Description
Carne en Palito is a flavorful Latin American street food featuring tender beef strips marinated in orange juice, garlic, and achiote, then grilled to perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb beef skirt, cut into long strips
- 2 tbsps (70ml) fresh orange juice
- 3 tbsps (105ml) vegetable oil
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsps (5g) achiote (annatto) seeds
- 1 tsp (2.5g) ground cumin
- A pinch of salt
- Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Instructions
- In a small frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over low heat for a couple of minutes. Add the achiote seeds and let them infuse the oil for 5 minutes, ensuring the heat remains low to avoid burning the seeds.
- Strain the oil to remove the seeds and let it cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the beef strips with the infused oil, orange juice, crushed garlic, ground cumin, and a pinch of salt. Mix well to ensure the beef is evenly coated. Allow the beef to marinate for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Thread the marinated beef strips onto the soaked wooden skewers.
- Grill the skewers for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the beef is cooked to your desired level of doneness and has a nice charred appearance.
- Serve immediately, garnished with additional orange slices or fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
For best results, soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the grill. The achiote seeds give the oil a vibrant color and a subtle smoky flavor, essential for authentic taste. If you can’t find achiote seeds, you can substitute with paprika for color, though the flavor will differ. Serve with a side of fresh salad or grilled vegetables for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg