How to Barbecue Fruits
Choose the fruit., Prepare the chosen fruits., Slice the fruits into slices no thicker than 1cm or 1/2 an inch., Use foil packets (or "papillotes") for softer fruits to barbecue inside them., Prepare the sauce mix either from one of the above...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose the fruit.
As you can see from the list above, there are numerous recommended fruits as well as some suggestions about what to avoid.
In general, it's best to avoid fruits that have a high water content (such as some berries) or delicate fruits, but pretty much any other sort of fruit can be barbecued with care or with a wrapping such as foil around the fruits.
And, although watermelon has a high water content, it barbecues surprisingly well when cut into thick chunks. -
Step 2: Prepare the chosen fruits.
Wash, peel, and remove any hard or inedible portions from the fruits.
The items you'll need to remove will often be the skin, core, pith or any seeds or pits, but be guided by the type of fruit you're using. , You can cut them into chunks of any shape you wish, but aim to keep the width no thicker than 1cm or 1/2 inch thickness, and keep all pieces uniform to ensure even cooking times for all of the fruits.
The thinner slice size helps the fruit cook evenly and quickly, without falling apart.
Stone fruits such as peaches actually can be cooked in halves.
You can cook large wedges of pineapple, but on a much lower heat.
It's easier to cut such fruit into wedges. , it's recommended that you soak them in water for 15 minutes before use.
Doing this prevents burning.]]Aim to have the shapes made so they will not fall through the slots of the grill, or place them on a skewer in the same manner as making a shish-kebab.
Don't crowd them on the skewer
-– simply place them along the skewer evenly.
If barbecuing skewered fruits, aim to make the fruit kebabs from a range of fruit pieces to make it more interesting, such as pineapple, banana, melon, kiwifruit, strawberries and grapes.
A marshmallow can be stuck on the kebab for added sweetness too, and it can drip down on the fruit pieces just after cooking.
Brushing fruit pieces destined for the grill/grate top with vegetable oil can help to ensure that they won't stick to the grill plate. , Simply chop fruit up into small pieces or slices, fold foil over and wrap securely inside the foil packet.
This can be added straight to the barbecue and cooked for around 15-20 minutes, and you'll find that all the fruit inside will be delicious and easy to remove.
Sprinkle seasoning, sauce or other suitable flavourings over the fruits inside the packet before closing it.
The juices will soak up the flavourings and disperse them across the fruit pieces. , All sauces should be heated through in a small pan either on the barbecue or on the stove until smooth.
Keep them below simmering point. , This means scraping down the surface and rubbing with a piece of paper towel or cloth until minimal residue is left on the plate.
You want the fruits to take a nice caramelised flavour, but it's not ideal if the previous meat, fish or vegetable foods cooked on that grill were burnt on or have left behind their strong flavours, as these will affect the dessert.
You can tell when the barbecue plate is sufficiently clean is when it does not smoke when made hot enough to cook on.
Some cooks scrape the plate down then leave the heat going during the main meal to burn any residue off the grill plates.
Provided the burned and fatty residues have been removed, you can also place the fruits onto the barbecue using a perforated foil plate or place a double layer of oiled foil onto the barbecue plate.
This takes care of having the fruit sitting directly on the barbecue plate, which may not be to everyone's liking.
However, be aware that it is the grill-marking that helps to caramelize the fruits and brings out that extraordinary flavour!, Use direct medium to high heat for short periods of cooking.
Turn the fruit often (unless it's in a foil packet) and if you made the baste spice mix, baste during this stage, aiming not to drip the baste mix where it may scorch and create smoke.
Some common cooking times:
Apple or pear wedges need about 5 minutes each side A peeled banana wrapped in foil cooks in about 5 minutes Grilled mangoes should be turned every 3 to 5 minutes Fruit kebabs should be turned every 3-5 minutes Soft fruits such as strawberries cook very quickly; keep an eye on them at all times. , When barbecued and rolled inside a large, thin, cooked pancake for example it can work much like a filled-crepe dessert.
Serving a slice of cake underneath the barbecued fruit makes it richer with the sauce poured over the top, but there are as many options as the imagination offers. -
Step 3: Slice the fruits into slices no thicker than 1cm or 1/2 an inch.
-
Step 4: Use foil packets (or "papillotes") for softer fruits to barbecue inside them.
-
Step 5: Prepare the sauce mix either from one of the above suggestions or your own.
