Everyone’s heard of grilling meat, but what about fruit? There’s no better way to bring out the full potential of your barbecue grill than to toss some fruit on the grates for an all-new flavor experience, and apples are one of the best choices you can make when first trying this out.
Great for kids and adults alike, grilled apples are a delicious smokey-sweet treat that’ll be the star of your next party or get together. But how do you grill them, to begin with? What kind of technique do you need to prevent them from burning? Let’s find out as we cover the steps necessary for perfectly grilling apples.
Apple Facts
Not only are they delicious, but apples are also super healthy on top of that, making them a great choice to balance out the often savory and fatty foods of your traditional barbecue. Naturally low in calories, a single medium apple all on its own is only worth about 95 calories. They’re packed with plenty of goodness, providing 195 milligrams of potassium and 4 and a half grams of fiber. They also contain about 14% of your daily vitamin C needs (though this is unfortunately reduced due to the cooking process), and 5% of your daily vitamin B-6 needs, plus vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Grilled apples just top this off with holiday savoriness.
Gather Materials
Luckily, the recipe for grilled apples is really simple, with a short list of supplies.
- 3 or more whole sweet apples
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons honey or more to taste
Also see: Best caramel cake recipe easy: How to bake caramel cake with 3 different healthy sweeteners
What Kind Of Apples?
What kind of apples you pick can vary according to your tastes, though it’s recommended you use a sweet variety like Honeycrisp. Less expensive alternatives with similar sweetness and flavor like Pink Lady and Ambrosia work well too. Baking apples like Granny Smith are also an option. It’s always fun to experiment with different kinds of apples to see what turns out best.
The only real requirement is that they must be firm enough to keep their shape when exposed to heat, but anything else is fair game. Don’t be afraid to stray from the recipe a bit here and there to match your preferences. You’ll be surprised how things might turn out.
Making Grilled Apples: Steps for grilling
Once you’ve collected all the necessary supplies, you’re ready to start preparing. Just follow these five easy steps and you’ll have perfectly grilled apples in no time at all.
Step 1: Preheating the Grill
Preheat your grill to medium high heat and make sure to leave a “cold spot” (a section of the grill without direct heat) where you’ll be able to cook the apples. This is a similar technique to smoking meat on a gas grill. You can accomplish this by leaving one side of a gas grill turned off while turning the other onto high heat. For a charcoal grill, simply move the coals to one side before lighting them.
Step 2: Preparing the Apples
Wash and dry the apples before cutting them into round slices about 3/4 inches thick. Remove the seeds and stem pieces. Brush liberally with melted butter on all sides. Do not peel the apples, as they’ll likely fall apart while on the grill if you do. You can, however, core the apples if you feel like it.
Though optional, you might find it helpful to push the apple slices through bamboo skewers to give you more control during cooking and to enhance the presentation before serving. If you choose to do this, remember to soak the skewers in water for half an hour before grilling so they don’t accidentally catch on fire.
Also see: Gluten-free cookies recipe: Bake sorghum flour recipes Indian style!
Step 3: Grilling
Place your apple slices off direct heat into the cold spot established during preheating. If you fear they might fall apart during cooking, place them inside of a grill basket instead of directly on the grates so any stray pieces can be collected at the end. Leave them to grill for approximately 6 minutes before turning and cooking for an additional 6 minutes on the other side. By the time the apples are fully done, there should be thick grill marks on both sides.
Step 4: Seasoning
When the apples are fully cooked, remove them to a plate or bowl to cool. The apples will be extremely hot when they first leave the heat, so be careful when handling them so you don’t hurt yourself. As soon as they have been taken off the grill, sprinkle with cinnamon and cover with honey. You’re encouraged to use more honey than the recipe calls for if you think the apples need it (and they definitely will). Same with the cinnamon.
Grilled apple, melon, pear, watermelon and peach on a grill pan closeup. horizontal view from above
Homemade baked apples with nuts, marble syrup, cinnamon and red currant on an old pan, top view
Step 5: Serving
Serve the apples warm but not too hot. Letting them rest and cool down slightly gives the flavors a chance to better integrate and develop, plus it saves your mouth from a serious burn. How you serve is up to you, though eating them plain is a fantastic option. Other ideas might involve ice cream or using them as a garnish for cakes or pies. You could even mash them up into a super delicious applesauce.
Orchards Full of Flavor
In just four steps, you’re now able to make the best grilled apples you’ll ever eat. While grilling apple slices may sound strange to some, it’s hard to argue with the results once you’ve had one in your mouth. All it’ll take is one bite to convince even the most ardent critic to love grilled apples.
How was the recipe? Are you going to try it out at your next barbecue? Any tips on grilling apples you’d like to share? Leave a comment down below, and don’t forget to share with your friends if you liked it.
