Tapas come in many sizes, with many flavors, sometimes with meat, and sometimes without. Even though we like a lot of meat-free dishes – these small meat skewers, also known as Pinchos Morunos (Moorish meat skewers) are great! Pork or beef is usually used for these skewers, but we have also tried them with lamb meat or chicken. I’m sure you could also try making them with tofu. With the right seasoning, almost anything is possible ;P
We are big tapas fans here. Instead of an elaborate cooked dinner, we often prefer having dinner with several small tapas. A table full of small dishes with snack-sized food, veggies, cold cuts, bread, and more. That’s something that makes us happy ;) The tapas do not have to be complicated. Most tapas are quite simple and require not a lot of preparations… well, except for these meat skewers maybe ;P
I think Salamanca is quite famous for its Pinchos Morunos, but you can find these delicious Moorish meat skewers all over Spain. Who would want to miss out on this?! Any restaurant serving these skewers will have a lot of returning customers, right? I would most definitely come back if the Pinchos Morunos are good…
The name »Pinchos Morunos« aka. »Moorish meat skewers« has a connection to the Moorish conquerors of Spain, of course. But why the skewers exactly get the name… I have no idea. Maybe because of the spices used? Or because they look like little kebab skewers? Who knows? If you know, let me know ;)
It doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the great flavors and not about who has given a name to something. Names are not important when it comes to enjoying food. I love these small skewers and could eat them all the time. Call them John, Joe, or Mary. Who cares. Simple meat skewers, no dips or sauces needed… end of babbling ;P
Pinchos Morunos are seasoned differently depending on the region they are from. I suppose everyone has their own little »secret recipe«. I took inspiration from two different recipes – one from a Spanish cookbook and one from the internet. Mishmash. Depending on the spices used, the skewers can be mild or spicy. Mine are mildly spiced. Instead of the Pimentón Dulce Ahumado, you could use a spicier version of the paprika powder called Pimentón Picante or just add a little cayenne pepper, for example. In many Spanish bars, you can decide how you want the meat skewers – mild or wild ;)
I prefer preparing the skewers less spicy but serving them with some Mojo Picón – a hot sauce from the Canary Islands. This means everyone involved can decide themselves if they want the skewers mild or wild. After all, we don’t want to force anyone to their happiness ;P
¡Buen provecho!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(3-4 portions)
For the marinade:
1 tsp. Pimentón Dulce Ahumado*
1/2 tsp. cumin (whole)*
1/2 tsp. black pepper (whole)*
1/4 tsp. sea salt
a few saffron threads*
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
about 60ml olive oil
For the skewers:
17.6 oz. (500g) pork tenderloin, in small pieces
some small wooden skewers
(3-4 Portionen)
Für die Marinade:
1 TL Pimentón Dulce Ahumado*
1/2 TL Kreuzkümmel (ganz)*
1/2 TL schwarzer Pfeffer (ganz)*
1/4 TL Meersalz
einige Safranfäden*
1/2 Zwiebel, fein gehackt
2 Knoblauchzehen, fein gehackt
2 EL frischer Koriander, gehackt
1 EL frische Petersilie, gehackt
1 TL frischer Ingwer, fein gehackt
1 EL Zitronensaft
etwa 60ml Olivenöl
Für die Spieße:
500g Schweinefilet, in kleinen Stücken
einige kleine Holzspieße
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. For the marinade add the spices to a mortar – Pimentón, cumin, pepper, sea salt, and a few saffron threads. Grind everything to a fairly fine powder. Add the chopped onion, garlic, coriander, parsley, ginger, and lemon juice, and mix/grind everything to create a paste. Add the olive oil and mix. Let the marinade sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes.
2. Wash the meat, pat dry, and remove any excess fat. Cut the meat into small pieces and place it in a bowl. Add marinade as well and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl and let the meat marinate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight (in the fridge).
3. Soak the wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes before using them to prevent them from burning. Thread the pieces of meat onto the skewers and grill/ sear on a barbecue or in a frying pan over high heat – about 2 minutes on each side. The meat should be fully cooked but not dry. Serve the meat skewers with a dip or sauce, such as Mojo Picón.
1. Alle Gewürze in einen Mörser geben – Pimentón, Kreuzkümmel, Pfeffer, Meersalz und einige Safranfäden – alles zu einem recht feinen Pulver vermahlen. Gehackte Zwiebel, Knoblauch, Koriander, Petersilie, Ingwer und Zitronensaft dazugeben und alles zu einer Paste verreiben. Das Olivenöl dazugeben und verrühren. Die entstandene Marinade mindestens 30 Minuten ziehen lassen.
2. Das Fleisch waschen, trockentupfen und von überschüssigem Fett befreien. In kleine Stücke schneiden und in eine Schüssel geben. Die Marinade zuschütten und alles gut vermengen. Die Schüssel abdecken und dann für mindestens 1-2 Stunden oder über Nacht (im Kühlschrank) marinieren lassen.
3. Die Holzspieße vor dem Gebraucht etwa 30 Minuten in etwas Wasser einweichen lassen, damit sie beim Anbraten später nicht verbrennen. Die Fleischstücke auf den Spießen aufreihen und dann auf einem Grill oder einer Pfanne bei hoher Hitze grillen/anbraten – etwa 2 Minuten von jeder Seite. Das Fleisch sollte komplett durchgegart, aber nicht trocken sein. Fleischspieße mit einem Dip oder einer Soße, wie z.B. Mojo Picón servieren.
Tapas go well with, who would have thought, some great Spanish red wine! Beer works too, of course. I’ve seen some good offers for wine packages on Amazon. We have already tested this wine set* and thought it was quite good. However, if you have a wine merchant nearby, it’s best to go there and get advice on the spot. At a local wine merchant, you may also be able to sample wines and find a good one more quickly :)
Craving more? Keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for new post updates and more. You can also contact me with any questions or inquiries!
Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Pinchos Morunos aka. Moorish Meat Skewers
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:15
- Total Time: 03:00
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Tapas
- Cuisine: Spain
Description
Delicious Moorish pork skewers with the typical Spanish flavors – the perfect tapas/snack along with an ice-cold beer and some bread. Sounds good, right?!
Ingredients
For the marinade:
1 tsp. Pimentón Dulce Ahumado*
1/2 tsp. cumin (whole)*
1/2 tsp. black pepper (whole)*
1/4 tsp. sea salt
a few saffron threads*
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
about 60ml olive oil
For the skewers:
17.6 oz. (500g) pork tenderloin, in small pieces
some small wooden skewers
Instructions
1. For the marinade add the spices to a mortar – Pimentón, cumin, pepper, sea salt, and a few saffron threads. Grind everything to a fairly fine powder. Add the chopped onion, garlic, coriander, parsley, ginger, and lemon juice, and mix/grind everything to create a paste. Add the olive oil and mix. Let the marinade sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes.
2. Wash the meat, pat dry, and remove any excess fat. Cut the meat into small pieces and place it in a bowl. Add marinade as well and mix until well combined. Cover the bowl and let the meat marinate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight (in the fridge).
3. Soak the wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes before using them to prevent them from burning. Thread the pieces of meat onto the skewers and grill/ sear on a barbecue or in a frying pan over high heat – about 2 minutes on each side. The meat should be fully cooked but not dry. Serve the meat skewers with a dip or sauce, such as Mojo Picón.
Notes
¡Buen provecho!
Links marked with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links (advertising/Werbung) to Amazon Germany. If you click on one of those links and buy something via this link, I will get a commission for that sale. The price of whatever you buy is not affected in any way by this.
