My niece is a nursing student and is having some friends over for a cookout this weekend. Because she is so busy with school, she asked me for an easy recipe that wouldn’t take too much time and keep her busy cooking once her guests arrived. She is a big fan of both pineapple and shrimp so…
My homemade Pineapple Teriyaki sauce is the perfect thing to pull this all together. The sauce can be made way ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a month or so. The shrimp get marinated for only 10 to 15 minutes as to not get too salty. Once the skewers are threaded, they can be kept in the refrigerator until it’s time to grill. Five to six minutes on a hot grill and they’re good to go.
Tip: when cooking shrimp or other foods that are not cubes, use a flat blade or double prong skewer to keep the food from spinning when you flip it. Alternatively, use two bamboo skewers with a little space between them — just don’t forget to soak them in water and cover the tips with foil to keep them from burning.
- Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce (recipe follows)
- 24 large shrimp -peeled, deveined with tails on - about 1½ pounds
- ½ fresh pineapple
- 2 bunches scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- -
- Extras:
- Flat blade skewers, double-prong skewers or bamboo skewers soaked in water 1 hour
- Prepare Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce; transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
- Add shrimp to cooled teriyaki sauce to marinate while you slice the pineapple; no longer than 15 minutes.
- Slice the pineapple into 2-inch pieces the same thickness as the shrimp, about ½-inch.
- Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Thread the shrimp, pineapple and scallions onto the skewers. Set aside in the refrigerator ready to grill.
- Place teriyaki sauce in a small pan and bring to a boil; Remove from heat and set aside.
- Set up grill for direct cooking over medium high heat. Brush and oil grates before cooking.
- Place skewers on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flip and baste with teriyaki sauce. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes flip, baste and remove from the grill.
- Serve immediately with extra teriyaki sauce.
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1-inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Stir to combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool room temperature. Strain through a mesh strainer. Use immediately or store in an air tight container for up to one month.
Cheers and Happy Grilling!
~Jeff
