Pūpū-Style Portuguese Sausage & Pineapple Skewers
Pau Hana: Sunset Bites & The Pūpū Platter
There is a massive gulf between the flaming, umbrella-laden 'Tiki' food of the mid-century mainland and what locals actually eat in Hawai'i. When it’s time for pau hana—the sacred hour to unwind after work—the food needs to be unpretentious, highly satisfying, and rooted in the island's plantation-era melting pot. Portuguese immigrants brought heavily spiced linguiça to the islands, where it quickly evolved, mingling with Asian staples like shoyu and local cane sugar. This pupu platter mainstay relies on a dead-simple, two-step method: pan-fry the sausage to render the fat, then broil it to caramelize the pineapple. If you're thousands of miles from a market that sells real Hawaiian brands, the quick shoyu-brown sugar glaze here effortlessly transforms standard mainland smoked sausage straight back into the taste of home.
Before you start
Preheat the broiler.
Move an oven rack to the top position and preheat your broiler to HIGH. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Ingredients
- Hawaiian-style Portuguese sausage or smoked kielbasa1 lb
- canned pineapple chunks in juice20 oz
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- brown sugar2 tbsp
- shoyu or soy sauce1 tbsp
- reserved pineapple juice2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Render the fat.
Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage slices in a single layer and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the edges crisp and the fat begins to render.
- 02
Glaze the sausage.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Whisk the brown sugar, shoyu, and reserved pineapple juice in a small bowl, then pour directly over the browned sausage. Toss continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the liquid reduces into a sticky glaze coating the meat, then remove from heat.
- 03
Assemble the skewers.
Lay the glazed sausage slices flat on the prepared baking sheet. Top each piece with a single pineapple chunk and drive a plain wooden toothpick straight down through the center to secure them.
- 04
Broil to caramelize.
Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes. Watch them closely—you want the edges of the pineapple to just begin to char and the sausage to aggressively sizzle. Let cool for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Use plain wooden toothpicks.
Do not use frilly plastic cocktail picks under any circumstances; they will melt into your food under the broiler.
The pineapple rule.
Canned pineapple isn't just a pantry shortcut; it's authentic to local home cooking and avoids the bromelain enzyme found in fresh pineapple, which turns meat to mush if assembled in advance.
Mind the sugar.
When applying the glaze, keep the heat medium-low and the sausage moving. Brown sugar and shoyu will scorch violently in an overheated pan.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.