Grilled Pineapples Are Perfect For Cutting The Richness Of Steak

Pineapples make the perfect grilled fruit; they're juicy and tart, and the caramelized sugars on the outside paired with the beautiful grill marks and char are everything you could want from grilled fresh fruit. Yes, emphasis on fresh fruit here, as we've already found fresh pineapple to be best for grilling, and you won't want to settle for the stuff that comes in a can. While quite delicious on their own, these charred chunks of sweetness can serve as one of the best companions to another grilling classic: steak.

Steak can be tricky to work with on the grill (don't worry, we've got you covered with some essential tips from Hugh Acheson on how to grill steak), and it often gets put into a box with the usual suspects: onions, mushrooms, compound butter, etc. given the richness that comes with it. The caramelized fat and savory crust that forms on a steak is often super rich, begging for something hearty to stand up to it. If you're looking for something that cuts the richness of your steak, try incorporating grilled pineapple somewhere in your process to truly wow your taste buds. This doesn't just mean throwing a couple of chunks of grilled pineapple onto your finished steak and calling it a day. In fact, there are many ways to use pineapples to enhance your steak overall, all while cutting through some of that richness to yield a tender, bright, and flavorful cut of meat.

Marinating your steak with pineapple imparts sweet and acidic notes to your meat, and it's also a good meat tenderizer. The bromelain enzyme in the pineapple dissolves collagen fibers in the meat, resulting in a much more tender cut and a new layer of flavor added before it even hits the grill. Try using brown sugar to complement the sweetness of the pineapple, along with soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce to break through some of that sugar.

For sauces, A.1. steak sauce fans can add fresh pineapple juice to this pantry staple to echo your marinade's flavor. If you want to make sauce from scratch, try combining fresh pineapple juice, honey, Dijon mustard, and a little salted butter in a saucepan. The powerful Dijon flavor is cut from the pineapple and the honey, while the butter gives your sauce a nice body. For the spicy fanatics, a dash of hot sauce in your pineapple A.1. concoction will go a long way.

To round everything out with a topping, try a nice pineapple salsa or a relish paired with herbs like cilantro to mimic the brightness of the pineapple. For a twist, try switching up your salsa by adding Calabrian chiles, balsamic vinegar, and mint to really think (or eat) outside the box. With any of these, you'll have an exceptionally balanced steak in no time.