Grilled Pineapple Slices on the Big Green Egg

A couple of years ago, we vacationed in Kauai with my mom and we fell in love with the super fresh pineapple everywhere on the island. Seriously, imagine fruit picked and sold when it is ready instead of picking it weeks early, putting it on a truck to trek across country where it sits in warehouses until it hits your produce department! We were the same way when we lived in southern California. We were so spoiled by the readily available fresh fruit that Spencer would say “I didn’t know I liked blueberries.” We decided to try grilled pineapple slices on the Big Green Egg!

I told my friends that I was making grilled pineapple and the reaction was universally “I didn’t know you can grill fruit!” Are you kidding? Jason and I are all about “what CAN’T you grill?” Look for a firmer fruit like pineapple or a peach, as it makes it a little bit easier to manage on the grill.

You can grill watermelon (we will show how in a couple weeks!) It is a quickie! If it is too soft, it will cook too fast and fall through the grill plates and leave you a mess! There is a little grilled flavor that sneaks in but it won’t overtake the dish! Don’t be afraid to try this one!

How to Prepare Grilled Pineapple Slices on the Big Green Egg

Heat the grill to 350 degrees. Slice and core a pineapple into one inch thick slices. Brush the pineapple with olive oil so it won’t stick to the grill grates. Grill 3-4 minutes and flip.

Brush on the honey and butter mixture on the freshly grilled side and it will start to melt into the pineapple and caramelize. Flip over again after 3-4 minutes and brush the second side and remove from the grill. Serve immediately.

If you don’t have a Big Green Egg, you can use any charcoal or gas grill.  Just monitor the temperature to make sure it stays at the sweet spot around 350 degrees. I highly recommend using a GrillGrate (affiliate link, but a tool I love to use).  See those sear marks?  It would be a lot harder to get them without it.

What can I do with grilled pineapple?

This grilled fruit is so darned versatile.  Here are a few of the options:

1. Serve it plain as a sweet side dish where the flavors just pop. Pair it with Huli Huli Chicken.
2. Cut it up and use it in a salad. Throw together the grilled juicy chicken breasts on a bed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes and a couple berries and you have a delicious meal. You won’t even need much dressing because the pineapple is so sweet. Cut it up in cubes or wedges for this idea.
3. Let’s talk desserts! Just like we featured in the grilled peaches with honey goat cheese, you can put a sweet or crunchy topping on top and it will melt and blend beautifully! You can make them with the sugar/cinnamon version like we did on the peaches or just plain.
4. Add to a stirfry.
5. Use it with your own sweet and sour recipe. We cook an amazing homemade sweet and sour recipe that adding the grilled pineapple is perfect!!