The "swineapple" is a bacon-lover's dream (if that bacon-lover also loves pineapple). (iStock)
What in the world is the "swineapple," and where did it come from? An intelligent and educated guess may lead you to conclude that this bizarre creation involves pork and pineapple, a winning combination of flavors that is certainly a great place to start.
This latest barbecue trend comes courtesy of Josh Bush of LaPorte, Texas. In April 2015, Bush shared a photo to the Facebook group “smoking meat low and slow” with a caption that read: “Country-style-rib-stuffed pineapple wrapped in bacon, rack of ribs and bacon-wrapped boneless loin.”
Though the initial post only got 35 likes and a mere 14 shares, two years later the creation has suddenly taken Pinterest and the internet in general, by storm.
It has been christened the "swineapple" for obvious reasons. And with its sweet pork-stuffed pineapple a bacon lattice, it is easy to see why people love this creation.
Bush explained his recipe to Boredom Therapy:
“Shave the pineapple but leave the top and bottom, lay on its side, and about an inch in on both sides ,cut halfway down … then with a long blade, slice from point to point. Hollow out the desired amount of pineapple.
"Season your meat with any of your favorite seasonings. A more coarse rub is better. Put the cut piece back on [to make it] look like a complete pineapple again. Light dust the pineapple with seasoning. Fully wrap it with thick-cut bacon. [Don't] just lay it on top. I set it on the smoker [at] 240 and sprayed it with apple juice about every 20-30 minutes to keep the bacon moist and colorful. You can change the meat to boneless chicken thighs and get the same results.
"A lot of people have said the pineapple over-tenderized the meat when they tried it. I did not personally have that issue, but I would check internal temp about two hours into smoking. Once you hit 160 [degrees], it is up to you of when to pull it.”