You guys. This is it. I finally bought a grill. This has been on my wish list for years, and now my wish has come true. I basically spent two hours dancing around the yard when I finished assembling it.
Now, yes, it’s true, I’ve shared grilling recipes here before… but those have always been made on borrowed equipment, and even — *gasp* — a friend’s panini press once. I know, I’m not proud.
But now I have a grill of my own. Shiny new, not a spatter of grease to be seen. And what, pray tell, do you think was the first thing I would grill on it? A fat, juicy, inaugural steak, perhaps? Or maybe some burgers to break it in? No.
Pineapple. Because there’s nothing better than a thick slice of pineapple with a little char on it.
Except, maybe, a thick slice of pineapple with a little char on it blended into a sweet, smoky, spicy, tastes-like-the-way-summer-smells-when-you-fire-up-a-grill cocktail.
Mezcal is a liqueur I’ve been slowly getting familiar with. I’ve had a sip here and there, but I’ve only really dipped my toes in the water, never dived in. It has a strong smokiness that can hit you hard the first time you taste it, but grows on you over time.
That smoky intensity greets the charred pineapple like old friends bumping into one another after a long absence. You put the two together and they just go so well, you start to wonder why they aren’t paired up more often.
Meanwhile, jalapeno infused tequila adds a subtle heat that is balanced by the sweetness of the pineapple and a touch of honey. This is definitely not your average margarita.
If mezcal isn’t your thing (it’s a bit of a shocker the first time you taste it), you can easily substitute regular tequila. (Mezcal is a type of tequila, made from a specific region and type of agave, which has been slow-roasted to give it its unique flavor.)
Also, feel free to make these as strong as you like… I prefer my drinks on the weaker side, that way I can drink more of them (ha!), but if you like yours with a bit more kick feel free to tweak the recipe however you please.
What’s your favorite thing to grill? I’m already going crazy with all the ideas I have, but I just can’t help it… I want to know what your favorite grilling recipe is, and what type of recipes you’d like to see around here now that I’ve finally jumped on the grill-wagon. Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
- 1 oz. mezcal*
- ½-1 oz. jalapeno infused tequila, to taste (recipe below, or sub regular tequila if you prefer no heat)
- ½ oz. orange liqueur
- 1 1-inch thick slice of grilled pineapple, chilled
- 3 TBSP fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
- 3 TBSP honey, to taste
- 1 cup fresh pineapple juice
- Crushed ice
- Grilled pineapple and lime wedges for garnish
- 1 cup silver tequila
- 1 jalapeno, sliced into rings
- Slice the jalapeno into rings, and place in a clean, tightly lidded jar.
- Add the tequla, seal the jar, and store in a cool dark place for 12-24 hours, depending on how spicy you like it.
- Once the tequila has steeped to your liking, strain it to remove the jalapeno. discard the jalapeno slices, and pour the tequila back into the jar. If the tequila has gotten spicier than you want it, add a splash more plain tequila to the jar. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 year. Use to spice up your margaritas, bloody mary's, and whatever else you'd normally add tequila to.
- Cut away the husk of the pineapple, slice into 1 inch thick rings, and remove the core.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high (or get let it get nice and hot for 20 minutes or so if using charcoal), and oil the grate lightly.
- Grill pineapple slices for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until nicely caramelized. Transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge until completely cool.
- Add the mezcal, jalapeno infused tequila, grilled and chilled pineapple (and any juices that have accumulated in the bowl), lime juice, honey, and pineapple juice to the blender. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pulp from the pineapple.
- Pour over crushed ice, and garnish with extra grilled pineapple or lime wedges.
Confession: I don’t like pineapple. But I WANT to like pineapple. Perhaps setting it on fire will help? The liqueur certainly will… Congrats on the grill! We have to replace our old clunker soon. I’m pretty sure 2.0 will do a very fancy dance when we do!
Grilling definitely adds something, but it’s still pineapple. I doubt the char marks will change your opinion of it. Anything’s possible if you add enough liqueur, though…
Damn these sound great! I love margaritas and love the idea of the grilled pineapple and chilli, makes me very happy!
FoodNerd x
http://www.foodnerd4life.com
I’ve become a recent fan of mezcal and love how you used sweet grilled pineapple to compliment the smokiness of the mezcal!
WANT. what a fabulous way to celebrate your new grill! And you know, grilling is great in the summer, don’t get me wrong, but fall grilling? THE BEST GRILLING. So you got that thing just in time. :)
You’re right, there are so many possibilities for fall grilling. I’m excited. Having a grill has been such a life saver — I cook everything on it, now. I even threw my cast iron skillet on it the other day and did an asian style saute. Also, I baked a tart on it. Yeah. It was hard to control the temperature, but I did it, which is just awesome. Yay, grills!
So excited to find this recipe! A mexican place near us makes a grilled pineapple spicy margarita and I can’t wait to try it at home!
Wonderful, I hope you like this one! Just a heads up, if you’ve never had mezcal and just want a regular margarita, I’d suggest using tequila instead — mezcal is a bit of an acquired taste. Either way, I’d love to know what you think if you make it! :)
Great – except tequila is a type of mezcal from a specific region (Tequila,) not the other way around.
Oops! Haha, thank you for the correction. My bad!
Stellar Cocktail!!!
These margaritas are fantastic! I didn’t have the patience or forethought to make the jalapeño-infused tequila so I grilled jalapeños with the pineapple and put them in the blender, adjusting amount to how spicy I wanted. I used only tequila as well, but am looking forward to trying it with Mezcal. I pair these with Polynesian flank steak that I serve with the remaining grilled pineapple and jalapeños. Excellent recipe – thank you!