Peruvian Anticuchos Recipe

The Anticuchos in Peru are so popular that they even have their national day on october 17 . This dish is a clear example of the evolution and changes that a stew can undergo through the ages. They are even prepared in other neighboring countries such as Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. Don’t wait any longer and try it!

How to prepare Anticuchos

The Anticucho de corazón is one of the most representative dishes of Peru. The original recipe for anticuchos is prepared with cow’s heart seasoned mainly with red chili, among other species.

🔪 Prep Time	2 hours
🍲 Cook Time	10 minutes
⏲️ Total Time	2 hours 10 minutes
🍽️ Servings	4 servings
🔥 Calories	280 calories

Ingredients

• 1 beef heart
• 1/2 tablespoon of pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 5 cloves of minced garlic
• 3/4 cup of vinegar
• 1/2 cup of ground panca pepper
• Salt to taste
• Cane sticks
• 1 brush made of corn leaves
• Papa (potato) and choclo (corn)

Method

1. First, remove the fat and the membrane that covers the heart, leaving it completely clean and leaving only the meat.
2. Cut the heart (undercut) into small pieces of about 3 cm.
3. Chop the garlic into small pieces.
4. Now mix all the seasonings with the ground garlic. Add ají colorado (ají panca), salt, pepper, cumin and oregano.
5. Add the vinegar and stir the entire mixture.
6. Once everything is well mixed, pour it over the Anticucho pieces and let it macerate (rest) for at least two hours.
7. Thread (prick) the pieces of Anticucho with the skewer sticks (3 pieces per stick).
8. Heat the grill with a little oil and when it is very hot place the Anticucho sticks.
9. Make sure they are fried well on both sides and from time to time brush them with the preparation (the mixture).
10. Serve them accompanied by pieces of potato, a slice of corn (corn) and a chili or rocoto sauce.

Follow the 3 Tips following for a better preparation of Anticuchos de Corazón.

Tips and tricks

• I recommend that you rub the oregano in your hands while you incorporate it so that it has a greater aroma.
• To keep your hands from smelling, place a head of garlic on a flat surface and hit it with a knife to open the cloves. Put the loose garlic cloves in a medium glass jar with a lid and shake vigorously until you see that they are completely peeled.
• Let the meat rest with the spices for at least two hours, although I recommend that you use it all night.

Additional information

The origin of the Anticuchos dates back to pre-Columbian times. In those days they were prepared with llama meat . According to ancient documents, its name comes from the derivation of the Quechua word antikichu. Anti means Andes and kuchu means court. Another hypothesis is that it comes from the word anti-uchu, where uchu means stew.

The consumption of this traditional dish increased at the beginning of the time of the Viceroyalty in Peru with the arrival of the Spanish. There are numerous texts from the 16th century where this stew is mentioned. With the conquest, the recipe undergoes variations, skewering the meat on small wooden sticks as in the Spanish brochettes.

The Anticuchos recipe that we know today is due to the Africans who arrived in Peru and who settled in the coastal areas, especially in Lima and in the cities to the south. At that time the Spanish discarded all kinds of viscera and gave them as food to African slaves.

Formerly it was a discredited dish, undervalued and reserved for poor and low-income people. Over the years this dish has been conquering palates until it is present in every home in Peru and also in other parts of the world where it has earned a place with its incomparable flavor.