Smoked Pineapple Recipe: How to Smoke a Pineapple

Smoked pineapple is pineapple cooked via the indirect heat of woodsmoke. This cooking method caramelizes the pineapple’s naturally sweet exterior and infuses it with a smoky flavor. Try smoking pineapple alongside meat for a hands-off dessert option.

Grilling and smoking are both popular methods for preparing pineapple. Grilling is a direct cooking method that involves placing pineapple over the high heat of coals or a gas flame until charred. Conversely, smoking is an indirect cooking method: To smoke pineapple, keep the fruit away from the fuel source so that it cooks slowly from the heat of the smoke. Smoked pineapple caramelizes but doesn’t char and becomes infused with the flavor of smoked wood.

Make smoked pineapple if you’ve already preheated your smoker for another project, like brisket or smoked pork butt. The pineapple won’t take up too much space on the grill grate, and you can prepare it at a higher or lower temperature, depending on what else you have on the smoker.

1. 1. Prepare the smoker. Since smoked pineapple has a short cook time, it’s the perfect way to take advantage of a little extra room in a preheated smoker when making more complex smoked meats. Heat a pellet smoker, electric smoker, or offset smoker with your choice of wood, such as hickory or applewood, to 250 degrees Fahrenheit or according to the directions for your smoked meat. To use a kettle grill to smoke pineapple, pile the coals on one side of the grill and top them with wood chunks. When the chunks start to smoke, place the pineapple on the other side of the grill.
2. 2. Select a ripe pineapple. Fresh pineapple is sturdier and less sweet than canned pineapple, making it a better candidate for smoking. For the best flavor, select a ripe pineapple. Canned pineapple’s higher sugar content may cause it to burn in the smoker; if it’s all you have on hand, watch it carefully and consider using a grill basket, so the smaller pieces don’t fall between the grates.
3. 3. Peel and cut the fruit. Peel the pineapple and halve it for easy smoking. If desired, cut your pineapple into rings or slices—here’s how to cut a pineapple the right way.
4. 4. Season with a dry rub or glaze. You can smoke plain pineapple, but adding a dry rub or glaze can amplify the flavor. Try brushing pineapple slices with BBQ sauce or a mixture of salt, pepper, and brown sugar before smoking.

The most popular way to serve smoked pineapple is as a simple barbecue dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Here are some other ideas:

1. 1. As a salsa: Combine diced smoked pineapple with lime juice, diced onions, salt, and cilantro for a smoky twist on pico de gallo.
2. 2. In a drink: Blend then strain smoked pineapple to create smoked pineapple juice, which adds a unique edge to cocktails. Try a smoky blended piña colada, or mix smoked pineapple juice with seltzer for a refreshing nonalcoholic drink.
3. 3. On skewers: Cut the pineapple into small chunks and smoke the pieces on a skewer along with your favorite meats and vegetables, kebab-style.
4. 4. With tacos: A slice of pineapple is a traditional accompaniment to tacos al pastor. For a barbecue-friendly riff, smoke pork butt or tenderloin along with some pineapple. Marinate the pork in the adobo rojo de chiles sauce from chef Gabriela Cámara’s tacos al pastor recipe for a spicier flavor—the sauce contains five different kinds of dried Mexican chiles.