Grilled Shrimp Pineapple Kebobs with Ham
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy.
Fire up the grill for these Hawaiian-Style Shrimp Kebobs with Ham and Pineapple. Juicy shrimp, smoky ham, and sweet pineapple are coated in a tangy glaze for a perfect balance of flavors. A must-have for any summer BBQ!
Save this Recipe!
Get this recipe sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from The Delicious Spoon every week!
Black Forest ham, shrimp, and pineapple make the perfect trio—smoky, sweet, and a little savory all in one bite. The ham’s richness pairs perfectly with the juicy shrimp, while the pineapple adds a fresh, caramelized sweetness that makes everything pop.
Then there’s the glaze—soy sauce and pineapple juice create the perfect balance of tangy, salty, and sweet. It soaks into every bite, making these skewers downright irresistible. The Shrimp and Ham are nice but it is the pineapple that has me drooling.
Pineapple grilled or baked is sooo good! At Easter, I add pineapple to a Spiral Glazed Ham and in the summers my favorite treat is Drunken Pineapple which is a delicious rum sauce which I serve with a side of ice cream!
Star Ingredients
- Shrimp – I typically get white zipperback or tiger shrimp at the grocers’ and opt for frozen over fresh. Why? I find frozen shrimp to be fresher. Same thing when I make Calamari Fritti, I use frozen over fresh. Frozen shrimp are flash-frozen soon after harvest vs being transported. They also thaw quickly under warm water so they make a great last-minute dinner item.
- Black Forest Ham – For this recipe I recommend asking the deli to cut one thick slice of ham so that you can cut it into cubes. Sliced ham is too thin and will burn and likely fall off the skewers.
- Pineapple – Fresh pineapple is best because it is firmer than the type that comes in a can and has been sitting in juice. The pineapple needs to be cut into chunks so that it can be skewered and stay secure.
- Soy Sauce – Used in the glaze to give the skewers an umami flavor that compliments the sweet pineapple.
- Pineapple Juice – Add a touch of acidity to the glaze and bolsters up the pineapple flavor.
- Brown Sugar – Caramelizes the glaze to a sweet and sticky finish.
- Ketchup – A hidden gem that adds some added tanginess and a little colour to the sauce.
Step By Step Instructions
- Peel and devein the shrimp if it hasn’t already been done for you and chop the ham and pineapple into roughly 1″ cubes. Chop the red onion into 1″ slices and the red pepper into large chunks, about 1 1/2″ in size. Set them aside all in separate bowls.
- In a medium-sized bowl add all of the ingredients for the marinade except for the cornstarch and cold water. Mix the ingredients well to combine and make sure that the brown sugar has dissolved.
- Place shrimp and chopped ham in a resealable bag or a deep-sided dish and pour the marinade into the bag. If using a sealed bag, seal it tightly and let the air out and then massage the bag contents around to coat the shrimp and ham with the marinade. If using a deep dish, mix well and then cover. Let the shrimp and ham marinate in the fridge for about an hour.
- If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 30 minutes so that they won’t burn during grilling.
- After the shrimp and ham have had time to marinate, skewer pieces of shrimp, ham, red pepper, pineapple and red onion onto the skewers as you wish. Set aside.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a small pot, bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for one minute.
- Add a 1/4 cup of cold water to a cup and then stir in the cornstarch. Whisking until smooth to form a slurry.
- Pour the cornstarch slurry into the boiling pot of marinade and stir. Let cook for about 30 seconds to thicken and then remove from the heat.
- Heat your BBQ to medium and then place the skewers on the grill. Baste the skewers with the soy and pineapple glaze using a basting brush.
- Let cook for 5 minutes then carefully turn the skewers over and baste the other side. Discard any remaining marinade. Let the skewers continue to cook the skewers for another 5 minutes or until the shrimp have turned completely pink.
- Remove the skewers from the grill and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
These skewers have sides built in so you don’t need much to go with them, even a simple side salad but when I want something more filling for a BBQ I usually serve this recipe with:
Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven, microwave or pop them back on the grill.
I don’t recommend freezing these as the vegetables and pineapple will soften and won’t grill up as nicely.
Grilled Shrimp Pineapple Kebobs with Ham
Equipment
- 10 skewers; wood or metal
Ingredients
- 1 lb zipper back shrimp or tiger shrimp; peeled and deveined
- 1 lb cooked ham
- 1 lb pineapple
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Chop the ham and pineapple into 1" cubes. Slice the red onion into 1" wide slices and chop the red pepper into large cubes. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together 1/2 cup each of soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice as well as the 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp of ketchup. Mix until combined and the brown sugar and ketchup are dissolved.
- Add the shrimp and ham to a large resealable bag or deep-sided dish and pour the soy and pineapple marinade overtop. Stir the contents around to ensure the shrimp and ham are well coated and then cover or reseal the bag and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- If you are using wood skewers place them in a dish of water to soak so that they do not burn when on the grill.
- When ready to cook, alternate threading the skewers with the shrimp, ham, red pepper, red onion and pineapple.
- In a small cup add a 1/4 cup of cold water and 2 tbsp of cornstarch. Whisk with a fork until the cornstarch is dissolved to make a cornstarch slurry.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a small pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat for one minute.
- Pour the cornstarch slurry into the boiling marinade reducing the heat to medium and mixing well. Let soy and pineapple marinade thicken to a glaze for about 30 extra seconds. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Heat the grill to medium heat and place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 10 minutes carefully basting with the soy and pineapple glaze and rotating halfway through. The skewers are done when the shrimp is no longer pink. Remove the skewers from the grill and serve hot.
Nutrition
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
