Drinks Spirits Tequila Smoky Pineapple and Tequila Punch Be the first to rate & review! This refreshing and bubbly cocktail is a blend of cold-smoked pineapple puree, lime juice, and tequila. By Paige Grandjean Updated on August 3, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 30 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Servings: 6 servings For this drink, pineapple becomes intensely flavored after cold-smoking, and is then pureéd and combined with tart lime juice and lightly aged tequila for a frothy blend that’s smoky, bright, and balanced. Adding a splash of sparkling mineral water right before serving gets this cocktail to a refreshing consistency. Our 9 Favorite Sparkling Waters The cold-smoking process for pineapple is straight-forward and mostly hands-off. Make sure to peel away the tough pineapple skin so the smoke can be fully absorbed by the juicy fruit. Orgeat, a key ingredient in Mai Tai cocktail, is a nonalcoholic almond syrup with a fragrant nutty aroma and sweet, milky flavor. Look for it at most liquor stores or online at kegnbottle.com. Ingredients 1 1/2 cups hardwood smoking pellets (such as cherrywood) 1 medium pineapple, peeled (leaving fronds attached), quartered lengthwise, and cored 1/4 cup water 1 cup (8 ounces) reposado tequila (such as Olmeca Altos) 2/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 6 limes) 1/4 cup orgeat (such as Giffard) (see Note) Pinch of fine sea salt 1 cup sparkling water (such as Topo Chico) Lime slices Directions Place a maze pellet smoker or perforated aluminum foil tray on one side of grill grates. Fill maze or tray with smoking pellets. Light pellets on both ends of maze or tray using a kitchen torch or stick lighter. Open top and bottom grill vents halfway. Cover grill with lid, and allow grill to fill with smoke for about 15 minutes. Fill a 13- x 9-inch baking pan about three-fourths full with ice cubes. Place pineapple on a wire rack, and place rack on ice-filled baking pan. Transfer baking pan with pineapple to grill, and cover, with lid vents positioned over pineapple. Smoke until pineapple smells smoky, about 2 hours, discarding water in baking pan and replacing with additional ice cubes as needed. Roughly chop pineapple, reserving fronds for garnish. Combine pineapple and 1/4 cup water in a blender, and process until smooth and frothy, about 40 seconds. Combine pureed pineapple (about 4 cups), tequila, lime juice, orgeat, and salt in a pitcher; stir to combine. Pour punch into 6 ice-filled glasses; top evenly with sparkling water, and garnish each glass with a lime slice and a pineapple frond. To make ahead Pineapple may be smoked up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Note A maze pellet smoker, such as the a-maze-n, and hardwood smoking pellets are available at most hardware stores or online. The Sondiko Butane Torch is a handy tool that provides a steady flame to quickly light smoking pellets for hours of smoldering. It’s also handy for toasting meringue and caramelizing crème brûlée. Rate It Print