How to Grill Pineapple (Because It Tastes Even Better That Way)

It’s hard to improve on fresh, in-season pineapple—until you throw it on the grill and let its sugars caramelize, bringing out its sweetness even more (not to mention adding a little smokiness). If you’ve been wondering how to grill pineapple, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll guide you through picking the ideal produce, breaking it down (which is honestly the hardest part) and getting those Insta-worthy sear marks.

There are a few ways to go about this, but when it comes to grilling, we've found cutting them into spears makes them easiest to manage (with the lowest risk of them slipping between the grates). The video above will show you how to break down the pineapple, only once you get to the part where you score the score, you simply cut each pineapple half into spears instead of half-moons. Here's what to do, step by step:

1. Chop off either end.
2. Trim off the spiny skin, following the contours of the pineapple.
3. Slice it in half, so you have two oblong semicircles of pineapple.
4. Use a knife to score around the core.
5. Cut each pineapple half lengthwise, forming long spears.
6. Use a spoon to peel away the core.

With your pineapple prepped, you’re ready to get grilling. While you can brush that pineapple with a glaze—say, cream of coconut and brown sugar, as Chef Gordon Ramsay does—before placing it on the grill, you don’t need to. That’s just to add additional flavor to it. Similarly, you could dust it with a light sprinkling of cinnamon and cayenne to give it some sweet heat, but that’s also not necessary.

To bring out the pineapple’s natural juicy sweetness, all you truly need is a hot grill and a “good olive oil,” according to Ina Garten (and in Ina we trust). Here’s exactly what to do: