Canadian Bacon and Pineapple Kabobs

These Canadian bacon and pineapple kabobs are juicy, smoky, and caramelized on the grill. Whether served at breakfast, brunch, or a backyard cookout, these fun little skewers always steal the show!

I love making these skewers whenever I fire up the grill. They take up very little space and can be prepped entirely in advance. Fresh pineapple makes all the difference here, so grab a ripe one from the store and cut it yourself. To save time, you can also buy pre-cut pineapple chunks.

What are Canadian bacon kabobs?

These Canadian bacon and pineapple kabobs feature smoky, savory slices of lean pork loin threaded onto skewers with sweet, juicy chunks of fresh pineapple. A quick marinade of pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger adds a tangy, umami glaze before they hit the grill. 

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or backyard cookouts, they’re simple, crowd-pleasing bites that come together in advance and taste even better cooked over an open flame.

Why you’ll love these bacon and pineapple kabobs

• They make a fantastic addition to everything from casual summer cookouts to special-occasion breakfasts and brunches.
• These skewers are simple, flavorful, and perfect for preparing in advance. You can even grill them ahead of time.
• Assembling them is easy and fun, and let’s be honest, any food served on a stick just tastes better!

Ingredients needed to make Canadian bacon and pineapple kabobs

• Canadian bacon slices: Canadian bacon has a ham-like texture and mild, salty flavor. It provides a meaty, lean alternative to streaky bacon that holds its shape well on the grill.
• Fresh pineapple: Cut into chunks. Try to cut the chunks evenly for better presentation. Don’t use canned pineapple because it has a one-note flavor and is really quite soggy from being packed in juice.
• Pineapple juice: For concentrated pineapple flavor and added sweetness. 
• Soy sauce: Contributes savory umami depth and saltiness, which balances the sweetness of the brown sugar and pineapple juice while also helping to tenderize the Canadian bacon. 
• Brown sugar: I’ve used regular brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar for a bit more depth of flavor. 
• Ginger: For a lovely bite. 

How do you make Canadian bacon and pineapple kabobs 

Make the marinade:

1. Mix the juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger. Set aside.

Assemble the skewers:

1. Cut the pineapple into large chunks.
2. Folding the Canadian bacon slices into quarters, skewer each piece, alternating the meat and then a chunk of pineapple. 
3. Repeat this until the skewer is full. Do this for all skewers. 

Marinate:

1. Lay the skewers in a 9×13-inch pan and drizzle with the sauce.
2. Marinate for 2 hours.

Grill and serve:

1. Baste on the grill, using the marinade from the pan.
2. Grill until heated through and serve.

Serving

Serve these kabobs with a breakfast or brunch spread consisting of a large bowl of Fruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing, Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Coconut Yogurt Berry Breakfast Parfaits or yogurt, Ham Breakfast Casserole or French Toast Croissant Casserole, and Cinnamon Rolls.  

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can eat the leftovers heated gently, at room temperature, or chilled.
• Soak skewers: Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before assembling to prevent them from burning on the grill. 
• Food safety: Reserve a separate portion of the marinade before adding it to the raw meat to use for safe basting on the grill.
• Grilling heat: Grill over medium heat and turn the skewers frequently since the sugar in the marinade can burn quickly.
• Repurpose a pineapple shell: If you are preparing your pineapple chunks from a whole pineapple, don’t discard the shell. The flesh can be hollowed out and the halved shell can be used as a pineapple boat as a fun way to hold fruit salad or salsa! I did exactly that for this Easy 4-Ingredient Fruit Salad Platter. 
• Double the recipe: Make sure to double the marinade for a larger batch of these Canadian bacon skewers. 
• Grease the grill grates: Oil or spray the grill grates so the pineapple chunks don’t stick.
• Turn skewers regularly: Turn the skewers regularly while grilling so they cook evenly.

Variations:

• Boozy Canadian bacon kabobs: Swap the pineapple juice for tequila and add a squeeze of lime for a boozy, margarita-inspired version.
• Mini kabobs: After grilling, take wire clippers and cut the kabobs into thirds. This will instantly triple the servings. 
• Type of skewers: Instead of bamboo skewers, use metal skewers which you can then reuse again and again. 

If you love grilled skewers as much as I do for summer entertaining, make sure to try these finger-licking Grilled Tequila-Pineapple Skewers, Grilled Margarita Shrimp Skewers, or this BBQ Chicken Bacon Skewer recipe. 

More breakfast and brunch bites you may want to try:

• Salted Watermelon with Honey Mint
• Bacon and Gruyere Egg Bites
• Pigs in a Blanket Breakfast
• Cinnamon Roll Apple Pies
• Breakfast Deviled Eggs
• French Toast Cupcakes
• Bacon and Tomato Cups

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Canadian Bacon and Pineapple Kabobs

Sandy Coughlin

Canadian bacon and pineapple kabobs are juicy, smoky, and beautifully caramelized on the grill. Whether you serve them at breakfast, brunch, or a backyard cookout, these fun little skewers always steal the show.

NOTE: If you buy the double pack of Canadian Bacon at Costco – buy 2 whole pineapples. Serves around 10-12.

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Yield: 6

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 8 ounces Canadian Bacon slices
• 1 whole pineapple, cut into chunks
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• ½ tsp. ginger

Equipment

• skewers for grilling

Instructions

 

• Mix the juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger; set aside.
• Cut the pineapple into large chunks.
• Folding the Canadian bacon slices into quarters, skewer each piece, alternating the meat and then a chunk of pineapple. Keep repeating until the skewer is full.
• Lay the skewers in a 9×13 pan and drizzle with the sauce.
• Marinate for 2 hours.
• Baste on the grill, using the marinade from the pan.
• Grill until heated through. Serve.

Notes

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can eat the leftovers heated gently, at room temperature, or chilled.
• Soak skewers: Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before assembling to prevent them from burning on the grill. 
• Food safety: Reserve a separate portion of the marinade before adding it to the raw meat to use for safe basting on the grill.
• Grilling heat: Grill over medium heat and turn the skewers frequently since the sugar in the marinade can burn quickly.
• Repurpose a pineapple shell: If you are preparing your pineapple chunks from a whole pineapple, don’t discard the shell. The flesh can be hollowed out and the halved shell can be used as a pineapple boat as a fun way to hold fruit salad or salsa! I did exactly that for this Easy 4-Ingredient Fruit Salad Platter. 
• Double the recipe: Make sure to double the marinade for a larger batch of these Canadian bacon skewers. (I buy the bacon at Costco – in 2 pack).

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Calories: 162kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 620mg, Potassium: 326mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 88IU, Vitamin C: 73mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 1mg

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