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smoked pineapple rings on a white plate
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Smoked Pineapple with Bourbon Maple Glaze

We first slice up a whole pineapple and then smoke it low and slow while basting with a bourbon, maple, and brown sugar glaze before turning up the heat to caramelize and finish the smoked pineapple.
Whether you’ve got a Weber gas grill, a Traeger or Pit Boss pellet grill, or even a Masterbuilt electric smoker, we’ve got you covered with this technique!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 200kcal
Author Mads Martigan
Cost $20

Equipment

  • A Smoker or Pellet grill -OR-
  • A Gas or Charcoal Grill setup for indirect heat
  • A Carving Knife
  • A Meat Injector (optional)
  • A Basting Brush
  • Fruitwood (Apple or Cherry) or Maple pellets, woodchips, or chunks
  • A Small Biscuit Cutter
  • A Wire Baking Rack

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole Pineapple Top, bottom, and sides cut off
  • ¾ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Cup Maple Syrup
  • ¼ Cup Bourbon Whiskey or Water
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt to finish if desired

Instructions

Prepare the Grill or Smoker

  • Preheat the smoker, or grill setup for indirect cooking, to 250°F. If using a pellet grill, load the hopper with your chosen pellets, turn on the grill, and set the temperature for 250°F.
  • If using a grill, once it is near its temperature, add your wood chips, wood chunks, or pellets into a pellet tube smoker and place over the direct heat and close the lid.
    smoking wood on lit charcoal

Prepare the Pineapple for Smoking

  • Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple. Next cut lengthwise down the ides, working your way around the pineapple until you’ve taken off all the outer skin.
    1 Whole Pineapple
    slicing the skin off a pineapple
  • Then go back and slice off any brown spots or “eyes” still visible on the pineapple.
    a pineapple with the skin sliced off
  • Lay the pineapple down on its side and cut it into ½-inch slices from one end to the other.
    slicing a pineapple
  • Do not remove the centers of the slices until AFTER smoking otherwise the pineapple rings may fall apart on the smoker.
    slices of raw pineapple on a cutting board

Smoke the Pineapple

  • Once the grill or smoker is up to 250°F and producing smoke, place the pineapple slices into the smoker, or on the cool side of the grill.
    pineapple slices smoking on a grill
  • Whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, and bourbon whiskey. Or use water if you don't want to use bourbon.
    ¾ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, ¼ Cup Maple Syrup, ¼ Cup Bourbon Whiskey
    whisking together maple and brown sugar with bourbon for smoked pineapple glaze
  • Every 10 minutes or so, baste the pineapple slices on each side with some of the maple bourbon mixture using a good silicone basting brush.
    basting smoked pineapple slices with bourbon whiskey and maple syrup
  • Flip and rotate the pineapple slices as need for even cooking on the grill or smoker.
    smoked pineapple slices basted in bourbon and maple syrup smoking in a smoker
  • After about 45-60 minutes, check whether the outside is carmelizing and if not, turn the heat up to about 350°F or move the pineapple slices over the direct heat of a medium gas burner or lit charcoal.
  • Watch the pineapple slices carefully at this point and flip as needed just to get some light caramelization and not burn the smoked pineapple.

Remove the Cores and Serve the Smoked Pineapple

  • Once the pineapple looks cooked to your liking, remove the smoked pineapple from the grill or smoker using BBQ tongs and place on a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes before removing the cores
    smoked slices of pineapple
  • Using a small biscuit cutter (or a paring knife), carefully press down and remove the fibrous centers form each pineapple slice.
    removing the core form smoked pineapple slices
  • Lastly, sprinkle a little kosher salt or sea salt on the smoked pineapple rings before serving with whipped cream or ice cream.
    1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
    smoked pineapple rings

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal