This grilled pineapple juice is a uniquely sweet and refreshing drink to have during hot days or to serve at backyard barbecues and other summer gatherings. You can add another layer of flavor to piña coladas or your favorite pineapple juice cocktails. The best part is, after grilling the pineapple, it only takes a few ingredients to blend it all together without the need for a juicer.
Ingredients
- ripe pineapple – The pineapple will be peeled and sliced before grilling. If you have a pineapple corer, that will help bring some of the prep time down.
- water
- fresh ginger – optional
- white sugar – or your preferred sweetener like agave nectar
- ice – for serving
If desired, you can reserve one ½” thick pineapple ring with the skin on, grill it and cut into wedges for a stunning drink garnish!
What Does Grilled Pineapple Juice Taste Like?
What does grilling do to the pineapple’s taste? Grilling food in general adds a smokiness. I compared grilled pineapple juice to plain pineapple juice side by side with a taste test.
With the grilled pineapples, the charred bits added a subtle, smokey undertone to the sour and sweet juices. Speaking of sweet, with the added heat, it caramelized the sugars, resulting in the pineapple rings having a deeper sweetness and flavor. They were also a bit darker in color and more tender for blending.
Some Interesting Facts About Pineapples
- Pineapples are a unique fruit for many reasons. They may not look it, but they are considered a berry because they are a fusion of individual berries.
- Also, did you know that you can grow your own stalk by cutting the top off and planting it in the soil? However, it may take a while because it takes up to 3 years for the stalk to mature. After the stalk matures, it can grow one pineapple per year, and the stalk can last for up to 50 years!
- While 75% of Europe’s sold pineapples come from Costa Rica, Hawaii holds the record for largest pineapple garden maze in the world at the Dole plantation. It spans over 3 acres.
What to do With Leftover Juice
If you have any leftover grilled pineapple juice, and you won’t be able to finish it in a few days, I recommend freezing the juice. While you can freeze it in a glass or plastic container for up to 1 year, be sure to leave ½ inch of air space on top because as it freezes, it expands. Alternatively, you can store it in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.
Another cool idea is to pour the juice into ice cube trays so that you can add them to sparkling water or blend them into smoothies and other drinks like piña coladas.
If you are making piña coladas with this juice, I don’t recommend adding the ginger. That might throw off the classic flavor of the drink.
Any remaining grilled pineapple slices that you don’t use for the juice can be refrigerated and saved as a snack for up to 3 days.
I prefer to drink grilled pineapple juice over plain. Let me know what you thought in the comments and please share the recipe!
Grilled Pineapple Juice
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe pineapple - peeled and sliced into rings about ¾” thick
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger - grated (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons sugar or agave nectar - or to taste
- ice - for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Place the pineapple rings on the grill. Grill until you see grill marks on both sides and the pineapple is warm and soft, about 10 minutes per side.
- Let cool slightly and chop into pieces (discarding the hard core) until you get 2 cups of pineapple.
- Place the chopped, grilled pineapple in a blender. Add the water, ginger and sugar. Blend until smooth. (Optionally, you can strain it through a fine mesh strainer, but I prefer it with the pulp.)
- Serve in glasses over ice with a grilled pineapple wedge garnish!
Equipment
Notes
- You can reserve one ½” thick pineapple ring with the skin on, grill it and cut into wedges for a stunning drink garnish!
- Leftover juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
- A pineapple slicer/corer would be very helpful for this recipe if you have one on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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