It is hard to imagine improving on a combination as sublime as jumbo shrimp wrapped in salty bacon, but my recipe for Island Barbecued Shrimp takes a stab at it.

Large peeled and deveined shrimp get a short marinade in a special Pineapple Barbecue Sauce before being wrapped in partially cooked bacon, skewered and grilled. The sauce’s combination of soy sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, crushed pineapple and pineapple preserves along with a bit of cider vinegar, sugar and grated ginger make this the perfect accompaniment to all sorts of grilled seafood. You’ll also find the recipe as a drizzle for the Kalua Pork Sandwiches posted on this site.

The barbecue sauce recipes makes a generous four cups, much more than needed for the shrimp. The sauce freezes beautifully, and is a nice stand-in for your favorite barbecue sauce.

• 24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup Pineapple Barbecue Sauce (see below)
• 12 slices partially cooked bacon, cut in half
• 24 wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes

Place shrimp in a medium bowl and stir in the barbecue sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Combine shrimp and barbecue sauce in a zip-top plastic bag, seal tightly and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat outdoor or range-top grill on high for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Remove one shrimp from the bag, allowing the barbecue sauce to drain back into the bag, wrap in a bacon strip and skewer. Continue with remaining shrimp and bacon. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, basting with the remaining barbecue sauce, until bacon is crisp and shrimp are cooked.

Makes 24 appetizers.

Pineapple Barbecue Sauce

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 cup pineapple preserves
• 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in juice ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be prepared up to 1 week ahead.

Makes 4 cups of sauce.