Caramelized Pineapple

You can purchase a ripe pineapple if ready to grill immediately, but you will often have to select a pineapple and wait to ripen.  Here is how you know your pineapple is ready to be grilled and eaten:

•Touch: Gently squeeze the pineapple. The skin should give a little, but it should still be firm.
•Smell:  Put your nose close to the bottom of the fruit. It should smell sweet; that indicates it is ripe.
•Sound: Tap the pineapple.  Unripe fruits sound hollow, whereas ripe pineapples sound dull and solid.
•Color:  A green pineapple can be ripe, but more often than not, look for yellow coloring around the eyes and base.
•Shape:  When a pineapple is ripe, the eyes will be uniform in size instead of small on the bottom and large in the middle.

I prefer wedges for this grilled pineapple recipe, but you may also slice the pineapple into rounds.  To cut a pineapple into wedges:

1. Turn the pineapple on its side, cut off the top and bottom, and discard about 1 inch from the top and bottom.
2. Stand the pineapple upright and cut lengthwise to remove and discard the tough outer peel in strips.
3. Go back around the pineapple and cut off any remaining hard bits of peel called “eyes.”
4. Cut the pineapple into quarters lengthwise through the core.
5. Cut in half again to create smaller then again as desired to create smaller wedges.
5. Remove and discard each section of core.

If you are eager to make this recipe, but your pineapple isn’t ripe yet, you can help speed the process along. Place the whole pineapple and a whole apple in a paper bag and fold over the top of the bag. Leave at room temperature for 1-2 days or until the pineapple is ripe.

Sliced or cut pineapples will last 3 to 5 days in the fridge.   Store them in an airtight container in your produce drawer.   This is handy because you can slice your pineapple as soon as it is ripe if you aren’t ready to make Grilled Pineapple yet.

If you haven’t used your pineapple before it goes bad, you can freeze it.   Chop the pineapple into chunks and freeze in an airtight container.  I separate the pieces into plastic bags for smoothies.   Frozen pineapple slices or chunks will last 10 to 12 months in the freezer.

You will know what pineapple NOT to select or when you’ve let your pineapple sit too long when it has:

•Brown leaves
•Overly soft
•Wet bottom
•Dry body
•Cracked, wrinkled or brown body
•The aroma is no longer sweet
•Has a pungent, sour smell (similar to vinegar)

To prevent your pineapple from going bad, you can move it to the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process.

Yes! Pineapple is generally good for you, mainly because it is a heart-healthy food that does not contain cholesterol. You can lower your risk of obesity, heart disease, and related conditions by maintaining a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat. However, the glaze contains both butter and brown sugar, which are more indulgent and the best for a low fat, low sugar diet.

Pineapple also contains high amounts of vitamin C and manganese, and helps us consume important dietary fiber. So grill on!

Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which burns your tongue because it breaks down the protein of the skin in your mouth.  The skin repairs itself in a few hours; however, so don’t be scared away from eating pineapple!

If you have the tendency of a burning mouth from pineapple, then sip it with some milk or eat it with yogurt.  The dairy helps to neutralize the acids in the pineapple.

The enzyme bromelain is also why I suggest using canned pineapple juice rather than fresh pineapple juice in many of my chicken marinades, like Pineapple Chicken and Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs; otherwise, the enzyme breaks down the chicken to a mushy consistency.

Yes! Pineapple is suitable for your metabolism because it contains an enzyme named bromelain. Bromelain is found in pineapple juice and helps metabolize protein, which helps burn excess belly fat.