The Sweet Hacks You Need For Grilling Fruit If You Don't Have A Grill
When summertime returns, so does grilling season. Though smoked meats and charred vegetables like corn on the cob often take up much of the limelight when it comes to backyard barbecues, one of best foods to toss on the grill is fruit. Over the open flame, peaches become even juicier, the floral sweetness of pineapples is accented, and best of all — caramelization occurs, resulting in deep, charred notes from the natural sugars in fruit like watermelon. The recipe possibilities with grilled fruit are endless (think: grilled peach, feta, arugula, and dandelion greens salad). However, the truth is many people don't always have access to an outdoor grill (hello, apartment living) or may not want to spend the time and energy it takes to fire it up just to sear some pears to serve over a late-night bowl of vanilla ice cream. The good news is, it's possible to grill fruit right from your kitchen.
If you don't have a grill or are simply looking for a convenient trick to get those beloved char marks and roasted sugar notes, you can totally still grill and char your fruit indoors. To grill fruit using kitchen appliances, simply cook your fruit in a grill pan on the stovetop, or expose it to high, direct heat by broiling it in the oven.
How to achieve perfectly charred fruit indoors
Grilling pans are great indoor-grilling solutions designed like large skillets with grate-like divots, which allow for food to air out and for drippings to release out as it cooks. To use a grill pan for cooking and softening semi-ripe nectarines, just grease the pan well to avoid sticking, then cook your fruit for two to three minutes on either side over medium-high heat. While a grill pan won't produce the same extra-charred smoky or woodsy flavor as fruit cooked over an outdoor grill, it will create beautifully uniform char marks and caramelize the sugars on the fruit's exterior.
To impart a bit more flavor and uniform cooking to your fruit, opt for the broiler. Standard oven broiler settings work similarly to grills by applying direct high heat (typically 500 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit) from the top of the oven, as opposed to baking which uses top and bottom heating to cook food longer at lower temperatures.
To grill grapefruit or plums under the heat of the broiler, preheat your oven's broiler for five minutes, then place your fruit cut side down in a prepared heavy-duty baking dish (adequate to withstand high heat), preheated cast iron skillet, or a slotted broiler pan. Place your pan on the rack height closest to the top of the oven. Broil the fruit for two to three minutes on either side, flipping halfway through cooking and paying close attention as your fruit broils to avoid burning.
Get creative with your grilled fruit
Once you find your preferred method to grill fruit easily, no grill required, it can be exciting to experiment in the kitchen with subtle techniques to enhance the succulent sweet flavor of your fruit and fruit-topped dishes. Prepare stone fruit by slicing lengthwise and removing the pit, or cut fruit like cantaloupe into wedges to throw on the grill pan or under the broiler. For uniformly diced juicy, charred watermelon pieces ready to toss right into salads, cut the fruit into cubes and spear them along metal skewers prior to cooking.
To add some extra sweetness to tart citrus fruits (or any fruit, really), sprinkle on some granulated or brown sugar prior to grilling, or brush the exterior of the fruit with a simple balsamic-honey glaze and a dash of cinnamon to impart additional depth of flavor and warm spice notes. Try pairing indoor-grilled melon with prosciutto for a seriously delectable appetizer, or incorporate grilled pineapple into your meal-prep routine to later use as a topping for sandwiches or to use in veggie fried rice. Grilled fruit can work its way into main courses as well, just add pieces of lobster tail to your fruit skewers and cover in Tajín chili-lime seasoning. For dessert, you can't go wrong serving grilled peaches with ice cream, plus fresh whipped cream, other fresh or preserved fruits, and maybe a drizzle of date syrup or a garnish of fresh mint. Who needs an outdoor grill?