A smoky, citrusy cocktail full of fresh pineapple flavor!
Are you a mezcal fan? I do like tequila but I have not yet tried mezcal… a liquor also distilled from agave but done so in vessels lined with wood and charcoal that give it a distinctive, smoky flavor.
When my friend Chris suggested creating a margarita made with mezcal brainstormed a different way to get some smokiness into that drink.
How fortuitous that to have fresh pineapples on hand… and a grill!
Why you’ll love this margarita
Planks of fresh pineapple grilled for just a few minutes to get some lovely char marks and a kiss of caramelized, smoky flavor. A quick stay in the freezer, and the pineapple is then whizzed up in the blender with the alcohol.
Since the pineapple gets frozen, this is a step that can also be done in advance so it’s ready to go at margarita time!
And let me tell you: it’s quite refreshing! For a pop of color, a skewer blueberries added on top.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Grill the pineapple
Lightly oil planks of fresh pineapple and lay them on a hot grill. Grill them for just a few minutes on each side until there are grill marks, and the pineapple is getting soft.
Step 2: Freeze the pineapple
Blot off any excess oil, then wrap and freeze the pineapple for 2 to 3 hours.
Step 3: Make the drinks
Put the frozen pineapple into a blender with crushed ice. Blend these on high until they’re slushy and smooth. Pour in the tequila and liqueur and blend for a few seconds more. Pour the mixture into two chilled margarita glasses. Add the blueberry skewers and serve!
There is no salt on the rim of this slushy, sweet margarita – very rare for me, to enjoy a margarita without the salty rim. Instead just a tiny pinch of salt over the top of the slush, to enhance the fruity flavor.
Note:
- The pineapple for this drink gets grilled and then frozen, which means you can complete these steps ahead of time. When it’s time to serve your guests, you’ll have the pineapple ready and waiting in your freezer.
I think it’s about time for a Grilled Pineapple Margarita, don’t you?
The recipe is below!! And here are a couple other refreshing treats to consider:
>> How do you like this margarita? Comment below – I want to know! 🙂
Grilled Pineapple Margarita
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fresh pineapple, cut into flat, wide planks, plus a few small cubes for garnish
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional: see below)
- 6 fresh blueberries, for garnish
- 2 cocktail picks
- 5 ounces Tequila
- 3 ounces Triple Sec
- Crushed ice
- Kosher salt
Instructions
Grill the pineapple:
- Heat up a gas grill, or a grill pan on your stove top. Make sure the grates of the grill or grill pan are very clean.
- Once the grates are very hot, lay the planks of pineapple across them. (If the grates are clean and hot the pineapple should grill just fine without sticking. You can brush a very light layer of olive oil over the pineapple before grilling if you are worried they will stick.)
- Grill the pineapple for about 4 minutes on each side, until the pineapple starts to look soft and has grill marks. Remove from heat.
Freeze the pineapple, and make the garnish:
- (If you used oil, gently blot the grilled surfaces of the pineapple with a paper towel to remove the oil.) Place the pineapple in a sealed container and freeze for about 2 to 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, place two margarita glasses in the freezer. Thread the blueberries and fresh pineapple pieces onto two picks. Wrap and refrigerate the picks until you’re ready to make the drinks.
Make the drinks:
- Once the pineapple is frozen, place it into a blender along with 1 cup of crushed ice. Blend the mixture until it is smooth, adding more ice if needed to achieve the frozen texture. Add in the tequila and Triple Sec, and blend a few seconds more to combine.
- Pour the pineapple mixture into the two chilled glasses, filling them to the tops. Sprinkle just a pinch of salt over each glass. Garnish each glass with the prepared fruit picks and serve immediately.
Notes
- The pineapple for this drink gets grilled and then frozen, which means you can complete these steps ahead of time. When it’s time to serve your guests, you’ll have the pineapple ready and waiting in your freezer.
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