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Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers)

1 April, 2016 by Tara 13 Comments

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A recipe for Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers) paired with corn, potatoes, and seasoned aji amarillo.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Anticuchos de Corazón on skewers

We went in with a couple of Chad’s coworkers and bought a cow nearly a year ago. I have gone through most of the cuts now, but saved the heart, liver, and a handful of other parts for last since I don’t have much experience working with them. After searching around, I came across these beef skewers from Peru, Anticuchos de Corazón. These skewers were absolutely amazing and I couldn’t have imagined a better way to prepare the beef heart. The aji panca marinade that coats the beef adds a little spice, but not overwhelmingly so and the accompanying aji amarillo sauce helps increase the heat for those that want a bit more. The texture of the heart was firm due to the low fat content, but not nearly as tough as I was originally expecting. Now what should I do with the livers hanging out in the freezer?

Anticuchos are a popular street food in Peru and are generally seen being served from stalls or during outdoor events. They were developed during the times of colonization when the Spaniards adapted the local llama skewers with some of their flavors and changed the meat to beef. They are now popular in surrounding countries with a variety of sauces. After the nutrient-dense heart is cleaned of the unwanted veins and other parts (freeze these for future simmering to make broth), it is cut into cubes and marinated in aji panca, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and cumin. The cubes are arranged on skewers and grilled until cooked through. They are traditionally served with sliced potatoes, Choclo (Peruvian Giant/Field Corn), and an aji amarillo sauce.

Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers) with corn and potatoes

My beef heart was packaged mostly cleaned so I didn’t need to remove much. Here is a video on Youtube to show how to prepare the heart if you need to start from scratch. Can’t find or just not ready to try beef heart? You can substitute with flat iron steak. Peru Delights also had a recipe for Anticuchos de Pollo (Chicken).

I served the skewers with sweet yellow corn. To make it more authentic, use Choclo- the Peruvian Giant Corn if available. I have only personally come across it in the food court of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Some International markets sell it in the frozen food section. You can also serve halved baby potatoes in place of the russet.

Aji Panca is a mild pepper from Peru with a dark red color and smokey, somewhat fruity flavor. In the United States, it can be found dried, powdered, or in a paste. I was able to find Aji Panca Paste in the Peruvian section of the International market. If you can’t find it locally, it is also available on Amazon: Inca’s Food Aji Panca Paste (note: citric acid and sodium benzoate added) and organic for a much higher price.

Aji Amarillo (Yellow Chili) is a bright orange chile with about the same heat level as Tabasco or Cayenne on the Scoville Scale. In addition to heat, it also has a bit of fruitiness. I was able to find Aji Amarillo Paste in the Peruvian section of the International market. I have also seen it in the international section of larger supermarkets like Wegmans. You can sometimes find the chilies dried or frozen. If you can’t find it locally, it is available on Amazon (but for a more expensive price): Zócalo Peru Aji Amarillo Paste Organic, 8 Ounce.

Looking for more Peruvian recipes? Try Pollo Saltado (Peruvian Chicken Stir-Fry) and Salchipapas (Peruvian Sausages and Potatoes).

Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers) with potatoes and aji amarillo

Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers) Recipe

Adapted from Peru Delights

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Anticuchos de Corazón (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers)

Course Main Course
Cuisine Peruvian
Keyword anticuchos, beef, corazón, heart, meat, Peru, Peruvian, skewers
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 3 hours
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 beef heart
  • 1/2 cup aji panca paste
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt to taste

For Serving:

  • 2 russet potatoes
  • 2 corn on the cob Choclo- Peruvian giant kernel corns if available
  • 1/2 cup aji amarillo paste
  • 1 scallion thinly sliced
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Remove veins and sinew from the beef heart and cut the resulting firm meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the aji panca, vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt. Add the cubed beef heart, tossing to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes. When they are nearly tender, add the corn. When both are cooked through, drain and set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut the corn on the cob into serving sizes. Peel the potatoes and cut into thick slices.
  • In a small bowl, whisk in desired amount of sliced scallion into the aji amarillo paste. Season with salt and set aside.Set the grill to medium heat.
  • Place 3-4 beef cubes on each skewer. Set aside the remaining marinade for basting. Arrange the skewers on the preheated grill. Baste the marinade onto the skewers with a pastry brush or fresh corn husks and grill for 3 minutes. Flip to the other side, baste, and grill until cooked through with a little char, another 3 minutes.
  • Serve hot with the potatoes, corn, and seasoned aji amarillo.
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Filed Under: Beef, Meat, South American Tagged With: aji amarillo, beef, corazón, corn, grill, grilled, meat, offal, peru, peruvian, potato, skewer, skewers, south america, south american, street food

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook

    22 April, 2016 at 9:45 am

    Kudos, Tara! I’m glad you liked it, too! As for the liver – make pate?

    Reply
    • Teresa C

      14 June, 2021 at 12:23 pm

      I’m fixing to attempt this Peruvian Heart recipe. I seen a reply about making pate with liver, I’d love to know how to do that!!!!!

      Reply
  2. Dannii

    27 May, 2017 at 12:42 pm

    I have never tried beef heart, but this is something my husband would love to try I think.

    Reply
  3. Julia @ HappyFoods Tube

    27 May, 2017 at 10:33 am

    Loved your post. I haven’t tasted beef heart yet but it looks delicious. Way way better than the beef stomach tapas I tried a while ago! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Tracy | Baking Mischief

    27 May, 2017 at 10:54 am

    I’ve never tried beef heat before, but it looks amazing! It’s always great when you try something new and it turns out so well!

    Reply
  5. Hannah Healy

    27 May, 2017 at 11:29 am

    What an interesting and tasty recipe. I’m going to have to try these soon. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Roxana

    27 May, 2017 at 12:53 pm

    Wow this is an interesting recipe. Have not tried beef heart this way. Nice pictures and flavors.

    Reply
  7. Kenny

    12 April, 2019 at 5:36 am

    While traveling through peru came across street vendors in Cuzco. I saw these ladies cooking slices of meat on wooden skewers and I couldn’t resist. Not knowing what they were I ordered one… Then another. Then I asked what was it . I’m not one to eat innards, but I had to ask for a third skewer! Delicious!

    Reply
    • Tara

      15 April, 2019 at 7:55 am

      I hope I get to try them in Peru someday!

      Reply
  8. Jules

    28 April, 2021 at 3:20 am

    Love anticuchos! It’s actually really yummy! Can I do it in the oven with a grill function too? Have no charcoal grill

    Reply
    • Tara

      28 April, 2021 at 8:42 am

      Hi Jules! Yes, you can make them in the oven with the grill function. Just keep a close eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.

      Reply
  9. Michele Hutcherson

    24 June, 2021 at 10:41 am

    I don’t have time to wait for aji panca paste to arrive, so I bought Ancho Chile powder at my grocery store. They didn’t have paste. How do I turn a powder into a paste for the marinade?

    Reply
    • Tara

      24 June, 2021 at 11:16 am

      Hi Michele! I have only made chile paste from dried chiles, so am not sure on how to make it from a powder with a similar consistency. Also haven’t used Ancho Chile in this recipe so can’t say how close the results will be.

      Reply

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