Honey-Glazed Pineapple Baked Roast (Juicy, Sticky and Easy)

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Introduction

The first time I made a honey-glazed pineapple baked roast was about eight years ago, for my mother-in-law’s birthday. Honestly, I was nervous. She’s the kind of cook who never measures anything and it always comes out perfect. I slid the roast out of the oven, the glaze was bubbling and the pineapple rings had gone golden at the edges, and she asked me for the recipe. I took that as a win.

After ten years of developing recipes, I can tell you this one gets requested more than almost anything else I make. It looks fancy and it isn’t. You get a tender pork loin roast with a glaze that’s sweet, a little tangy and very sticky, and the oven does most of the work. If you liked my Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham Bake, I think you’ll like this one even more.

Essential Ingredients

For the roast:

• 3 lb boneless pork loin roast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

For the honey pineapple glaze:

• ⅓ cup honey (raw local honey if you can get it)
• ½ cup pineapple juice (saved from the can)
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

For the topping:

• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple rings in juice, drained (keep the juice)
• Fresh thyme or chopped parsley for garnish

Alternative Ingredients

No pork loin? A boneless pork shoulder works too. It’s cheaper and harder to dry out, but it needs more time, roughly 3 hours at 325°F. A small bone-in ham or even a beef chuck roast will take this glaze nicely.

If you’re out of honey, maple syrup does the job, though the glaze ends up a little thinner. Coconut aminos can stand in for soy sauce if you’re avoiding gluten or soy. Fresh pineapple tastes brighter than canned, but it costs more and you lose the juice, so buy a small carton of pineapple juice to go with it. To keep costs down, canned pineapple in juice (not heavy syrup) is completely fine. I use it most weeks.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Prep the roast. Take the pork out of the fridge 30 minutes early so it cooks more evenly. Heat the oven to 375°F. Pat the roast very dry with paper towels, because a wet roast won’t brown.

2. Season it. Rub the meat with the olive oil, then press on the salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.

3. Sear for color. Heat a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 2 to 3 minutes per side until it’s deeply browned. I use my 12-inch Lodge cast iron, but any heavy oven-safe pan will do. If you only have a thin sheet pan, skip searing and add 10 minutes to the bake.

4. Make the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, Dijon and garlic. Simmer for 4 minutes, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 more minute until it coats a spoon.

5. Bake. Move the roast to a roasting pan (or leave it in the skillet). Brush on about a third of the glaze. Arrange the pineapple rings over the top and around the sides, holding them in place with toothpicks if needed. Bake for 45 minutes.

6. Glaze again. Brush on another third of the glaze and bake for 15 to 25 minutes more, until the center reads 145°F on an instant-read meat thermometer.

7. Rest and serve. Tent the roast loosely with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. Warm the rest of the glaze, slice the pork about ½ inch thick, spoon the glaze over and finish with thyme.

Pro Tips

The mistake I made for years was glazing at the very start. Honey and brown sugar burn fast, so by the end the outside had gone bitter and nearly black. Now I add the glaze in stages, and it works every time.

The other thing I’d ask you to trust me on is buying a decent thermometer. I overcooked so many pork loins before I stopped guessing. A ThermoWorks Thermapen is my favorite, but a $15 digital probe from the grocery store works fine. Pork loin is lean, and if you take it to 160°F it’ll be dry no matter how good the glaze is. Pull it at 145°F; the USDA says that’s safe, and the meat stays a little blush pink and juicy.

If your oven runs hot (mine does), check the roast 10 minutes early. Cook times vary a lot between ovens, so use them as a guide and go by the thermometer.

FAQs

Can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. In a slow cooker, cook on low for 6 hours, then put the roast under the broiler for 3 minutes with the glaze. In an Instant Pot, pressure cook for 25 minutes with ½ cup pineapple juice, let the pressure release naturally, then glaze and broil. You won’t get the same caramelized crust, but it’s still really good.

How do I store leftovers?
Slice the pork and pack it with some glaze into airtight glass meal prep containers. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

Can I make the glaze ahead?
Absolutely. It keeps up to a week in the fridge. Warm it gently before brushing it on.

What should I serve with it?
My Creamy Buttery Mashed Potatoes are the classic pairing, and so are roasted green beans or coconut rice.

Recipe Info

Detail	Info
Prep Time	15 minutes
Cook Time	1 hour 15 minutes
Rest Time	10 minutes
Total Time	1 hour 40 minutes
Servings	8
Yield	One 3 lb glazed roast
Difficulty	Easy

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It looks like a holiday centerpiece but it’s simple enough for a Tuesday. One pan, staple ingredients, and leftovers that might be better than the first night. My kids pile the next-day slices into Hawaiian rolls with a slice of Swiss and call it the best sandwich of the week. I’m not going to argue.

What Makes This Recipe Unique

Most pineapple roasts just pour the canned fruit over the top and hope for the best. In this one, the reserved pineapple juice goes into a real glaze that’s balanced with Dijon and soy, so it’s savory as well as sweet. The pineapple bakes right on the meat, and its natural enzymes help keep the surface tender while the sugars caramelize. If you’re curious about the fruit itself, I wrote about pineapple with honey benefits on the blog.

Key Features

High in protein, naturally dairy-free, easy to make gluten-free with tamari or coconut aminos, freezer-friendly and good for meal prep. In summer I grill the pineapple rings first for some smoky char. Around Easter and Christmas, I double the recipe and use two roasts side by side.

Nutrition Facts (per serving, approximate)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	360 kcal
Protein	36 g
Carbohydrates	26 g
Sugar	23 g
Fat	13 g
Saturated Fat	4 g
Sodium	660 mg
Fiber	1 g

These numbers are estimates and will change with your brands and portion sizes.

You’ll Also Love

For more ideas, the Allrecipes pork roast collection has lots of reader-tested variations, Food Network’s recipe library is full of holiday main dishes, and Serious Eats explains the science of roasting and resting meat really well.

Conclusion

That’s my honey-glazed pineapple baked roast, the one I make when I want people at the table to go quiet for a minute. Glaze in stages, trust your thermometer and give it time to rest. If it doesn’t come out perfect the first time, that’s okay. Mine didn’t either, and I’ve been doing this a long time.

If you make it, leave a comment and tell me what you served with it. I read every one.

Linda, BeesRecipes