eaten: grilled pineapple

One of the saddest parts of leaving Utah was leaving behind one of our favorite restaurants, Tucanos, a Brazilian steak house buffet. They did meat right. They also had wonderful grilled pineapple, it was rotisseried on a spit and then carved table side like all the meats. Sugary, caramelized goodness.

So when we got the grill I knew I needed to find a good copy cat recipe. Years ago I tried to grill pineapple but nothing happens if you just put pineapple on the grill. It gets warm, that's it. You need sugar to get the juices going. Heavenly sugar.

This recipe was easy and delicious but Steve thought it was a tad sweet and I would agree. One slice was plenty. Next time I'll use less sugar and maybe brown sugar instead of white. I will also just drizzle with butter instead of dipping each slice in butter. Moderation in all things, people!

Grilled Sugar-Dipped Pineapple
recipe from The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen

1 ripe pineapple
1 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime or lemon zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves

1. Preheat grill to high.
2. Cut the leafy top off the pineapple and the rind. Slice fruit into 8-10 even rounds. Core if desired. Since we just ate this with a knife and fork, next time I won't core each slice, much less work. 
3. When ready to cook, melt butter in a bowl. Combine sugar and spices in another bowl. Grill side, dip each slice of pineapple in the butter and then dip into the sugar. Shake off any excess. Arrange pineapple on hot grate and grill, turning with tongs until browned and sizzling, 5-8 minutes per side. 
4. Serve hot or warm. 

Steve rating: 7
beckie rating: 9