Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon Sugar

Why This Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon Sugar Works

On the grill, the pineapple starts to dry a little on the outside while it warms up inside. The heat drives off some of the water on the surface, so the natural sugars in the fruit concentrate and the rings taste sweeter. As grill marks form, the outside firms up just enough to hold together, but the inside stays juicy and soft.

While the pineapple is cooking, the melted butter coats the slices in a thin layer of fat. That butter keeps the surface from sticking to the grill and gives the sugar something to cling to later. By the time the rings come off the heat, they are hot and a bit sticky on the outside.

Sprinkling the cinnamon sugar on right after grilling means the sugar starts to melt against the warm fruit and sticks to it instead of falling off. The salt is only a pinch, but it sharpens the sweet taste of the pineapple and sugar, so the grilled rings taste extra sweet and warm all the way through.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the pineapple sit on very high heat for too long can make the outside black and bitter while the inside turns stringy and dry instead of juicy. The sugar in the fruit burns fast, so the slices go from nicely marked to scorched in less than a minute.

Cutting the pineapple slices much thicker than 1/2 inch often leaves the centers cool and firm while the outside softens. The grill marks look right, but the middle never really warms through and stays a bit hard and chewy.

Adding the cinnamon sugar before grilling causes the sugar to melt, drip, and burn on the grates. Instead of light caramelized edges, the slices end up with a harsh, burnt crust and sticky, charred spots that cling to the grill.

Skipping the butter or brushing on way too much both cause problems. With none, the pineapple tends to stick and tear on the grill; with a heavy layer, the butter flares up, leaving sooty, greasy patches on the fruit instead of clean grill marks.