There’s something about the smell of steak on the grill that brings everyone outside to see what’s cooking. Add garlic and ginger, and someone is bound to ask how much longer until dinner. Usually just as you put the steaks on.
A good steak doesn’t need much, but I like what pineapple brings to a marinade. Its sweetness works with the richness of the beef, while soy sauce, fresh ginger, and garlic give it plenty of savory flavor. Add rice and something fresh alongside, and you have a dinner worth gathering around.
Before we get cooking, let’s talk about the pineapple juice. Fresh and canned juice behave differently in a marinade, and knowing why can save you from a disappointing texture.
We’ll also cover how to get a nicely browned crust without letting those sugars burn. Nothing complicated, just a few details that make the cooking easier.
Fresh vs. Bottled Pineapple Juice
If you’ve read my article on The Secret to Marinating with Pineapple, you’ll remember bromelain, the enzyme in fresh pineapple that breaks down proteins.
That can help tenderize meat, but more time isn’t always better. Leave steak in fresh pineapple juice too long, and the outside can become mushy. Unfortunately, the grill can’t fix that.
For this recipe, use canned or heat-pasteurized 100% pineapple juice. Heat processing reduces or inactivates the enzyme, so we’re using the juice mainly for flavor. The marinating time of two to four hours is written for that type of juice.
Check the label when buying refrigerated or cold-pressed juice. “100% pineapple juice” tells you what’s in the bottle, but it doesn’t tell you whether it has been heated. If you’re unsure, canned juice is an easy choice here.
Fresh juice needs different timing, so save it for a recipe written specifically for it.
Below, we’ll put the marinade together, choose a steak, and walk through the grilling.
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