Anticuchos

What they are

The classic anticucho is made from beef heart, cut into pieces and marinated for hours in a mix of vinegar, ají panca (a mild, smoky red chilli), cumin, garlic and salt. The pieces are threaded on skewers and grilled over charcoal, basted with the marinade as they cook. Heart is a lean muscle, and when it is cut and cooked well it is tender, with a flavour many describe as similar to beef steak.

The skewers come with a boiled potato or a piece of corn on the cob, a hot sauce such as one made from ají or rocoto, and sometimes a bread roll. Anticuchos are eaten with the hands, straight from the skewer.

Other versions use chicken, fish, mushrooms or sausage, and anticuchos de corazón, "heart anticuchos", is the name to look for if you want the traditional ones. A few stands specialise in vegetarian skewers, but this is not the default.

Origins

The dish is usually linked to the Afro-Peruvian community, whose cooks in colonial Lima made use of the parts of the animal that were left for enslaved people, and added Andean chilli and Spanish spices. The word anticucho itself is often traced to Quechua. The history is a blend of traditions, and the details are debated, but the link with Afro-Peruvian cooking is widely accepted.

Anticuchos are associated with festivals and with the evening streets of Lima, where stands set up with a charcoal grill and a plume of smoke. They also appear at family celebrations, often in October during the processions of the Lord of Miracles, when many stands sell them near the route.

Choosing a good stand

The usual rules for street food apply. Look for a stand with a steady queue of locals, a hot grill and meat that is cooked in front of you. Skewers should be cooked through and served hot, not lukewarm. Skip stands where meat sits out for long periods.

Evenings are the usual time, from about dusk. If you are cautious about street food on your first days, try anticuchos in a traditional restaurant first. Ask for the sauce on the side if you are sensitive to chilli. If you do not eat offal, other skewers on the menu may suit you better, or you can look at other grilled dishes in the same area.

The marinade and the grill

The flavour of an anticucho comes from two things: the marinade and the fire. The marinade is based on vinegar, which tenderises the meat and gives a sharp edge, with ají panca for colour and mild heat, cumin for warmth and garlic for depth. Cooks often leave the heart in the mixture overnight, and they baste the skewers as they cook, usually with a brush made of a corn husk or a bundle of herbs.

The grill is a charcoal fire, and the smoke is part of the dish. Cooks turn the skewers often, and the best are ready in a few minutes, with a lightly charred outside and a juicy centre. Overcooked heart is chewy, so the speed of the cooking matters.

If you can, watch the cook for a moment. A confident, practised hand and a fresh marinade are signs that the stand takes pride in its skewers.

Anticuchos in Lima

Anticuchos are most closely associated with Lima, where street stands set up in the evening in many districts and where several traditional family restaurants are known for their skewers. Barranco has a lively evening scene where anticuchos sit alongside bars and music venues, and many food walks include a stand or a restaurant that serves them.

If you are interested in a guided introduction, Lima food tours often finish with an evening of street food. A guide can point out the stands with the best turnover and explain the offal that appears on the grill, such as the rachi, tripe, which is another traditional choice.

Prices at stands are low, and most people eat two or three skewers with a potato. They also make a good late-evening snack after a pisco sour or a beer, though check the safety of your route home.

Safety, allergies and dietary notes

Anticuchos are grilled hot and served at once, which makes them one of the safer street foods when cooked fresh. The risks are the same as for any street food: meat that has been sitting out, dirty utensils or sauces left in the sun. Use the principles in water and food safety and trust your eyes and nose.

Vinegar-based marinades contain very little that causes allergies, but sauces may include nuts, dairy or gluten, and skewers may share a grill with other foods. If you have a serious allergy, ask or choose a restaurant rather than a stand.

Anticuchos are meat, so they are not suitable for vegetarians, although mushroom and potato skewers are sometimes offered. See vegetarian for dishes that are easier to find. If you do not eat beef, ask for chicken skewers, which are widely available.

Making the most of an evening

A good evening of anticuchos is simple. Arrive at the stand or restaurant a little after dusk, when the grill is hot and the queue is moving. Order a few skewers, a potato and a cold drink such as chicha morada or a beer, and eat standing up or at a small table. Ask for extra sauce if you like heat.

Do not plan a heavy meal afterwards. Anticuchos are a snack or a light dinner, and they pair well with a walk around the neighbourhood. If you are on a food tour, you will usually eat them as one of several stops.

For the full picture of what to eat in the capital, return to what to eat in Lima or the general Peruvian food, and see Lima to plan the rest of your evening.