Posted by A Flavorful Twist on Bacon and Pineapple Skewers: A Simple and Sweet Air Fryer Delight
When you’re craving something that combines both savory and sweet, bacon-wrapped pineapple skewers are a perfect choice. This simple and delightful recipe takes an indulgent classic, bacon-wrapped goodness, and elevates it by pairing it with sweet, juicy pineapple, all cooked perfectly in an air fryer. If you’re looking for a snack or appetizer that’s easy to prepare, requires minimal cooking time, and brings a lot of flavor to the table, this recipe is just what you need. Let’s walk you through how to prepare this irresistible dish with minimal effort yet maximum taste.
Why Bacon and Pineapple Make a Perfect Pair
Bacon, with its rich, smoky flavor and crispy texture, and pineapple, with its refreshing, tangy sweetness, create a harmonious combination that’s simply mouthwatering. The natural sweetness of pineapple enhances the savory bacon, and together they balance each other out in an irresistible way. When you cook them together in the air fryer, you get the added bonus of achieving a crispy bacon exterior while keeping the pineapple juicy and tender.
Not only does this dish make for a great appetizer, but it also serves as a snack that everyone will love. Imagine the combination of salty, smoky bacon paired with a touch of caramelized sweetness from the pineapple. And when you add a touch of brown sugar glaze over the top, you elevate the flavor to a whole new level. This bacon and pineapple skewer recipe is perfect for anyone looking for an easy yet impressive treat to serve at parties, family gatherings, or even just as a quick snack for yourself.
The Magic of Air Frying: Quick and Convenient Cooking
One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s made using an air fryer, which speeds up the cooking process while still delivering great results. The air fryer works by circulating hot air around the food, creating a crispy exterior without the need for deep frying. This means you get all the crispiness of traditionally fried bacon but with far less oil. Plus, air frying makes cleanup easier, as there’s no greasy mess to deal with afterward.
With an air fryer, you can cook your bacon to the perfect level of crispiness, while ensuring the pineapple retains its juiciness. The high temperature inside the air fryer helps caramelize the brown sugar and butter glaze, creating a beautiful sticky coating that adds just the right amount of sweetness to each bite.
Essential Ingredients for These Bacon Pineapple Skewers
To make these irresistible bacon and pineapple skewers, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
Bacon
The star of the show is, of course, the bacon. Thick-cut bacon works best for this recipe because it gives a nice balance of crispiness and tenderness. You want the bacon to hold its shape around the pineapple, so choosing thick-cut strips ensures that the bacon doesn’t shrink too much as it cooks. The bacon will cook to a perfect crisp in the air fryer, wrapping around the pineapple for that irresistible combination of salty and savory flavors.
Pineapple
Pineapple is the other key player in this recipe. Canned pineapple rings are the most convenient option, as they’re ready to go straight out of the can. Be sure to drain the pineapple slices well to avoid excess moisture, which could prevent the bacon from crisping properly. Cutting the pineapple slices into smaller pieces will also ensure they cook evenly and fit perfectly with the bacon.
Brown Sugar
A touch of brown sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the dish. The sugar melts and caramelizes in the air fryer, forming a beautiful glaze over the bacon-wrapped pineapple. You can adjust the amount of brown sugar based on your preference for sweetness, but a quarter cup should be enough to coat the skewers beautifully.
Butter
Salted butter adds richness and helps create a smooth glaze when combined with the brown sugar. The buttery glaze brings all the ingredients together, adding a bit of creaminess and further enhancing the flavor profile of this dish. It also helps to create a golden-brown finish on the bacon.
Preparation and Cooking Instructions for Pineapple Bacon Skewers
Now that we’ve covered the ingredients, it’s time to dive into the easy steps for preparing and cooking your bacon-wrapped pineapple skewers. The process is simple and takes very little time, but the result is a delicious snack or appetizer that will impress anyone who tries it.
Step 1: Prepare the Pineapple and Bacon
Start by draining the canned pineapple slices, and then cut each slice into three equal pieces. This will give you bite-sized chunks of pineapple that are easy to wrap with bacon. Next, take your eight slices of thick-cut bacon and cut each into three strips. This will give you enough bacon to wrap around each piece of pineapple.
Step 2: Assemble the Skewers
Lay a piece of bacon flat on a surface, and place a piece of pineapple in the center of the bacon strip. Carefully fold the bacon over the pineapple, securing the ends of the bacon around the pineapple. Use a toothpick to hold the bacon in place, ensuring that the bacon stays wrapped around the pineapple during cooking. Repeat this process until all of your pineapple pieces are wrapped in bacon and secured with toothpicks.
Step 3: Prepare the Glaze
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter. Heat the mixture in the microwave for about 40 seconds, then stir it well. Continue heating in five-second increments until the butter is completely melted and the brown sugar is dissolved, forming a smooth, sticky glaze.
Step 4: Air Fry the Skewers
Place half of the prepared bacon-pineapple skewers into the basket of the air fryer, being careful not to overcrowd them. Brush each skewer generously with the brown sugar glaze. It’s important to cook the skewers in batches to ensure that they cook evenly and crisp up nicely.
Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the skewers for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, check the bacon for your desired level of crispiness. If you like your bacon extra crispy, continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. The air fryer works quickly, so keep an eye on the skewers to prevent burning.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
Once the skewers are cooked to your liking, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute before serving. The bacon will be crispy and golden, while the pineapple will have absorbed all the sweet and savory flavors from the glaze. The toothpicks can be removed before serving, making the skewers easy to enjoy.
These bacon-wrapped pineapple skewers are a treat for both the eyes and the taste buds, making them the perfect snack for any occasion. Whether you’re entertaining guests or just craving something sweet and savory, these skewers are sure to be a hit.
Part 2: Easy Bacon Pineapple Skewers Recipe
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces of thick-cut bacon (8 slices)
- 20 ounces of canned pineapple rings
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/4 cup of salted butter
Instructions:
- Drain the canned pineapple rings and cut each ring into 3 equal pieces.
- Cut the bacon slices into 3 equal strips.
- Lay each bacon strip flat, place a pineapple piece in the center, and fold the bacon over, securing with a toothpick.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the brown sugar and butter together for 40 seconds, then stir until fully melted.
- Brush each bacon-wrapped pineapple skewer with the brown sugar glaze.
- Place the skewers in the air fryer basket and cook at 400°F for 10 minutes, checking for crispiness after 10 minutes. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes if needed.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