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Step 6: Clean the barbecue grill plate well.
-
Step 7: Place the fruit
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Step 8: fruit kebab or foil packet of fruit directly on the grill plate and grill 3-5 minutes or until tender enough for eating (the foil packet can take 15-20 minutes).
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Step 9: Serve with sauce and serving options and sprinkle with brown sugar as desired to make best use of the caramel flavours.
Detailed Guide
As you can see from the list above, there are numerous recommended fruits as well as some suggestions about what to avoid.
In general, it's best to avoid fruits that have a high water content (such as some berries) or delicate fruits, but pretty much any other sort of fruit can be barbecued with care or with a wrapping such as foil around the fruits.
And, although watermelon has a high water content, it barbecues surprisingly well when cut into thick chunks.
Wash, peel, and remove any hard or inedible portions from the fruits.
The items you'll need to remove will often be the skin, core, pith or any seeds or pits, but be guided by the type of fruit you're using. , You can cut them into chunks of any shape you wish, but aim to keep the width no thicker than 1cm or 1/2 inch thickness, and keep all pieces uniform to ensure even cooking times for all of the fruits.
The thinner slice size helps the fruit cook evenly and quickly, without falling apart.
Stone fruits such as peaches actually can be cooked in halves.
You can cook large wedges of pineapple, but on a much lower heat.
It's easier to cut such fruit into wedges. , it's recommended that you soak them in water for 15 minutes before use.
Doing this prevents burning.]]Aim to have the shapes made so they will not fall through the slots of the grill, or place them on a skewer in the same manner as making a shish-kebab.
Don't crowd them on the skewer
-– simply place them along the skewer evenly.
If barbecuing skewered fruits, aim to make the fruit kebabs from a range of fruit pieces to make it more interesting, such as pineapple, banana, melon, kiwifruit, strawberries and grapes.
A marshmallow can be stuck on the kebab for added sweetness too, and it can drip down on the fruit pieces just after cooking.
Brushing fruit pieces destined for the grill/grate top with vegetable oil can help to ensure that they won't stick to the grill plate. , Simply chop fruit up into small pieces or slices, fold foil over and wrap securely inside the foil packet.
This can be added straight to the barbecue and cooked for around 15-20 minutes, and you'll find that all the fruit inside will be delicious and easy to remove.
Sprinkle seasoning, sauce or other suitable flavourings over the fruits inside the packet before closing it.
The juices will soak up the flavourings and disperse them across the fruit pieces. , All sauces should be heated through in a small pan either on the barbecue or on the stove until smooth.
Keep them below simmering point. , This means scraping down the surface and rubbing with a piece of paper towel or cloth until minimal residue is left on the plate.
You want the fruits to take a nice caramelised flavour, but it's not ideal if the previous meat, fish or vegetable foods cooked on that grill were burnt on or have left behind their strong flavours, as these will affect the dessert.
You can tell when the barbecue plate is sufficiently clean is when it does not smoke when made hot enough to cook on.
Some cooks scrape the plate down then leave the heat going during the main meal to burn any residue off the grill plates.
Provided the burned and fatty residues have been removed, you can also place the fruits onto the barbecue using a perforated foil plate or place a double layer of oiled foil onto the barbecue plate.
This takes care of having the fruit sitting directly on the barbecue plate, which may not be to everyone's liking.
However, be aware that it is the grill-marking that helps to caramelize the fruits and brings out that extraordinary flavour!, Use direct medium to high heat for short periods of cooking.
Turn the fruit often (unless it's in a foil packet) and if you made the baste spice mix, baste during this stage, aiming not to drip the baste mix where it may scorch and create smoke.
Some common cooking times:
Apple or pear wedges need about 5 minutes each side A peeled banana wrapped in foil cooks in about 5 minutes Grilled mangoes should be turned every 3 to 5 minutes Fruit kebabs should be turned every 3-5 minutes Soft fruits such as strawberries cook very quickly; keep an eye on them at all times. , When barbecued and rolled inside a large, thin, cooked pancake for example it can work much like a filled-crepe dessert.
Serving a slice of cake underneath the barbecued fruit makes it richer with the sauce poured over the top, but there are as many options as the imagination offers.
About the Author
Harold Sanchez
Harold Sanchez specializes in engineering and technical solutions and has been creating helpful content for over 1 years. Harold is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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