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4.8 from 162 votes

Thin beef skewers {Carne en palito/chuzos/pinchos}

Recipe for grilled thin beef skewers, or Ecuadorian carne en palito or chuzos, made with thinly sliced meat seasoned with garlic, achiote and cumin and grilled on skewers.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 as an appetizer or ~4-6 as part of a main meal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer
Cuisine: South American , American , Ecuadorian

Ingredients

  • 1 lb beef thinly cut carne asada style and cut in long strips
  • 2-4 tbs orange juice
  • 1 tbs oil
  • 6-8 garlic cloves crushed
  • 2 tsp achiote powder
  • 1-2 tsp ground cumin
  • salt to taste
Can be served with:
  • Tomato and onion curtido salsa
  • Fried ripe plantains or grilled ripe plantains
  • Aji criollo hot sauce
  • Ecuadorian style cilantro queso sauce

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Mix the orange juice, olive oil, garlic, achiote, cumin, salt and pepper together to make a marinade.
  2. Season the meat with the marinade and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
  3. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water while the meat is marinating - this will prevent them from burning on the grill.
  4. Slide the meat onto the skewers and grill on each side until done, depending on your grill this should just take a few minutes per side, make sure the grill is very hot.
  5. Serve immediately with aji criollo or other sauces, ripe plantains, and/or tomato onion curtido salsa.

Notes

  • These meat skewers can also be made with chicken or pork.