Name: Grilling Recipes: Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers in Just 15 Minutes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes; 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1 inch chunks; 1 red onion, cut into 1 inch pieces; 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces; 1/2 cup BBQ sauce; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Jump to Recipe

You know what I love about summer? It’s when we can fire up the grill and make these incredible Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers that get everyone talking! These Grilling Recipes are my absolute favorite when I’m craving something sweet, savory, and ridiculously easy. The juicy pineapple meets smoky pork in the most perfect way, and let me tell you, this is hands down one of the best Pork Skewers you’ll ever taste. What makes these 15 Minute Grilling Recipes so special? Well, they’re fast (we’re talking seriously fast), they taste like you spent hours in the kitchen, and they’re perfect alongside your favorite BBQ Side Dishes. I’ve been making these Grilled Pork Recipes for years now, and they never get old. The combination of sweet and tangy just works, you know? If you’re looking for Tropical Grilling Recipes that’ll make your neighbors jealous, these Pineapple BBQ Recipes are where it’s at. Trust me on this one. I’ve served them at countless backyard parties, and people always ask for seconds. They’re colorful, they’re fun to eat, and they’re so much easier than they look. Let’s get cooking!

1) Key Takeaways
2) Easy Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers Recipe
3) Ingredients for Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers
4) How to Make Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers
5) Tips for Making Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers
6) Making Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers Ahead of Time
7) Storing Leftover Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers
8) Try these Main Course next!
9) Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers
10) Nutrition

1) Key Takeaways

Can you make pork skewers ahead of time?
What’s the best way to keep skewers from drying out on the grill?
How long should you marinate pork for grilling?
What temperature should pork be for safe eating?

2) Easy Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers Recipe

Let me tell you, these Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers are the kind of Grilling Recipes that’ll make you look like a total rockstar at your next cookout. I’m Nancy, and over at Nancy Cooks, I share all my favorite Grilling Recipes that are actually doable for real people with real lives. No fancy chef skills needed here!

What I love most about these skewers is how fast they come together. We’re talking 15 minutes on the grill, tops. The pork gets tender and juicy, the pineapple caramelizes into these sweet little bites of heaven, and that BBQ sauce? It creates this sticky glaze that’ll have everyone licking their fingers. I’ve made these countless times for my family, and they never get old.

The best part is you can prep everything earlier in the day when it’s cooler outside. Then when dinner time rolls around, you just fire up the grill and you’re done. No sweating over a hot stove, no complicated techniques. Just good food that tastes like you put way more effort into it than you actually did. That’s my kind of cooking!

These skewers work for everything from a Tuesday night dinner to a big summer party. Kids love them because they’re fun to eat, and adults love them because they taste amazing. Trust me, you’ll be making these all season long once you try them.

3) Ingredients for Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers

Pork Tenderloin

Okay, so pork tenderloin is my go to for these Pork Skewers. It’s lean, it cooks fast, and it stays super tender when you don’t overcook it. You want to cut it into cubes that are about an inch big. Try to make them all roughly the same size so they cook evenly. If the pieces are different sizes, some will be done while others are still raw in the middle, and nobody wants that.

Fresh Pineapple

Fresh pineapple is where the magic happens in these Pineapple BBQ Recipes. When it hits the grill, the sugars caramelize and it gets these beautiful char marks. The sweetness balances out the savory pork perfectly. You can use canned pineapple chunks if you’re in a pinch, but fresh really does taste better. Just make sure you drain canned pineapple really well or your marinade will be too watery.

Red Onion

Red onion adds this nice sharp bite that cuts through all the sweetness. When it grills, it gets a little soft and loses some of that raw onion punch. If you’re not a huge onion fan, you can use less or swap in some sweet Vidalia onion instead. My husband isn’t big on onions but he’ll eat these skewers, so that tells you something.

Green Bell Pepper

The green bell pepper gives you that classic grilled veggie flavor and adds some color to your skewers. You could use red or yellow peppers too if that’s what you have. Sometimes I mix colors just to make them look prettier on the plate. The peppers get a little smoky on the grill and they’re just perfect with everything else.

