With a flavor that’s somewhere between Asian and Caribbean, these skewers are hard to label but easy to make and tasty enough that they’ll be a hit with the whole family.

Game plan: If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes beforehand, so they don’t burn on the grill.

There’s just a touch of heat in the glaze from cayenne pepper. If you’re up for it, you can add a little extra.

This recipe was featured as part of our Tailgating Recipes photo gallery.

Read more about grilling.

  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr
  • Active: 30 mins

Ingredients (9)

  • 5 cups large-dice pineapple (from 1 large pineapple, about 5 pounds)
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 36 extra-large shrimp (about 2 pounds), peeled and deveined
  • Vegetable oil
  • 12 (10-inch) metal or wooden skewers

Instructions

  1. Combine 2 cups of the pineapple, the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic in a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  2. Skim off any foam and reduce heat to low. Simmer until glaze is thick and syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon and has reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 30 minutes. Stir in cayenne and set aside to cool slightly, at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a gas or charcoal grill to high (about 400°F) or a grill pan over high heat until very hot.
  3. Skewer 1 shrimp, making sure to pass the skewer through the thick portion and the tail portion, then skewer 1 piece of the remaining pineapple. Repeat, alternating between the two and leaving no space in between, until you have 3 shrimp and 2 pineapple pieces per skewer. Brush the skewers on one side with the glaze.
  4. Rub the grill with a towel dipped in vegetable oil, place the skewers on the grill glaze side down, and brush the other side of the skewers with more glaze. Continue brushing and turning every few minutes until the thick portions of the shrimp are white and firm, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.