Puerto Rican Pinchos De Carne
Pinchos de carne (meat), are traditionally pork skewers, but at times can be beef. Pinchos de Carne is a savory and delicious treat you can snag pretty much anywhere in Puerto Rico. They are traditionally served with a toasted piece of bread at the end and some onion or bell peppers in between each slice of meat. Pinchos are a tasty on the go treat.
What are Pinchos?
Pinchos de Carne (or cerdo) is one the most delicious Puerto Rican street foods! They are usually made with either chicken or pork and then topped with a smoky barbecue sauce. My favorite place to snag these is in Piñones, Puerto Rico, where they are cooking them over a charcoal grill with the beach just a few yards away.
You can find pinchos pretty much anywhere in Puerto Rico, but I would say they are most commonly found near the beaches. The smell alone after a day of swimming and basking in the sun will have you drooling. If you live stateside, like me, and are now craving a pincho, don’t worry I’ve got you covered with this recipe.
How do you make Pinchos de Carne?
Pinchos de carne (pork skewers) are traditionally made with pork butt or pork shoulder, chopped into 1-2 inch cubes. The meat is marinated overnight in a garlic mojo, before skewering them onto bamboo skewers and grilling over an open-flame charcoal grill.
My recipe isn’t authentic in terms of the cooking process, but your product will be the same. My cheat step is pressure cooking the meat prior to skewering them on the pincho. By pressure cooking the meat, you will tenderize it enough that your time grilling it will be cut in half. You’re welcome!
Tips for the perfect Pincho
Cooking the pinchos de carne, or pork skewers, over an open flame with charcoal is best. If you can find lump charcoal, even better, but charcoal briquettes will work well too. If you only have a gas grill, don’t worry, your pinchos will still be delicious! Of note, it is the charcoal combined with the open flame that will impart the best flavor to your pinchos.
Furthermore, if you have the time, marinating the meat overnight or even for a few hours will really help with the end product of a delicious, savory pincho de carne. If planning isn’t your thing, just get them marinated and let them sit for as long as you can 😉.
click here for my puerto rican Pinchos de Pollo recipe (Chicken Skewers)!
Essential Tools
- Wooden or metal skewers (wooden is preferred)
- Pilon or mortar and pestle to make the marinade
- Charcoal – lump charcoal or briquettes
- Grill – gas or charcoal
- Pressure cooker – Instant Pot
Pinchos De Carne
Ingredients for Pinchos de Carne
- 2 pounds of pork butt or pork shoulder
- 1 tsp Loisa Organic Adobo Powder
- 1 tsp Loisa Organic Sazon Powder
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory Barbecue Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 1/4 tsp of Kosher salt
- 8-10 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 loaf of baguette or French bread, sliced
- 1 onion
Directions
- Start with soaking your wooden skewers in a bath of water while you are prepping the meat and marinade. If you are marinating overnight, then soak the skewers for at least 30 minutes prior to them going on the grill to avoid burning.
- Take your pilon and add 1 tsp of salt and the black peppercorns. Smash this until it is coarsely ground. Then add in your 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 5 garlic cloves. Smash until it begins look like a paste. Add the rest of the olive oil and garlic and smash that. Once finished, it should look like the picture below.
- Slice the pork in 2 inch cubes. Rinse with water and add to a large bowl. Add 2 Tbsp of distilled white vinegar to the meat then add your garlic mojo mixture.
- Marinate the meat overnight or for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking.
- After marinating, add the meat to the pressure cooker/Instant Pot with 1 cup of water and ½ tsp dried oregano flakes.
- Pressure cook the pork meat on HIGH for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes before manually releasing the pressure.
- Remove the meat from the pressure cooker and back into a bowl to season the meat with the dry rub.
- Mix 1 tsp Loisa Organic Adobo Powder, 1 tsp Loisa Organic Sazon Powder, 1/8 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp kosher salt in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the meat and mix well.
- Get your wooden skewers and begin skewering the meat – the ends of each piece should be barely touching. If you try to compress them too tightly to each other, the ends will not char properly.
- Leave a 1 inch space at the tip to add toasted bread after the meat is cooked
- Once the skewers are prepped, begin lighting the charcoal and preparing the grill to cook.
- Use ½ an onion to clean the grill – then apply your pinchos de carne on direct heat so they can get a nice char on them.
- Move the pinchos into indirect heat. Now brush them with your preferred barbecue sauce. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the pinchos and set aside to cool.
- Finally, lightly toast your 1 inch slices of bread and top each pincho with one.
- Serve and Enjoy!