BBQ Sauce

Use whatever BBQ sauce you like best! I usually grab whatever’s on sale, but sometimes I splurge on the fancy stuff from the farmers market. Sweet and smoky works great here. If you like spicy, get a sauce with some kick. This is your chance to make these skewers taste exactly how you want them to taste.

Olive Oil

The olive oil helps everything from sticking to the grill and keeps the pork moist. Don’t skip it! You don’t need anything fancy, just regular olive oil from the grocery store works fine. It mixes with the other marinade ingredients and helps coat everything evenly.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce might seem like a weird addition to Grilled Pork Recipes, but it adds this salty, umami depth that really makes the flavors pop. It’s one of those secret ingredients that people can’t quite put their finger on but they know it tastes good. Just a tablespoon does the trick.

Garlic Powder and Black Pepper

These are your basic seasonings that round everything out. Fresh garlic would be great too, but garlic powder is so much easier and it distributes evenly in the marinade. The black pepper adds just a little bite. Nothing crazy, just enough to notice.

4) How to Make Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers

Step 1

Get your grill warming up to medium heat. You don’t want it screaming hot or your skewers will burn on the outside before the inside cooks through. Medium heat is perfect for these 15 Minute Grilling Recipes. If you’re using charcoal, let the coals get to that gray ashy stage. If you’re using gas, just turn it to medium and let it preheat for about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Grab yourself a big bowl and throw in all your prepped ingredients. The pork cubes, pineapple chunks, onion pieces, and bell pepper should all be cut to about the same size. This makes threading them onto skewers way easier and helps them cook at the same rate. Just dump everything in there together.

Step 3

Now take a smaller bowl and mix up your marinade. Pour in the BBQ sauce, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Give it a good whisk until everything’s combined and smooth. The marinade should look glossy and smell amazing. If it doesn’t smell good now, it’s gonna taste even better later!

Step 4

Pour that marinade right over your pork and veggies. Now get your hands in there and toss everything around. You want every single piece coated in that sauce. Don’t be shy about it. I usually spend a good minute or two making sure everything’s well mixed. This is where all the flavor comes from, so take your time.

Step 5

Time to build your skewers! If you’re using wooden ones, make sure you soaked them in water for at least 30 minutes first. Thread the pork, pineapple, onion, and pepper onto each skewer. I like to alternate them so you get a good mix of everything in each bite. Don’t pack them too tight though. Leave a tiny bit of space between pieces so the heat can get all around them.

Step 6

Lay those beautiful skewers on your preheated grill. You should hear that satisfying sizzle when they hit the grates. Now here’s the important part… you need to turn them every few minutes. I usually rotate them about every 3 to 4 minutes so all sides get those nice grill marks. Total cooking time is around 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 7

During the last couple minutes of grilling, brush on some extra BBQ sauce if you want that sticky, caramelized glaze. It’ll get a little charred and crusty in the best way possible. Just watch them closely during this part so the sauce doesn’t burn. Once the pork’s cooked through and everything’s got those gorgeous grill marks, take them off the heat.

Step 8

Let the skewers rest for just a minute or two before you serve them. This gives the juices time to redistribute in the meat. Then pile them up on a platter and watch them disappear. I’m telling you, people go crazy for these at cookouts. They’re colorful, they smell incredible, and they taste even better than they look.

5) Tips for Making Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers

Let me share some things I’ve learned from making these Tropical Grilling Recipes over and over. First off, if you’re using wooden skewers, that 30 minute soak in water isn’t optional. I learned this the hard way when half my skewers caught fire and I had to rescue dinner with tongs. Not fun. Just fill a pan with water, drop the skewers in, and forget about them while you prep everything else.

Size matters when you’re cutting your ingredients. I know I already mentioned this, but it’s really that important. Everything should be about an inch. Not huge chunks, not tiny pieces. Right in the middle. This way the pork cooks through without drying out and the veggies get tender without turning to mush. If your pineapple pieces are way bigger than your pork, things won’t cook right.

Don’t crowd your grill! I see people do this all the time at parties. They try to fit every single skewer on there at once and then nothing cooks properly. Give each skewer some breathing room. The hot air needs to circulate around them. If you need to cook in batches, that’s totally fine. Better to do it right than to rush it and end up with unevenly cooked food.

Here’s something not everyone knows… the pork is done when it hits 145°F inside. Get yourself a meat thermometer if you don’t have one already. They’re cheap and they take all the guesswork out of grilling. Stick it in the thickest part of a pork cube and check. At 145°F, the pork will be perfectly cooked and still juicy. If you go much higher, it’ll start getting dry and tough.

Turning the skewers often is key to getting even cooking and those pretty grill marks all around. I usually turn mine four or five times during cooking. Just rotate them a quarter turn every few minutes. It becomes second nature after you do it once or twice. You’re looking for nice char marks on the pork and caramelization on the pineapple.

If you want extra flavor, marinate everything for 30 minutes before threading it onto skewers. Just mix it all up in that big bowl and stick it in the fridge. The longer it sits in the marinade, the more flavorful it gets. I’ve done it both ways and marinating does make a difference, but if you’re short on time, you can skip it and they’ll still be delicious.

6) Making Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers Ahead of Time

These are perfect for meal prep or when you know you’re having people over. You can do a lot of the work earlier in the day when you’re not rushed. I usually cut everything up in the morning and mix the marinade. Then I toss it all together in a big bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and stick it in the fridge.

The ingredients can hang out together in the fridge for up to 4 hours before grilling. Any longer than that and the acid from the pineapple can start breaking down the pork texture a bit too much. Not a huge deal, but I’ve noticed the pork gets a little mushy if it sits overnight. So keep it to a few hours max if you’re marinating.

Now, I don’t thread them onto the skewers until right before I’m ready to grill. Assembled skewers can get a little awkward to store in the fridge, and sometimes the ingredients slide around. It’s way easier to keep everything in a bowl and then thread them when you’re ready. It only takes a few minutes anyway.

If you’re planning to serve these as part of a bigger spread with BBQ Side Dishes, you can grill them an hour or two before everyone shows up. Just keep them warm in a low oven, around 200°F. Cover the pan with foil so they don’t dry out. They actually hold up pretty well this way, and it’s one less thing to worry about when your guests arrive.

Another option is to grill them completely, let them cool, and then reheat them. You can do this on the grill for a few minutes or even in the microwave if you’re not picky. They won’t be quite as perfect as fresh off the grill, but they’re still really good. I do this for meal prep lunches all the time. Just store them in containers and grab one when you need it.

7) Storing Leftover Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers

If you somehow have leftovers, which honestly doesn’t happen often at my house, they keep really well in the fridge. Let the skewers cool down to room temperature first. Don’t stick hot food in the fridge because it’ll raise the temperature inside and that’s not safe for your other food. Just let them sit out on the counter for 20 minutes or so.

Once they’re cool, you can leave them on the skewers or slide everything off into a container. I usually take them off the skewers because they fit better in storage containers that way. Put them in an airtight container and they’ll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Any longer than that and the pork starts losing quality.

When you’re ready to eat them again, you’ve got options. The microwave is the fastest way to reheat them. Just put them on a plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for a minute or two until they’re heated through. The paper towel keeps them from drying out. You can also reheat them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

If you want to get fancy and the weather’s nice, throw them back on the grill for a few minutes. This crisps everything up again and gives you fresh grill marks. Just watch them closely so they don’t overcook. A few minutes on each side and they’re good to go. Sometimes I think they taste even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to meld together.

One last thing… these freeze okay if you really want to save them for later. I’ve frozen them a few times when I made way too many. Put them in a freezer safe container or bag and they’ll keep for about 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. The texture won’t be exactly the same as fresh, but they’re still totally edible and tasty.

8) Try these Main Course next!

9) Pineapple BBQ Pork Skewers