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A Quick Pork Dinner with Caribbean Flavors
This 30-minute pineapple pork recipe is a weeknight-friendly dish that takes a fresh approach to a classic ingredient pairing, swapping the usual teriyaki glaze for a Caribbean-inspired spice blend of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and a pinch of cayenne.
A quick sear keeps the pork juicy, while the pineapple adds brightness and enhances tenderness. A splash of dark rum (optional but highly encouraged) deepens the flavor, creating a fragrant, sweet-and-savory sauce that complements the tender pork.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
PORK TENDERLOIN: Pork tenderloin is naturally tender and quick-cooking, making it perfect for this kind of dish. Sliced into medallions, it soaks up the seasoning and sauce for tasty results in every bite. Boneless, skinless thighs work for this dish too. Details are in the printable recipe card below.
DARK RUM: Dark rum adds notes of caramel, molasses, spice, and a hint of smoke, giving the dish its distinctive Caribbean character. For an alcohol-free version, see the printable recipe card below.
BROWN SUGAR: Brown sugar adds an extra hint of molasses flavor to the sauce and helps to create a smooth glaze to coat the pork medallions. You can use either dark or light.
GINGER: Ginger is an essential spice in Caribbean cuisine, and when sautéed, it adds a distinctive, slightly spicy zing to the sauce. You can substitute ginger paste (1:1 ratio) or ground ginger (see recipe notes).
Prep Overview
How to Make Caribbean Pineapple Pork
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions, then dredge them in seasoned flour. Mix up the sauce ingredients (rum, brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar) and heat to be sure the sugar dissolves.
Quickly sear both sides of the pork in a hot skillet, then transfer it to a plate. In the same pan, sauté garlic and ginger, stir in a bit of the leftover seasoned flour, then add the sauce mixture. Stir in the pineapple chunks, and simmer to thicken.
Return the pork to the pan to finish cooking (140°F internal temperature). Turn the slices to coat with sauce, toss in some sliced scallions and let everything rest for a few minutes before serving.
Tested Tips for Perfect Pineapple Pork
- SLICE EVENLY: For the best results, cut the pork tenderloin into evenly sized medallions. For the tapered ends, make slightly thicker slices and gently pound them to match the rest so they cook evenly.
- DON’T OVERCOOK THE PORK: Sear the medallions just long enough to develop a little color, then finish them in the sauce. They’ll stay tender and juicy if cooked to about 140°F before resting.
- SIMMER THE SAUCE LONG ENOUGH: Be sure to cook the sauce until the raw alcohol flavor from the rum has mellowed and the flavors of the ginger, pineapple, and spices come together.
Serving Suggestions
Because this pineapple pork has bold, Caribbean-style flavors, simple sides work best. Steamed rice or quinoa make great bases for soaking up the sweet-savory sauce, but we especially like this quick coconut cauliflower rice for a lighter option.
COCONUT CAULIFLOWER RICE
Steam a bag of frozen riced cauliflower. While it cooks, sauté a clove of garlic in a little butter. Stir in 3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut milk and a touch of lime zest, then mix in the cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm alongside the pork.
More Quick-Cooking Pork Recipes
Pork pairs beautifully with both sweet and savory flavors, which is why we love exploring it in different ways.
If you enjoy this pineapple and spice combination, try our Curried Pork with Apples, a creamy pan-sauce variation with warm curry notes, or our Maple-Thyme Pork with Apples and Squash, a cozy one-pan dinner with bacon and seasonal produce. For something bolder, our Jerk Pork Tenderloin Bowl with Coconut Lime Rice brings vibrant island flavor to the table.
Caribbean Pineapple Pork Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin, 1 to 1-1/4 lbs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup dark rum, (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 cup diced fresh pineapple
- 2 scallions, sliced
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat and silver skin from the pork tenderloin and cut it into 3/4 to 1-inch thick medallions (see notes).
- Combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, and a few grinds of black pepper in a shallow dish, reserving 2 teaspoons of the mixture for later use. Dredge the pork slices in the flour, shake off the excess, and set aside.
- Combine the rum, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a microwave-safe measuring cup. Heat for 30 seconds on high, then stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork in a single layer and cook for about 1 minute per side, just long enough to develop a little exterior color. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant, 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved flour mixture, combine well, and continue cooking for 2 minutes or until the flour is golden.
- Add the rum mixture and pineapple chunks (including their accumulated juices) and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the raw alcohol flavor of the rum has dissipated and the sauce has begun to thicken.
- Return the pork medallions to the pan and turn them several times to coat them in the sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 140°F (before resting). Remove from the heat, stir in the scallions, and let stand for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
You can make this recipe alcohol-free by substituting a combination of 1/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice and 2 tablespoons of water for the rum. The flavor profile will be a little different, but still delicious. MAKE THIS RECIPE WITH CHICKEN THIGHS
You can also make this dish with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Trim the excess fat from the thighs and cut them into chunks as evenly sized as possible. Follow the rest of the recipe instructions, but in the final step of the instructions, you’ll need to cook the chicken a little longer so it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the combination of warming spices in this! I’ve made it several times now. I got distracted and accidentally over-reduced my sauce last time, so I added a splash of orange juice because I didn’t have any more pineapple juice left to loosen it back up. It was a great little bit of fresh brightness to complement the spices and rum!