Spiral-cutting a pineapple is worth the extra few minutes. It removes the tough eyes without wasting the fruit and leaves plenty of ridges to caramelise over the charcoal. Cook it low in the Charlie for a dark, sticky crust, then serve it juicy with a little bite or move it higher to roast until soft. Finish with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream.
- Preparation time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: To be confirmed
- Serves: 4
- Charlie Oven temperature: 200–210°C/392–410°F
- Cooking method: Chargrilling and roasting
Equipment
- Sharp, thin-bladed knife
- Chopping board
- Small bowl
- Charlie cooking grate
- Charlie Flat-bed Plancha, optional
Ingredients
- 1 large pineapple
- 40ml maple syrup
Agave syrup or honey can be used instead of maple syrup.
Prepare the pineapple
- Cut the top and base from the pineapple, then stand it upright on the chopping board.
- Slice away the skin as thinly as possible. You should now be able to see the dark eyes running diagonally around the fruit.
- Follow the spiral formed by the eyes, cutting a narrow V-shaped channel along each line with a thin, sharp knife. Work around the pineapple until all the eyes have been removed.
- Cut the pineapple lengthways into quarters, then remove the hard core from each piece. Freeze the cores to use in juices later.
For help with the technique, watch this spiral-cut pineapple video.
Set up your Charlie Oven
Light about half a football’s worth of good-quality lumpwood charcoal and bring the Charlie Oven to 200–210°C/392–410°F.
Place a cooking grate on a low shelf, close to the charcoal. The strong heat here will caramelise the pineapple and give it a dark, sticky crust.
Char the pineapple
- Put the pineapple quarters cut-side down on the lower cooking grate.
- Leave them in place until deeply caramelised. The pineapple will stick to the grate at first, so resist the urge to move it. Once a good crust has formed, it should release easily.
- Turn the pineapple and caramelise the other cut side.
- If you like pineapple juicy and with a little bite, remove it from the oven at this stage.
For softer pineapple
Move the caramelised pineapple to a cooking grate in the upper part of the Charlie Oven. Continue roasting until the centre is as soft as you like.
For gentler heat, slide the Flat-bed Plancha onto a shelf between the pineapple and the charcoal.
Serve
Serve each pineapple quarter whole or cut it into thin slices. Drizzle over the maple syrup and add vanilla ice cream or sorbet.
Cook’s notes
The pineapple will release from the cooking grate when it has formed a good caramelised crust. If it is still firmly stuck, give it a little longer.
No smoking wood is needed. The high heat from the lumpwood charcoal provides the caramelisation, while the pineapple remains sweet and fresh.
The chef’s original notes do not include an approximate cooking time. This needs confirming before the recipe is published.
Frequently asked questions
Why spiral-cut a pineapple?
The spiral cut removes the tough eyes without cutting away too much fruit. It also leaves ridges that caramelise particularly well over the charcoal.
How do I stop pineapple sticking to the grate?
Leave it alone until a dark caramel crust has formed. At that point, the pineapple should release from the grate without being forced.
How can I make the pineapple softer?
After caramelising it on the lower rack, move it to the upper part of the oven to roast. Place the Flat-bed Plancha below for gentler, more indirect heat.