4 to 6 servings
PREP TIME
3 hours 15 minutes(includingmarinade time)
COOKING TIME
6 to 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME
3 hours 25 minutes
2 bird’s-eye chiles, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
juice and finely grated zest of 4 limes
1 cup vegetable oil
1 pound flank or sirloin steak, sliced against the grain into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 teaspoon kosher salt
These are the beef skewers your backyard barbecue dreams are made of. They’re easy, too, just so long as you get everything marinating ahead of time. Beef suya is the Nigerian take on shish kebabs, skewered and grilled and served with additional sides of peanuts and lime juice. Normally, it’s super spicy.
This is a significantly less fiery suya mix, which you can adjust to your spice sensibilities. Marinate thinly sliced beef, then grill it on skewers. I like this served alongside grilled plantain, which is a delicious way to slow down the beef intake. You can also do suya with shrimp or chicken. For a sweeter take on the dish, try the suya with Bourbon Apricot Dried Fruit Compote. You can tell your friends, “You barbecue and I’ll suya.”
Whisk together the chiles, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, lime juice and zest, and oil in a medium bowl until completely combined.
Using your hands, coat the beef in the marinade, making sure each piece is thoroughly covered. Place in a nonreactive container, cover, and put in the refrigerator to marinate for around 3 hours.
Soak bamboo skewers in water to cover for 1 hour.
Remove the meat from the marinade and thread the beef strips onto each skewer accordion style, making sure the meat is not bunched up.
Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat.
Season the meat with the salt. Place on the hot grill and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, turning with tongs once browned and caramelized.