Hawaiian skewers are fun for summer parties or an exciting island-inspired weekend dinner. They are super satisfying kebabs made with bright pineapple, red onion, bell pepper and ham steaks, all coated in a thick and tangy BBQ marinade.

I like to whip up the Hawaiian skewers marinade ahead of time by combining the spices and various oils and juices, and then painting it on to the skewers before (and after) popping them in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow them to work their way through the other components and stick. You can easily use a store bought bbq sauce to speed up the preparation process and make a great tasting marinade. However, I like to add additional subtleties in the sauce that can bring out other flavors.

After soaking up the seasoning from the marinade the Hawaiian skewers are perfect for the sheet pan, where they can be cooked slowly and with minimal oversight to get the vital, subtle flavor changes that grilling (and the resulting char) may miss. With sheet pan baking, the light sweetness and bright tang soften the saltiness of the ham, making it perfectly flavorful and tender, while allowing all the different elements to coalesce.

I also recommend that you use fresh pineapple rather than anything you can get in a can. Freshly baked pineapple is much firmer on the skewer, and gains a lovely caramelization when it cooks. Its sweet-tartness develops into a rich, delicious marriage of sweetness when mixed with the barbecue marinade. Having pineapple snuggle against the ham steaks intensifies the sweet-salty distinction on your palate.

I also try to always make sure there’s enough marinade left over, so that I can use it as a sauce when serving the Hawaiian skewers. You may enjoy the skewers by themselves (this recipe makes 10-12), but they also work great with a green side salad or a bowl of freshly cooked fried rice.