This perfectly sweet and spicy Grilled Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa is a perfect melange of flavors. The flavor profile is a slightly smoky, sweet and spicy salsa that is a winner in the versatility department. The perfect topping for grilled steak, pork chops, fish, shrimp and spot on for tacos!
It’s not unusual for me to be grilling and not unusual to be grilling pineapple. I love it as a dessert, like my Grilled Pineapple with Rum Butter Sauce and as a salsa like the one I’m sharing with you today.
How to Make Grilled Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
One of the most delicious grilled fruits is Pineapple. I grill pineapple on both an outdoor grill as well as a grill pan inside. I cut the pineapple into spears as I find it easier to grill and chop for this recipe.
HOW TO REMOVE SKIN FROM PINEAPPLE
Trust me when I tell you that your pineapple will be extra juicy and flavorful when you peel your own pineapple. Ready to eat pineapple is good but the freshness is compromised. It’s just the nature of the fruit. Most ready to eat fruit loses its flavor that is protected with the skins. So my advice here, buy and peel your own when possible. (It’s also more affordable.) Pineapple might seem a little bit intimidating but it’s pretty easy to do. See below for step by step.
HOW TO GRILL PINEAPPLE
Now we move on to grilling the pineapple. You can choose an indoor grill pan or you can grill the fruit outside. Whichever way you choose, just make sure your grill is clean and free of debris. For me it’s easier to use an indoor grill pan. I like grilling the pineapple on its own and allowing the natural sugar to lend to the sweetness and caramelization. The grilling part is the easiest: on a hot grill or grill pan, place each pineapple spear on the grill or pan. Grill about 5 minutes on each side or until the pineapple has some good grill marks and is semisoft. Note not to grill too long and the fruit will fall apart. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a platter.
While the pineapple is cooling, preheat the broiler in your oven. On a broil safe sheet pan, roast a Poblano pepper and a fresh jalapeño pepper until charred about 10-15 minutes. Place the Poblano in a plastic bag and wrap in a towel to allow the skin to loosen about 15 minutes. Allow the jalapeño to cool by itself.
How to assemble the salsa
The pineapple should be cool to the touch. Use half of the spears and dice into about 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a bowl. Now finely dice red onion, about 1/4 cup, add to bowl. Remove large stems from cilantro and rough chop about 1/2 cup and add to the bowl. Add kosher salt, pepper and 1 tsp of white wine vinegar. Toss gently.
Remove Poblano from the bag and carefully remove the charred skin. Most of it should come off easily. Slice in half, remove seeds and stem. Dice pepper and add to bowl. For the jalapeño pepper use the same process. (You can wear plastic kitchen prep gloves for the peppers if you prefer.) Make sure you wash your hands immediately after handling the jalapeño pepper as it’s easy to rub on your face or worse eyes.
Toss into the pineapple mixture to mix the peppers and taste for salt and pepper. Adjust as necessary. Allow the Grilled Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa to sit for the flavors to blend. Mix gently before serving.
Serve this atop a perfectly grilled hangar steak with an Ancho Chile Rub for a deliciously tender and flavorful steak dinner or better yet on grilled salmon, Mahi Mahi or shrimp.
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Grilled Steak with Grilled Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Equipment
- 1 broil pan
- Grill indoor or outdoor
- bowl medium
Ingredients
Salsa
- 1/2 whole pineapple cored and sliced into spears (see notes)
- 1 whole poblano Chile pepper fresh
- 1 whole Jalapeno fresh
- 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- 1 tsp vinegar white wine or white
- salt and pepper kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Ancho Chile dry rub
- 2 tsp salt Kosher
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 1 tsp Ancho Chile powder can substitute with Chile powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika sweet
- 4 tsp dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder granulated
- 1 tsp Mexican Oregano crushed
Steak
- 4 steaks, Hangar, skirt, sirloin 6-8oz each
Instructions
Prep steak
- In a small bowl, combine kosher salt, pepper, ancho Chile powder, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder and crushed Mexica Oregano. Mix well.
- Pat steaks dry. Use dry rub on both sides of the steaks. Place on platter, cover and refrigerate.
Pineapple prep
- Preheat indoor stove top grill pan (medium high) or outdoor grill (medium heat)
- Remove skin from pineapple. Remove hard inner core and slice pineapple into spears.
- Using tongs, place pineapple spears on hot grill.
- Sear about 5 minutes on each side until you have grill marks and pineapple is starting to tenderize.
- Remove from heat, place on plate and allow to cool.
Roasting peppers
- Preheat oven on broil setting.
- Place poblano and jalapeno on broil safe pan and broil until poblano is charred and jalapeño is tender. About 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Place Poblano in a plastic bag and wrap in a kitchen towel to allow the skin to loosen with the steam. About 15 minutes.
- Allow jalapeño to cool off on a small plate.
Assembling the salsa
- Chop the pineapple into small dice and place in a medium bowl.
- Remove poblano from plastic bag and remove the charred skin. Remove stem and cut through the middle of the pepper. Remove any seeds, dice and place in the bowl with the pineapple.
- Now remove stem from jalapeno slice in half and remove the seeds. I recommend using a spoon as that's where the heat is in the pepper.
- Dice finely and place in bowl with pineapple mixture.
- Add finely diced red onion and chopped cilantro.
- Add pinch of salt, pepper and teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
- Toss gently until all ingredients are mixed well. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly.
- Allow to rest for about 1 hour and now it's ready to serve.
How to prepare the steak and serve
- Preheat your outdoor grill to a medium high heat. Once heated, grill steaks to your taste.
- Typically for a 1 inch thick steak, sear for 1-2 minutes on each side and then reduce heat to medium. For medium rare it's 9-12 minutes total. Turn at around 7 minutes and the cook the final 5 minutes. For medium 10-13 minutes and for well 12-15 minutes total time.
- Once the steaks are removed from the grill, allow to rest for 5 minutes. I like to tent them with foil paper. Note that the steaks will cook about 5 more degrees while tenting.
- Once the steaks have rested, serve sliced with the salsa on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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