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Skewered ox heart (anticuchos de corazón)

Skewers of ox heart meat marinated in vinegar and spices, cooked on the grill. The most popular anticuchos are those made with beef heart.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef (ox heart, trimmed and diced, about 4 lb)
1 head garlic (peeled and crushed)
1 tablespoon chili pepper (fresh chile, seeded, chopped and puréed)
1 tablespoon cumin (ground cumin)
1 cup vinegar (red wine vinegar)
  seasoning (salt and pepper to taste)
3 chili pepper (dried red chili pepper, ají panca)
1 tablespoon annato (optional, ground annato)
1 tablespoon cooking oil (vegetable oil)

Instructions

Put the ox heart in a large bowl. Combine the garlic, liquefied chili, cumin, salt, pepper and vinegar in another bowl and pour this marinade over the meat. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours, better refrigerated for 24 hours.


Drain the meat, garnishing the marinade as well. Heat the grill.

Put the soaked chili pepper in the blender with the vegetable oil, salt, 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade and the achiote, if it is used. Check the seasoning. Blend  until obtaining a thick, smooth sauce.

Thread the pieces of ox heart on skewers. Brush with the red chili sauce and grill on all sides until done, about 2-4 minutes on each side.

Serve.

Total time
40 minutes
Cooking time
10
Preparation time
30
Yield
10 servings

Notes

Use 1 beef heart, usually about 3-4 lb, trimmed of nerves, fat and membranes. Dice into hlaf an inch cubes.

The marinade ingredients can be blended.

Soak the dried red chile (ají panca) in boiling water for 30 minutes, or boil it for 5 minutes.

The anticuchos are grilled on a charcoal barbecue or under the gas or electric grill, 3-4 inches from the heat source.

Heart anticuchos are usually served with cooked, peeled potato, and cooked or roasted corn (choclo). They can be served with various hot sauces. You can make more of the red chili sauce and reserve some of it to serve with the cooked anticuchos.

Variations

Anticuchos can be prepared form all kinds of meat. Chicken anticuchos are also popular.

Source

meat, appetizers
moderate, grilling
Peruvian food recipes
Food in America