Daily Dish the Fork Lift blog
Grilling with Fruit
Health Notes by Dr. Liz
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Summer is in the air, and that means it's barbecue time! At your next backyard shindig, sweeten the deal by grilling up dessert! A welcome change from cakes, cookies and pies is freshly grilled fruit. By taking advantage of summer’s sweet bounty of fruit, you not only add health-boosting nutrients to your meal but also save on time, money, and calories!
Summer is in the air, and that means it's barbecue time! At your next backyard shindig, sweeten the deal by grilling up dessert! A welcome change from cakes, cookies and pies is freshly grilled fruit. By taking advantage of summer’s sweet bounty of fruit, you not only add health-boosting nutrients to your meal but also save on time, money, and calories!
Fruit grilling essentials:
- Select firm but ripe fruit. Best choices include plums, nectarines, peaches, apricots, figs, pineapple and pears. Clean fruit in running water and dry before grilling.
- Cut fruit in half (remove pits if necessary) or cut into large chunks. Skewering works well for smaller pieces such as strawberries or cherries.
- Grill fruits on lower heat or when coals are dying down. Plan on grilling fruits when everyone has sat down to eat the main meal; you can put the fruit on and let it “slow” cook over the fire.
- Sprinkle one side with cinnamon, drizzle with honey and cook about 3–7 minutes (or until golden).
- Appeal to the chocolate lovers by placing a small square of dark chocolate in the center of a pear, plum, peach or nectarine half during the last few minutes of grilling for a melt-in-your-mouth treat.
- Wrap a collection of fruit pieces in foil with flavorings (nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, etc.) and place foil package directly into coal embers for a delicious, steamed fruit compote.
For some sweet inspiration, try this recipe for Grilled Cinnamon-Glazed Pineapple.
Article originally published in September 2015 and updated in June 2022.