Anticuchos Peruanos: Smoky Grilled Beef Heart Skewers (57) 2026

Anticuchos peruanos are one of Peru's most beloved street foods: small pieces of beef heart marinated in red ají pastes, garlic, oregano, cumin and a splash of dark beer, then threaded onto skewers and grilled until charred at the edges. The marinade is bold and smoky, with just enough heat to keep you reaching for another skewer.

This version roasts the skewers under the broiler and brushes them every five minutes with a mix of the leftover marinade and olive oil, so they stay juicy and glossy. Boiled potatoes go into the tray for the last few minutes to soak up some of that flavor.

Serve them with salsa criolla, a quick Peruvian relish of red onion, ají amarillo, cilantro and lime, and a cold drink. It is a main course that feels like a celebration, and it comes together in about an hour plus marinating time.

The tradition of using beef heart is often traced to African communities who made the most of cuts that wealthier households discarded. Today anticuchos are eaten across Peru and the wider Andean region, and they are a true culinary symbol of the country.

Ingredients for Anticuchos Peruanos

Makes 10 skewers

• 1 kg beef heart
• 5 tablespoons ají panca paste
• 2 teaspoons ají mirasol paste
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin, to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 45 g peeled garlic cloves
• 2 pinches coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons wine vinegar, white or red
• 60 ml dark beer (optional)
• 12 tablespoons olive oil (or another vegetable oil)
• Salt to taste
• 4 boiled potatoes, peeled
• 1 red onion
• 1 ají amarillo (or rocoto)
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Anticuchos Peruanos Step by Step

1. Clean and cut the beef heart

Clean 1 kg of beef heart by removing the fat that covers it, cut it into fillets that are neither too thin nor too thick, then into medium (or small) cubes, and set them aside in a bowl.

2. Mix the ají pastes, cumin and pepper

Prepare the marinade in a bowl by adding 5 tablespoons of ají panca paste, 2 teaspoons of ají mirasol paste, ½ teaspoon of ground cumin and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Ají panca paste can be spicy or not, or a mix of both; it can be replaced with choricero pepper pulp, though that has a smokier flavor and is not spicy.

3. Toast the oregano and add it to the marinade

Toast 2 tablespoons of oregano in a skillet, crush it by rubbing it between the palms of your hands, and add it to the marinade.

4. Add the crushed garlic with salt

Crush 45 g of peeled garlic cloves with a couple of pinches of coarse salt in a mortar until you have a purée, add it to the marinade and mix.

5. Pour in the vinegar, beer, oil and salt

Pour in 4 tablespoons of wine vinegar, 60 ml of dark beer, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and salt to taste. Mix everything very well.

6. Add the heart and marinate

Add the beef heart pieces to the marinade and mix everything very well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate for between 4 and 24 hours in the refrigerator.

7. Assemble the skewers

Once the marinating time has passed, assemble the anticuchos. Use about 100 g of beef heart per skewer. It is very important to have soaked the bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour before assembling and broiling them, so they do not twist or burn completely.

8. Mix the leftover marinade with oil

Skim off all the leftover marinade and add 8 to 10 tablespoons of olive oil, then mix. Use this preparation to brush the skewers and boiled potatoes while they cook.

9. Broil the skewers

Place the anticuchos on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and broil them for 15 minutes.

10. Brush every five minutes

Brush the anticuchos with the leftover oil and marinade mixture every 5 minutes.

11. Turn and keep broiling

Turn them over after the first 15 minutes and brush them again. Continue broiling the skewers for another 10 or 15 minutes, always brushing with oil and marinade every 5 minutes.

12. Broil the potatoes

When 5 minutes remain, place 4 boiled potatoes halved on the skewer tray, brush them with the oil and marinade mixture, and let them roast. They can also be roasted in a separate skillet.

13. Make the salsa criolla

While the anticuchos broil, prepare a salsa criolla by cutting 1 red onion and 1 ají amarillo (rocoto also works) into very thin julienne strips.

14. Add cilantro and lime

Mix the onion and ají amarillo in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro, the juice of 1 lime, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until it is time to serve the anticuchos.

15. Serve with potatoes and salsa criolla

Remove the anticuchos and potatoes from the oven immediately and serve them on a platter that you can decorate with a little chopped cilantro. Serve the Peruvian salsa criolla in a separate bowl so each guest can help themselves.

Tips for the Best Anticuchos Peruanos

Soak the skewers

Bamboo skewers need at least an hour in water before they hit the heat. Dry skewers twist and can burn right through under the broiler, which makes turning and brushing much harder.

Brush, brush, brush

The oil and leftover marinade mixture is what keeps the beef heart juicy and builds a glossy crust. Set a timer for every 5 minutes so you do not skip a pass, and turn the skewers once halfway through.

Choose your sides

Boiled-then-roasted potatoes and salsa criolla are the classic pairing, but rocoto sauce, mayonnaise or a simple salad all work well. Ají pastes can be found in the international aisle of some markets or at Latin food stores.

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