Grilled Fresh Pineapple on the Half Shell

[bwsmith_2000]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the note. I gurantee you'll like Dr. BBQ's recipe. Since reading his book, I have added him to my list of heros. I probably now use that book (Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook) as much if not more than any of the others. I'd certainly like to attend one of the competitions where he and others in that league are there.
I have also visited his web site and saw that he has classes down there. I think he has put them on hold while he does book signings for right now but I'm sure he'll start back up before long.
And by the way, if you're judging those events, you must have your "stuff" pretty well together too. It's good to have people like you and some of my other knowledgeable favorites on this forum. Keep us straight.

Bill

 

[willkat98]

Firstly, thanks, but I need to clarify. I certainly don't want to come off as a know it all. I don't know squat.

I took the KCBS class and became a certified BBQ judge over a year ago. But this Largo event was the third of three that I signed up for and had to bail for one reason or another. I would strongly advise anyone and everyone to take a judging class. Great info on what judges are looking for, which might help you if you decide to compete one day.

Next, I don't compete. No time, no money. 39 and 2 kids keep me occupied. Got plenty of friends that do though, but that don't mean I know what I'm talking about.

And I never met Ray in person, just to be clear. Traded a few emails, and I monitor about 15 boards (5 actively that has the "names") and traded a total of maybe 10 Private Messages with him (he grew up South Side Chicago like me, so White Sox talk and such)

Largo woulda been where I finally met him face to face.

So thanks for the compliment, but the difference between us is I took the class, thats all. I do take plenty of tips from the likes of Jim Minion though. He and DrB and others are ambassadors of the sport.

One thing I got from them, fat cap down. Wonder if that will start a discussion. :)

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Hey Bill,
Come on now. All of what you have said so far sounds great. But fat cap down?? All I've ever heard is fat cap up for the basting effect. Perhaps you're pulling our chain?

Bill

 

[willkat98]

Nope, I'm not. It applies to more cuts than just Beef, but I'll go post it there.

 

[bob-bqn]

What I've heard is that if you have a vertical smoker like a WSM or a GOSM that the fat cap down towards the heat source protects the meat from drying out. I've cooked with the fat both up & down and have had success. Cooking the fat down keeps the bark in good shape on the meat side.

 

[cajunsmoker]

I know this post is almost a year old, and that it seems to have started the fat cap down discussion, but I would like to know if you put the pineapple chunks, rum and brown sugar in a bowl or what while you are smoking it :?:

It sounds killer and I intend to try it.

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Rodger,
Greetings and salutations! Glad to hear that you are going to try the pineapple .... it's really good. To answer your question, I cut the flesh from the shell in wedges. These go on the grill with direct heat. When they are done (about 6-8 min.), take them to your cutting block and cut them into bite sized chunks. And by the way, another hint from Dr. BBQ (and I proved it to be correct), is to also cut up the flesh from a second pineapple, discarding the skin. Grill it along with the flesh from the first one and use it as a refill on the table. You'll need it.

 

[cajunsmoker]

Yea, I can definitly see needing 2 or more pineapples :D .

I wasn't sure if you cooked the pineapple in a dish on the smoker or laid it out like steaks 8) .

 

[tundra smoke]

I usually do pineapple on my natural gas grill. I take a whole pineapple and slice off the skin and then slice the pineapple into 1/2" slices. After I have it sliced I core it using a clean plastic 35mm film cannister. It is the perfect size.I then take a cup of corn syrup (The dark) and a cup of whatever liquid you would like. Some folks like a dark rum but I use a cup of Ginger Ale. Mix those together and then marinate the pineapple slices in that for a couple hours. Toss them on the grill while I'm flipping burgers. I grill them until they have a nice dark caramelization to them. The wife and I love them.

I did get adventurous once and tried a honeydew melon. Bad mistake. It actually turned into some strange alien like jelly substance that tasted equally as nasty.

 

[Dutch]

LOL-one of my daughters did that once after she saw me toss some cantaloupe on the grill (Very high heat-very short grill time-just long enough to add some grill marks and served with rainbow sherbet). Little did she realize that honeydew melon has a higher moisture content than cantaloupe. In her words she said it looked like alien crap-