Grilled pineapple: tips for making the perfect recipe

The Mundo CIMO blog is already your partner when it comes to knowing the best types of meat for barbecue, with our exclusive posts serving as a guide to explore each option's full potential and make your barbecue a success!

But how about expanding your horizons even further, going beyond traditional meats and sides? With this in mind, we will continue to present new possibilities to make your grill ever more complete — including sweet flavors.

So, stay on the page to discover the full potential of grilled pineapple as a complement to your barbecue! See why this recipe pairs so well with barbecue, along with tips for ideal preparation.

Happy reading!

Why does grilled pineapple go well with barbecue?

Grilled pineapple is an excellent alternative for your barbecue, not only because it is a sweet flavor that goes very well as a complement to meals, but also for the notes of acidity that the recipe offers to the palate.

In a barbecue with a variety of cuts, it is common to have fattier pieces with more noticeable fat parts or even a higher degree of intramuscular fat. This characteristic is the "charm" of many cuts, but even when well prepared, their excess can cause that feeling of a heavy stomach.

Grilled pineapple appears as an acidic alternative capable of cleansing the palate and even aiding digestion. Thus, in addition to adding more variety of flavor to your event, pineapple can be of great help to your guests when it comes to continuing to enjoy the delights your barbecue has to offer!

How to choose the right pineapple for grilling?

We have already highlighted the importance of the touch of acidity that pineapple brings to complement meat portions and possible sides. But it is worth noting that the interesting thing is to find a fruit that is also sweet. Going further, choosing the right pineapple for your grill requires that its fibers are already at a pleasant point to be consumed.

To always choose the best item for your preparations, pay attention to the:

• Appearance of the fruit, considering a healthy crown — compact and with leaves coming off easily — and skin with shades between yellow and green;

• Relatively sweet smell, indicating good fruit ripeness;

• Balanced resistance to touch, being neither too hard (unripe) nor too soft (overripe);

• Weight of the chosen pineapple when compared to others of similar size. If it is heavier than average, it is likely to be juicier.

How to make grilled pineapple?

Now that you know how it can add to your barbecue and you've secured the best pineapple, it's time to learn how to make grilled pineapple with Mundo CIMO!

Peel and cut the pineapple

Like everything in a good barbecue, it is important to ensure a practical and efficient preparation that makes your life easier while you are dividing your time between the grill and serving friends and family.

Peel and portion the pineapple by first removing the crown and the bottom of the fruit. To separate the peel, you can either insert the blade close to the peel and "contour" the fruit or follow a more traditional approach by removing the peel in parts, making cuts also close from top to bottom.

Once peeled, the best way to cut pineapple for grilling is into slices. Here, you can leave the core part according to your preference — also called the pineapple "umbilical cord," which is firmer and more fibrous. Either way, the main concern is the thickness of the slices: they cannot be too thin or too thick. Slices that are between 1 and 2 finger-widths thick are ideal.

To ensure proper cutting and portioning, count on the best barbecue knives!

Grilling the pineapple

This is a quick preparation, with about 2 minutes over coals being enough to show the grill marks on the fibers. Just ensure a golden and grilled appearance on both sides to finish the preparation.

The difference lies in the possible complements that can be added to the pineapple on the grill, since it already serves as a side for pork and fattier meats, like beef neck, or as a dessert, along with vanilla ice cream.

The most famous combination of grilled pineapple is, without a doubt, with a touch of cinnamon and the help of granulated sugar or honey for caramelization. The result of this mixture with the original flavors and textures of pineapple is a highlight in itself. Sweet, acidic, woody, textures ranging from soft to grilled and caramelized: it's a complete spectacle!

Ready: now you are more than capable of preparing a beautiful grilled pineapple, extracting the best from the fruit and making it available for your barbecue. Feel free to browse our blog and find even more alternatives for barbecue sides, surprising your guests!