. There are so many ways you can use pineapples to flavor your meals all summer long! Grilled Pineapple is so easy to make and adds a ton of flavor… plus it’s healthy to boot and doesn’t alter your tastebuds like raw pineapple does.
Grilled Pineapple recipes are great because they’re an easy side dish that offers a punch of flavor alongside grilled meats and burgers. Since they are grilled together, you can knock two recipes out at the same time.
This basic Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple will be a summer favorite and it’s an easy way to get your kids to fight over who gets more. Enjoy this grilled pineapple with Easy Pulled Pork and BBQ Pulled Chicken and our favorite Best EVER Baked Beans.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Bromelain is an enzyme in pineapple that causes the tongue to burn because it is breaking town protein of the skin in your mouth. While this sounds terrifying and creepy, the skin in your mouth will absolutely repair itself within a few hours. Because it breaks down these proteins you will also experience a much more difficult time enjoying the taste of foods in that time. This is because the burning of your tongue is also temporarily damaging your taste buds. Those will also regenerate themselves in a few hours.
If you’ve experienced this, the way to enjoy pineapple is to cook it. You don’t have to cook the poor thing to death, but just long enough to break down the enzyme. Then you can enjoy your Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple without any fear of dreaded pineapple tongue.
Cook it! You’ll love it grilled like in this recipe, roasted, slow cooked like Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken or sautéed like in Sweet and Sour Chicken.
Blanche the pineapple. If you want to enjoy pineapple without adding flavor to it you can blanche it for 20-30 seconds in boiling water. Then dip it into an ice bath, this is long enough to remove most of the enzyme.
Add DAIRY. Yes, this is why dole whips are so great, adding dairy like ice cream or yogurt help to neutralize the acids in the pineapple which contributes to the issues.
Canned pineapple is a perfect option because the canning process actually kills the bromelain.
Grilling basic pineapple is easy. You just spray or wipe canola oil a grill pan, and cook the pineapple for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, then rotate 45 degrees, to get the grill marks in a little X. If you leave the core intact you will have a spot to hold and eat.
How to Use Grilled Pineapple
- Honey! You can choose brown sugar or honey, usually depending on what other flavors you have going on in the meal. Honey has a much more prominent flavor.
- Coconut and lime (don’t even pretend you’re not imagining a delicious drink in the making here!)
- Speaking of coconut and lime, it doesn’t hurt to soak these slices in your favorite flavor of Malibu Rum and serve it up with some ice cream.
- Adding cinnamon and brown sugar is a popular marinade if you’re considering this for dessert uses.
- A fun way to spice it up is to add some chili powder after you’re done grilling.
- Add grilled pineapple slices to your favorite sandwich (maybe with a bit of Teriyaki sauce?).
- Chop it up into small pieces and add to your favorite salsa.
- Chop it up with some jalapeño, strawberries and red onions to make a delicious Grilled Meat Topping.
- As a topping for your favorite desserts.
- As an ingredient for your favorite stir-fry.
More Easy Delicious Summer Recipes
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Easy Cole Slaw
- Three Bean Salad
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
Tools used in the Making of this Grilled Pineapple
- Lodge Grill Pan – I use this double-sided pan for SO much, anytime I need a big flat surface for “grilling” or breakfast prep
- Pig Tail Flipper – This tool is such a great alternative to tongs in the kitchen. Flipping is so quick and doesn’t smash foods.
- Oil Mister – Perfect to give a light coating of oil onto a pan or food, without any additives or propellants.
How to Store Grilled Pineapple
- Serve: Grilled Pineapple can be served at room temperature up to 2 hours.
- Store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat on a lightly oiled grill pan.
- Freeze: Grilled Pineapple will be much softer after being frozen and defrosted. It is recommended to make a fresh batch rather than to freeze.
Ingredients
- 1 pineapple , rind cut off and sliced into ½ -¾ inch slices
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- canola oil spray , (or canola oil with a brush)
Instructions
- Toss the pineapple with the brown sugar and let sit for ten minutes.
- Note: You can leave the core in the slices because you can pick it up and hold it by the core when eating it, or you can remove the core if you'd like or if you'll be using it in burgers.
- In a grill pan, either spray with canola oil or wipe some on with a paper towel.
- Cook the pineapple for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, then rotate 45 degrees, to get the grill marks in a little X.
- Flip over and do the same.
- If you find the pineapple sticking at all use a bit more canola oil spray on your pineapple.
Equipment
Nutrition
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Photos used in a previous version of this post.
Can you freeze this if you have leftovers?
You can. Pineapple popsicles maybe?
Nice blog and good content.. keep updating on regular basis….
Woooow…..Homemade!!! It’s the only thing that taste good!
I think I will look for these and try your recipe this weekend. Thank you for sharing!
Dang Thai from Embeya !
Let me know how you like them! 🙂
I would have never thought to put pineapple on the grill! Sounds so good! Great tip about leaving the core in!
Thanks, Mackenzie!
So easy, healthy, refreshing and delicious. I need to make some this summer for sure!
I never knew that trick about pineapple… I love the brown sugar on it!
I never knew that about pineapple – I usually avoid it for that reason but I’m going to try it grilled now.
Love how simple this recipe is! I definitely want to grill my pineapple this summer- looks yummy! 🙂
My husband would absolutely love this 😀 And those grill marks are perfect!
Ooooooh I’m just imagining all the amazing ways to use this grilled pineapple!
I am a big fan of grilled pineapple!! A great tip when it comes to using the core to hold while you eat it.
One of favorite things! Can I just come over with a bottle of vino ? Yummyliciousness, I tell ya I could eat an entire platter right now.
This sounds amazing! What a great way to prepare pineapple
YES! This is such a fantastic dessert for summer!
So interesting about the enzyme!
Made this on Saturday on the grill after soaking pineapple in rum and brown sugar that morning. Yum!!!!
Sounds delicious, Barbara!