Cold smoked fruit on the Traeger picks up such a rich, smoky flavor. This smoked pineapple side dish doubles as a smoker dessert. It’s so tasty and an easy recipe to feed a crowd. Let’s pop some fresh pineapple on the pellet grill and make this dish…
How to check if your pineapple is ripe and ready for smoking
The key lies on the bottom of the pineapple. The base of the pineapple will have a sweet scent, from the outside of the skin, when it’s ripe enough to smoke.
Can you smoke pineapple?
Yes…and it’s delicious!!! If you’re looking for a unique side or alternative to a heavy desert, smoked pineapple is a great way to go.
What wood pellets / wood chips are best for smoked pineapple?
You can use apple wood pellets, cherry, maple, oak, hickory, or any pellet blend will be great for smoked pineapple. Any of those will provide a nice smoke flavor, with hickory pellets having the most smoky taste.
How do you serve smoked pineapple?
My recommendation is to cut the smoked pineapple up into slices with the skin on as a side dish. It’s a nice presentation and you or your guests can enjoy it watermelon style. For your leftover smoked pineapple, I like to cut it up into cubes and set it aside for later.
Time and temperature for smoking pineapple
Smoking pineapple at 225 degrees F
There are so many ways to smoke a pineapple. Here are some versions to try…
- Smoke a whole pineapple at 225 for 60 minutes.
- Smoke a halved pineapple at 225 for 30 minutes cut side down and 30 mins cut side up. (demonstration below)
- Smoke pineapple slices at 225 for 45 minutes.
- Smoke pineapple chunks at 225 for 30 minutes in a foil boat (opened at the top).
Smoking pineapple at 250 degrees F
Technically, you can smoke pineapple at 250 degrees vs. 225 degrees, and it will pretty much turn out the same. But at 225 degrees F, you can use the Traeger “super smoke” feature and get a really extra smoky flavor.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this smoked fruit recipe.
- Fresh pineapple that’s ripe
- Cinnamon
- Brown sugar (I find it perfectly sweet WITHOUT brown sugar, but it’s an option)
- Optional: you can always add brown sugar, or spice it up with spicy herbs.
How to smoke a pineapple
Now I’ll walk you through it…
Also see how to make smoked bone-in pork shoulder with pineapple…
Detailed recipe steps
- Preheat Traeger Grills or Masterbuilt or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 225 degrees F.
- Prep pineapple for smoking. Cut pineapple down the center, including the fruit crown (what is the top part of a pineapple called, you know, the green spikey part).
- Season pineapple halves with cinnamon and brown sugar if desired. Just sprinkle them on the yellow fleshy side of the pineapple, and rub in the spices for a moment to help them stick while cooking on the pellet grill.
- Smoke pineapple at 225 degree F for 30 minutes, CUT SIDE DOWN, directly on the smoker grill grates with the lid closed.
- Flip pineapple so the cut side faces up in the Traeger. Close the lid.
- Continue smoking pineapple for 30 or 45 minutes more, until done. The pineapple will take on more of a golden color and be very, very juicy. You’ll be able to pierce it with a fork, but the texture won’t be mushy.
- Remove smoked pineapple, cool, serve and enjoy! In the Sip Bite Go smoker recipe demonstration, you’ll see it was easy to cut slices and eat it “watermelon style”. You can also easily cut the skin off pineapple after smoking it. It’s really good in mixed smoked cocktails.
Know what other fruits are good smoked?
Stone fruits like smoked peaches and smoked apples and smoked bananas are some of my favorites because the natural sugars really come out during the smoking process.
Grilled fruits are good, too. Try this grilled pineapple recipe that’s ready in 5 minutes on the gas or charcoal grill.
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Pro tip: One of my go-to tricks for perfectly cooked food every time is using the right BBQ meat thermometers.
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– Jenna
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Best Traeger Smoked Pineapple Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 medium pineapple ripe (smell bottom, if it’s sweet, it’s ready)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp brown sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat Traeger Grills or Masterbuilt or Pitt Boss or whatever pellet grill you’re using to 225 degrees F.
- Prep pineapple for smoking. Cut pineapple down the center, including the fruit crown (what is the top part of a pineapple called, you know, the green spikey part).
- Season pineapple halves with cinnamon and brown sugar if desired. Just sprinkle them on the yellow fleshy side of the pineapple, and rub in the spices for a moment to help them stick while cooking on the pellet grill.
- Smoke pineapple at 225 degree F for 30 minutes, CUT SIDE DOWN, directly on the smoker grill grates with the lid closed.
- Flip pineapple so the cut side faces up in the Traeger. Close the lid.
- Continue smoking pineapple for 30 or 45 minutes more, until done. The pineapple will take on more of a golden color and be very, very juicy. You’ll be able to pierce it with a fork, but the texture won’t be mushy.
- Remove smoked pineapple, cool, serve and enjoy! In the Sip Bite Go smoker recipe demonstration, you’ll see it was easy to cut slices and eat it “watermelon style”. You can also easily cut the skin off pineapple after smoking it. It’s really good in mixed smoked cocktails.
Notes
- Serve this smoked pineapple dish savory, with a protein like chicken, steak or pork.
- Serve it sweet, as a smoked pineapple dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Jared says
I’m happy I gave this a shot, but 225* is not cold smoking. Cold smoke happens at 90* or under, with the smoke coming from a separate chamber. It’s more a preservation technique than a cooking technique.