Grilled bananas are bananas that are seasoned and grilled in their skins. To prepare, cook, and cool the bananas usually takes less than 15 minutes total. They are typically served as a dessert on top of ice cream. Though they are at their best when served just minutes after cooking, grilled bananas can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for later use. Since the introduction of the banana across the world, banana desserts have become commonplace, with shops offering banana ice creams, fried bananas, and sweet banana breads.
To make grilled bananas, unripe bananas are sliced in half crosswise, then lengthwise with their skins intact. The flesh of the bananas are coated with spices, like honey, sugar, and cinnamon, and then they are left to stand for about five to ten minutes. After this, the bananas are placed on a preheated gas or charcoal grill with the cut side down, skins up. They are usually cooked for a couple minutes or until there are visible grill marks on the flesh, then flipped over to be grilled for five minutes on the skin side.
Grilled bananas serve primarily as a dessert or topping on top of ice cream. Once they have been removed from their skins, sometimes they are doused with alcohol to give them more flavor. It is best to let them cool for several minutes before placing them on ice cream, else the dish will quickly melt. They are usually served warm or room temperature rather than hot for this reason.
Once grilled, the bananas can be wrapped in foil and placed in a refrigerator for up to four days. They can also be mashed, mixed with lemon juice, and placed in freezer-safe bags to store for up to three months in a freezer. If stored longer, the quality of the bananas may deteriorate beyond what most people consider edible. In addition, frozen fruits tend to be much softer than fresh and might suffer from some color changes, even when mixed with lemon juice or other preservatives.
Around the world and throughout history many different styles of banana desserts have been enjoyed. The banana split is a perhaps one of the more recognizable banana desserts in Western society. This dessert became popular in the United States of America in the 1920s and typically features scoops of ice cream topping a banana that has been split in half, as well as other condiments such as chocolate syrup.
