If you need an appetizer that is full of flavor but extremely low-prep and easily portable, these skewers are it!
Inspired by the classic Mexican street food, these skewers bring sweet, tangy, and smoky flavors to your party in a fun, grab-and-go format. Using quick-cooking pork tenderloin and fresh pineapple, they’re light, bright, and a beautiful contrast to your heartier snacks.
Vibrant, Smoky & Irresistibly Pop-able
The pork can be marinated the day before as well as the onion and pineapple prepped, so all you do the day-of is assemble the skewers and bake or grill!
Happy snacking!
Roasted Pineapple and Pork Al Pastor Skewers
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus marinating over night)
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 20 skewers 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
The Marinade (The “Adobo”)
- 2 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (plus 2 tbsp of the sauce from the can)
- 3/4 cup Pineapple juice
- 3 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Achiote paste (for signature color and earthy flavor, I found some at Walmart)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
The Skewers
- 1.5 lbs Pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks (fresh is best here but I have also made them with canned pineapple chunks and they work well too, they just don’t get charred!)
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- Small bamboo skewers (soak in water for 30 minutes before use to prevent burning)
Optional to Serve:
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- A drizzle of Mexican Crema or sour cream mixed with the juice of a lime
Instructions
Step 1: Prep Ahead (The day before or morning of!)
- Make the Marinade: In a blender, add the chipotles + adobo sauce, pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, achiote paste, minced garlic, salt, sugar, oregano, and cumin until well combined.
- Marinate the Pork: Add the pork cubes to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight for maximum flavor.
- Soak Skewers: If using bamboo skewers, place them in water to soak for at least 30 minutes (or overnight) to prevent them from burning during cooking.
- Chop Toppings: Chop fresh cilantro and cut lime wedges. Store separately in the fridge.
Step 2: Game Day! Assemble & Cook
- Assemble Skewers: Thread the skewers in this order for best results: red onion wedge → pork cube → pineapple chunk → pork cube. Repeat until skewers are full, ending with a pineapple to lock in moisture.
- Cook the Skewers (Choose your method!):
- Grill Method: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill skewers for 3-4 minutes per side (total 10-12 minutes), turning frequently, until the pork has a nice char and is cooked through (internal temperature of 145°F). The pineapple should also show nice grill marks.
- Oven/Broiler Method: Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange skewers on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (for air circulation). Bake for 12 minutes, then switch to broiler on high for 2-3 minutes per side until pork is cooked and pineapple/pork edges are slightly blackened (about another 6-8 minutes total).
- Rest & Serve: Let the skewers rest for 5 minutes after cooking. Arrange them on a platter, shower generously with fresh cilantro, sour cream and lime drizzle, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
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