I can’t be trusted around grilled pineapple. If you look away for a moment, you can bet I’ve devoured everything in sight! This is no exaggeration, you can check with my husband. He most definitely thinks I’m a little crazy in this department. We used to go to a Brazilian BBQ restaurant in Calgary. And I would usually raise eyebrows by eating 2 platefuls of this deliciousness! Since Brazilian BBQ is now 5 hours away, I’ve started making some of my favorites at home. (We must pacify those cravings you know!) I started with a Cilantro Chimichurri (a little un-orthodox I know). And now, we’ve moved on to my favorite part – the PINEAPPLE! So if you haven’t tried grilled pineapple yet, I hope I’ve convinced you to give it a go. There’s something about the simplicity of this dessert that gets me every time, it’s lightly spiced and perfectly caramelized. If you’re in Calgary give Bolero’s (Brazilian BBQ) a try, they have a great Key Lime Cheesecake but I always opt for the pineapple instead. To cut up a pineapple, start by slicing off both ends. Next, stand the pineapple up on it’s base, and cut away the sides. Don’t be afraid to take a little bit more with the skin, it’s easier than cutting out all the little brown eyes by hand!
How to cut up pineapple to grill:
- Cut around the core for the pineapple, and cut the pineapple into wedges around 2″ thick.
- Or you can cut the pineapple into 1″ thick rounds leaving the core in the middle. If you have a round cookie cutter the right size, it works perfectly for cutting the core out. Otherwise it’s fine to leave the core in for grilling, then just cut around it later. Next up, mix together the cinnamon glaze. Then drizzle the cinnamon syrup over the prepared pineapple and toss it to thoroughly coat each piece. It’s important when you’re grilling the pineapple that each side gets good and brown, it creates the caramel flavor that’s essential to this dish (and it’s also what makes it so addictive)!
How to serve this Cinnamon Glazed Grilled Pineapple:
While I’d never turn down good old fashioned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, my favorite with grilled pineapple is my Homemade Coconut Ice Cream!
Time Saving Tips:
You can serve it on it’s own, it’s good enough you won’t be missing anything. But… I really love this with a scoop of Homemade Coconut Ice Cream – fresh out of the ice cream machine it’s like soft serve, and gets all melty around the warm pineapple. If you get a chance to make this, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. And I always love hearing from you here. Or over on Instagram where you can tag me at #getinspiredeveryday with your photos. 5 from 4 reviews 2 Tablespoons maple syrup 1/2 Teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon, see notes Next, cut the pineapple away from the core by slicing from the top to the bottom and working your way around the core. You can also cut 1″ round slices to grill if you prefer. Or cut the pineapple into wedges about 2″ thick. Combine the maple syrup and cinnamon, and drizzle the syrup over the pineapple, tossing to coat each wedge or slice completely. Lower the grill heat to medium to medium high, maintaining a temperature around 450ºF. Evenly space the pineapple across the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes per side. The intention of the grilling is to make a caramelized surface on the pineapple without turning it to mush. You want nice brown grill marks on both sides, and if your grill is on the cooler side you might need to turn the heat up to medium-high. To check if your level of heat is enough, lift up a piece of pineapple with tongs after 3 minutes. If it has a nice brown look, the heat is perfect. If it’s not browning turn the heat up, but avoid turning it all the way to high because it will burn too easily! The nutritional information was calculated for 2.5 pound of pineapple fruit which is what was leftover after I cut up the 5 pound pineapple.
