Chinchulines Recipe: Crispy Latin American Grilled Beef Intestines 2026

Chinchulines are a beloved asado staple across Latin America, made from the small intestine of beef and prized for their crisp, charred exterior and tender chew. This version keeps things simple: a bright lemon-and-garlic marinade, a punchy majado of garlic, parsley and olive oil, and a hot grill that does the rest.

The key to great chinchulines is a thorough cleaning and a short marinade, so plan for about four hours from start to finish. Once they hit the grill, they cook quickly and take on a gorgeous golden crust, making them a fantastic appetizer or main course to share.

Serve them hot with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and let everyone dig in. They pair beautifully with a cold drink and good company, just like any proper asado.

Ingredients for Chinchulines

For 2 servings

• 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) beef small intestine
• 3 garlic cloves
• Juice of 3 lemons
• Black pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
• 2 pinches coarse salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

How to Make Chinchulines Step by Step

1. Clean the intestines

Open the intestine at the cut and place the faucet inside to fill it with water. Pull the intestine with your hand to drain the water, and repeat the process a couple of times, or as many as needed, until the inside is clean.

2. Remove the exterior fat

Remove the exterior fat stuck along the entire intestine. You can leave a little fat so they don't turn out too dry.

3. Marinate with lemon and garlic

Place the intestine in a bowl, cover with water, add 3 peeled garlic cloves cut in half and the juice of 3 lemons. Let it marinate for 2 to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

4. Cut into segments

After this time, drain the intestine, discard the garlic cloves and cut it with scissors into segments about 15 cm (6 inches) long. You can also grill them whole or braided, but we prefer this way to make grilling easier and serve them as an appetizer.

5. Make the majado

Prepare a majado with 2 peeled garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley leaves and a couple of pinches of coarse salt.

6. Add lemon juice and oil

Once you have a paste, add the juice of 1 lemon, mix and pour in extra virgin olive oil to taste.

7. Preheat the grill and brush with majado

Heat the oven grill to maximum temperature, arrange the chinchulines on a baking tray in a circular shape, season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and brush with a little of the majado.

8. Grill for 20 minutes

Grill in the oven for 20 minutes with the oven door slightly open. The tray should sit about 20 cm (8 inches) below the grill, and you should brush them with the majado a couple of times during cooking.

9. Flip and grill again

After the first 20 minutes, flip them, brush with the majado and continue grilling for 10 to 15 minutes, remembering to brush them with majado from time to time.

10. Serve with lemon and parsley

Remove the chinchulines from the oven and serve them on a platter decorated with a little parsley and accompanied by lemon slices.

Tips for the Best Chinchulines

Buy from a trusted source

The most important part of this preparation is a thorough cleaning and buying them from trusted shops with full food safety guarantees. Many experts agree that washing them well inside and out and marinating them with lemon for a few hours is enough, which is the easy, quick method we use here.

Keep the marinade simple

Once clean, prepare a marinade with lemon juice and garlic, though you can often add chili, paprika, oregano or even dried bay leaf. We prefer the simplest version to respect the flavor of the product.

Use a charcoal grill if you can

Ideally you would use a charcoal grill, but the process and times are the same if you roast them on your oven grill. Just turn the grill to maximum, leave the oven door half open and place the tray about 20 cm (8 inches) below the grill.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back to at Home

Like a lot of home cooks, I like having a go-to rotation that covers cozy comfort plates, well-known dishes from around the world, and sweets that please a crowd.

When a rich, indulgent treat is what I'm after, my picks are usually this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luscious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want something fruity and cozy, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe is the one I reach for.

Mornings and lighter plates call for these airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or these bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. And for a gluten-free staple I can keep on hand, this no-fuss Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe does the job.

Tapas and Mediterranean cooking are a mood I return to often, and I tend to cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, these crackly Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, a velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. This chilled Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe also makes the table when I feel like something a bit more elevated.

Come lunch or a slow dinner at home, I'm quick to suggest this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. When hunger runs bigger, I'll bake this Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply comforting French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

Street-food cravings and party spreads usually mean this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These simple Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also work nicely as a light starter or snack.

And when guests are coming and drinks are part of the plan, dinner often gets paired with a cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a strong Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this fruity Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the spread, I like setting out this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or ending with this eye-catching Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe.

Even More Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of trying, tweaking, and remaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to see that the ones that stick around are built on straightforward steps, methods you can trust, and serious flavor.

What follows is the set of recipes I keep circling back to—whether it's a fast plate just for me or a bigger spread for the people I love.

On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is one I turn to when I want something that feels fancy without much fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better texture in desserts comes in handy, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

For something light and uncomplicated, I'll usually reach for the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. And for heavier comfort plates, my usual picks are the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the speedy weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm just as happy sharing dishes with roots in other countries, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crunchy Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and Spain's own Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I use all the time, since it cuts down on effort while still giving you excellent results. The ones I make most are Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a baked pasta classic can still be creamy, cheesy, and completely satisfying without any gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado