Pineapple Rum Flambé Recipe

Grilled pineapple brushed with marinade

Winfried Heinze / Getty Images

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Anything that gets the flambé treatment makes a dramatic impression—and happens to taste really good, too. This is especially true when you're putting fruit under a quick, hot flame ignited with the help of alcohol, and a match, naturally.

"Flambé" comes from the French term for "flamed" and refers to the process of adding alcohol to a food preparation so it bursts into flame. (Bananas Foster is the most famous dish prepped in this way.)

This fast and easy pineapple flambé pairs pineapple with rum and makes an elegant and light finish to a meal, yet it is simple to make. You simply soak slices of fresh pineapple in brown sugar and cook them in a skillet with butter. Remove from the heat source, add the warm rum, and then, using a long match, light the preparation. The alcohol is partially burned off, but the flavor of the spirit remains. Pineapple and rum are a natural pairing.

Try this method using flavored rum to make it more interesting or other fruits—bananas are a classic choice, as are peaches.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • 6 slices fresh pineapple, from one small fresh pineapple

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 1/4 cup rum, warmed

Steps to Make It

  1. Place brown sugar in a shallow soup bowl. Press each pineapple ring into the brown sugar, coating both sides.

  2. Heat butter in a large, heavy skillet on medium-low heat. When hot, place pineapple slices in the skillet in a single layer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until nicely browned. Flip the slices and brown the other side.

  3. Move skillet far from the heat source, carefully pour in warmed rum, and ignite with a long match or barbecue lighter to flambé. Return to heat and let the alcohol burn off. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. (Depending on the size of the pineapple, you may need to do this in two skillets.)

  4. Pineapple slices may be served simply, with the pan sauce, or as a topping for pound cake or over ice cream.

Tips

  • You can easily double this recipe or make adjustments depending on how big your pineapple is.
  • You can use canned pineapple rings, but fresh tastes better.
  • The rum needs to be warm, but the food to be flamed must also be warm. Cold foods may cool down the warm liquor to a point where it will not light. (Don't set aside the pineapples after you've cooked them in the butter and come back to flambe later, unless you reheat the pineapple first.)

Variations

Use a little bit of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger with the brown sugar.

Garnish with cinnamon sugar or unsweetened shredded coconut.

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the pineapples in butter.
Add some lime or orange zest to the melted butter.


What Can I Flambé?

Spirits that take well to use in a flambé include brandy, cognac, rum, or any other high-alcohol spirit.

How to Store Pineapple Flambe

Once this dessert has been made, you can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days in a covered container. It won't taste quite as good, but you can reheat it in a skillet over medium low, or eat it cold and on top of plain yogurt, or served alongside grilled chicken.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
124 Calories
8g Fat
10g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 63mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 10mg 49%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 35mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)