Recipe Friday: A Fun, Kid-Friendly Pineapple Snack!
September 06, 2013 | Written By: Healthy Schools Campaign
A fun twist on a tropical snack!
By Lindsay Eanet, HSC Communications Manager
A couple of weekends ago, I went camping up in Wisconsin with some friends. We were sitting around the fire and bringing out some things to snack on. One of the intrepid campers brought something most of us hadn’t tried before — homemade pineapple jerky. It was sweet, spicy and totally addictive. And it’s the perfect traveling snack–it satisfies the need for sweet and savory, is easily portable and non-perishable, and features real fruit front and center. Naturally, we all wanted to know more.
The friends who made the pineapple jerky used a dehydrator, which would be the easiest route to making this tasty trail snack. And not everyone has a dehydrator. But never fear — those without access to the extra piece of equipment can make this in the oven.
Teriyaki Pineapple Jerky (Adapted from my fellow campers; pineapple-drying instructions via eHow; teriyaki sauce recipe via Penniless Parenting.)
You’ll Need:
1 large pineapple
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground or grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
1/4 cup cold water
How to Make It:
Remove core from pineapple and slice into quarter-inch-thick pieces.
Combine all teriyaki sauce ingredients except for starch and ¼ cup water in a pot and heat. If using sugar, ensure sugar is dissolved before continuing.
Mix the starch and water until uniform and add to the pot to thicken. Mix until uniform and at desired consistency.
Pour over pineapple slices to marinate. Allow slices to marinate in airtight container for as long as desired, anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours.
When slices are ready, preheat oven to 135 degrees (or lowest possible setting).
Place pineapple slices onto baking sheet and into oven to dehydrate. This should take around six hours, but can vary depending on the oven.
Enjoy!
