Often when I’m cooking a meal and find myself short one side dish, I’ll go to my standby of caramelized pineapple. (At home, we actually call this dish “fried pineapple”.) It may sound a little crazy, but it’s really good and so easy to make.

All you need is a can of pineapple chunks and some brown sugar. Get the pineapple that comes in its natural juices, not the kind that comes packed in syrup.

For a 20oz can of pineapple, I use about 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

Start by draining the pineapple (save the juice for breakfast tomorrow morning). Put the drained pineapple into a dry skillet. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top and turn the heat on medium-high.

Almost immediately, you’ll notice lots of liquid in the pan as the sugar melts and the pineapple gives off some of its juice. Keep cooking until the liquid is almost completely gone. This will take about 5-7 minutes.

Be sure you don’t cook it too long, because as soon as that liquid is gone, your caramel is subject to burning very quickly!

Serve immediately. (Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and are also tasty served cold)

The result is a wonderfully easy and versatile dish that goes great on a dinner plate with pork chops or grilled chicken. It’s also equally yummy served over ice cream or cake for dessert!