Refreshing Grilled Pineapple Lemonade Recipe Easy Homemade Mint Drink
A refreshing summer drink featuring smoky grilled pineapple, tart lemon juice, and fresh mint, perfect for cooling down on hot days or serving at casual gatherings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole fresh pineapple, peeled and sliced into rings or chunks
- 4 to 5 medium lemons, juiced to yield about 1 cup (240 ml) fresh lemon juice
- About 20 fresh mint leaves, washed and lightly bruised
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar or ⅓ cup (113g) honey
- 4 cups (960 ml) cold water
- Ice cubes for serving
Instructions
- Peel the pineapple and slice into ½-inch thick rings or chunks, removing the core if desired.
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill pineapple slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden caramelized with char marks, about 8 minutes total.
- While pineapple grills, juice 4 to 5 lemons to get about 1 cup fresh lemon juice. Strain to remove seeds and pulp if desired.
- Make simple syrup by heating ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Substitute honey or agave syrup if preferred.
- In a large pitcher, add bruised mint leaves and gently muddle with a wooden spoon or muddler to release oils.
- Chop half of the grilled pineapple into smaller pieces and add to the pitcher with mint. Pour in fresh lemon juice and cooled simple syrup. Add 4 cups cold water and stir well.
- Add plenty of ice cubes and stir again. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity by adding more syrup or lemon juice if needed.
- Garnish with remaining grilled pineapple slices and fresh mint sprigs before serving.
Notes
Do not skip cooling the simple syrup before adding to mint to avoid bitterness. Use medium-high heat for grilling pineapple to get caramelization without burning. Lightly oil grill grates to prevent sticking. Adjust sweetness gradually. Let lemonade rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes for best flavor infusion. Adding a pinch of salt can brighten flavors. Substitute sparkling water for a fizzy twist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 ounces (240 ml)
- Calories: 90120
- Sugar: 1520
- Sodium: 5
- Carbohydrates: 2025
- Fiber: 1
Keywords: grilled pineapple lemonade, summer drink, homemade lemonade, mint drink, refreshing beverage, grilled fruit drink