Food & Recipes: Don’t pour this secret ingredient down the drain

Summer grilling has a funny way of convincing sensible people to overspend. Fancy marinades, premium cuts of meat and specialty sauces leap into the shopping cart. One of my favorite summer dinners starts with a can of pineapple.

Restaurant teriyaki tastes complicated, but it isn’t. Once you know the formula, you’re just a few pantry ingredients away from a sweet, savory glaze made right at home.

The secret ingredient in this recipe isn’t hiding in an expensive specialty aisle. It’s the juice you were going to pour down the drain after opening the can.

Around here, pineapple juice isn’t waste. It’s tomorrow’s teriyaki. My kitchen has a “Don’t pour flavor down the drain” policy.

Buy whatever protein is on sale. I made mine with pork chops because they were marked down and that’s the kind of gal I am.

Once cubed and marinated, economical cuts become wonderfully tender, so you can skip the pricier pork tenderloin. If chicken is the better bargain, boneless breasts or thighs work just as well.

Sweet & Savory Pineapple Teriyaki Pork Skewers

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 recipe Pineapple Teriyaki Marinade

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve the juice for the marinade)

2 pounds pork (or chicken), cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2 to 3 small zucchini, cut into 1 1/2-inch slices

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered

1 large sweet red pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 small red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

12 (10-inch) skewers (soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before using)

Cooked rice, for serving

Procedure

Prepare the Pineapple Teriyaki Marinade, reserving 3/4 cup before adding the remainder to the pork.

Place the pork in a zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over it. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, thread the marinated pork onto skewers, alternating with pineapple chunks, zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper and onion.

Meanwhile, prepare the reserved marinade as a basting sauce according to directions.

Grill over medium-high heat for 12 to 15 minutes, or oven broil on low, turning occasionally, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Brush the skewers several times with the warm basting sauce during the last few minutes of cooking. Serve any remaining sauce alongside the skewers.

Pineapple Teriyaki Marinade

Servings: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from one 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks)

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil (or other neutral oil)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

For the Basting Sauce:

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Procedure

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all of the ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for the basting sauce. Pour the remaining marinade over the pork and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.

To make the basting sauce: Stir together the water and cornstarch. Bring marinade to a gentle simmer over medium heat, add the cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

Use to baste the skewers during the final minutes of grilling and serve any remaining sauce at the table.