Colombian chuzos, also known as pinchos, are a popular choice at street-food stands, backyard grills, fairs, and family gatherings. They are made with marinated meat cubes threaded onto skewers and grilled until browned, juicy, and lightly smoky.
Across Colombia, chuzos are commonly served with baby potatoes, arepas, fried cassava, salad, or hot sauce. They are easy to share and closely associated with casual celebrations and late-night street food.
Ingredients
For the beef skewers
- 800 g beef for grilling, cut into 3 cm cubes (such as sirloin, top sirloin, or flank steak)
- 120 g yellow onion, cut into chunks (1 medium onion)
- 150 g red and green bell pepper, cut into chunks (1 large bell pepper)
- 30 ml vegetable oil (2 tablespoons)
- 15 ml Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon)
- 10 g garlic, crushed (2 cloves)
- 5 g ground cumin (1 teaspoon)
- 4 g paprika (1 teaspoon)
- 6 g salt (1 teaspoon)
- 2 g ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
- 8 wooden or metal skewers
For serving
- 500 g cooked or fried Colombian baby potatoes (about 4 cups)
- 8 small arepas
- 120 ml Colombian hot sauce (½ cup)
- 4 limes, cut into wedges
Preparation
- Marinate the beef, place the beef cubes in a bowl and add the oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix until the meat is evenly coated, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the skewers, if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes to help prevent burning. Alternate beef cubes, onion, and bell pepper pieces until you have 8 skewers, leaving a little space between the ingredients.
- Grill the skewers, heat a grill, griddle, or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chuzos for 10 to 14 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until the beef is browned outside and cooked to your preferred doneness.
- Warm the sides, grill the arepas for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until hot with light char marks. Keep the potatoes warm while you finish grilling the skewers.
- Serve immediately, serve each chuzo with baby potatoes, an arepa, Colombian hot sauce, and a lime wedge. Bring them to the table freshly grilled for the juiciest beef and best vegetable texture.
Chef’s tips
- Choose a tender grilling cut and cut all pieces to a similar size for even cooking.
- Do not marinate salted meat for too long, as it can lose moisture.
- Heat the grill fully before adding the skewers to create a quick sear.
- Do not pierce the meat while grilling, or it may lose juices.
- Let the chuzos rest for 3 minutes before serving so the juices settle.
Traditional variations
In Colombia, you can also find chicken, pork, sausage, liver, and mixed chuzos. Some street-food vendors add bacon, onion, bell pepper, and pineapple sauce, while others serve them with corn, cassava, or French fries.
How to serve
Serve Colombian chuzos directly on the skewer with baby potatoes, arepas, and hot sauce. For a classic street-food presentation, wrap the lower part of the skewer with a napkin and offer ketchup, mayonnaise, or pineapple sauce on the side.
Recommended accompaniments
- Fried or cooked Colombian baby potatoes.
- Small grilled arepas.
- Colombian hot sauce.
- Pineapple sauce.
- Fried cassava.
- Cabbage salad.
- Colombian soda or fresh juice.
Food tradition
In Colombia, the word chuzo is widely used for grilled food threaded on a skewer. Although skewers appear in many cuisines, Colombian chuzos are particularly tied to street-food culture, sauces, and sides such as potatoes, arepas, and cassava.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose tender cuts suitable for quick grilling, such as sirloin, top sirloin, or a tender flank steak. Avoid very tough cuts because they can become chewy when cooked as small cubes. Keep the pieces evenly sized so every skewer cooks at the same pace.
Yes. Use a grill pan or heavy skillet heated well over medium-high heat for a similar browned finish. Turn the skewers regularly and avoid overcrowding the pan, so the meat sears instead of steaming in its own juices.
Cooking time depends on cube size and your preferred doneness. For 3 cm cubes, grill them for 10 to 14 minutes over medium-high heat, turning regularly. The beef should be browned outside and still juicy inside, without becoming dry.
Yes. You can marinate and assemble them up to 12 hours in advance, as long as you keep them covered in the refrigerator. Take them out 15 minutes before grilling for more even cooking. Grill them only when you are ready to serve.
