Puerto Rican Pinchos/Pinchos de Cerdo

Hyper flavorful, delicious Puerto Rican Pinchos/Pinchos de Cerdo (Puerto Rican Pork Skewers).  These are pork chunks marinated in Puerto Rican spices and then cooked over an open flame or grilled and traditionally topped with a sliver of bread.  If you have never had Puerto Rican Pinchos/Pinchos de Cerdo, then you are certainly in for a major treat!

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What are Pinchos?

If you have ever been to Puerto Rico then you know that Pinchos are found everywhere!

These are an extremely popular street food sold on the side of the road in food kiosks (frituras), restaurants and restaurants along the beach.

You will find pinchos sold all the way from my coastal hometown of Lajas all the way through the island into the Metropolitan Area of San Juan.

Puerto Rican Pinchos translates to Puerto Rican Skewers.

Although these delicious juicy skewers are mostly made with either pork or chicken, you will also find them made with beef as well.

The chicken or pork chunks are marinated in Puerto Rican spices and vinegar and then are traditionally cooked over an open flame or grilled.  Once cooked, they are then topped with either a “garlic mojo” sauce or barbeque sauce and then the skewer is topped with a sliver of bread.

Quick Note!  Keep a look out for my Pinchos de Pollo (Puerto Rican Chicken Skewers) coming soon!

You can also choose to order your Puerto Rican Pincho “plain” without any sauce at all.  The seasonings infuse so well into the meat, they are delicious either way!

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The Key to Making the Best Pinchos Possible

For today’s recipe, I wanted to introduce you to these hyper flavorful, pork pinchos or Pinchos de Cerdo.

In Puerto Rico, “Pinchos de Cerdo” are also known as “Pinchos de Carne” which means “meat skewers” but can also mean “beef skewers.”

The key to making truly authentic Pinchos is not just the marinade but how they are cooked.

Using lump charcoal (leña in spanish) to cook them is key!  Not charcoal briquettes but instead lump charcoal!  I promise you, if you have ever been to Puerto Rico and had these, you will feel like you have been transported back!

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NOTE:  If you do not have a charcoal barbecue or grill, don’t worry, you can still enjoy these cooked in your oven.

Also, if you cannot find lump charcoal in your area or local depot, you can then use briquettes.

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However, I will say, although these will still be delicious there is no better or more truer method of cooking Puerto Rican Pinchos than over an open flame of lump charcoal!

The smells alone, will make your mouth water!

The charcoal flavor infuses into the pinchos or in this case the pinchos de cerdo, making these absolutely heavenly!

Ingredients to Make Pinchos de Cerdo

For the Pork

• 2 pounds pork butt or pork shoulder
• 1 packet Sazon with Annatto
• 1 teaspoon of adobo seasoning
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vinegar

Extras

How to Make Pinchos

1. Marinate the wooden skewers in water for 20 minutes to help prevent charring.  (I use my kitchen sink to do this)
2. Rinse and cut pork into 1 inch chunks.
3. Add the pork chunks to a bowl and add the sazon, adobo, cumin, oregano, oil and vinegar.  With a spoon or your hands, mix seasoning well into pork.
4. Marinade for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
5. Cover and refrigerate to marinade.

1. Once pork has marinated, skewer pork chunks onto wooden skewers.

1. After lighting lump charcoal and letting it start to heat, wait until it forms some “white ash” on top, then lightly oil grill grate with a brush.
2. Add pinchos and cook on one side for about 10 minutes and check that they are not burning.
3. With a pair of tongs, flip pinchos over and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. While pinchos are cooking, make the garlic mojo.  Add peeled garlic and oil to a blender and blend or use a morter and pestle.
5. Flip over again and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Flip one more time and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Pinchos are done.
8. Brush with garlic mojo, barbeque sauce or leave plain.
9. I like to mix match mine for company to give them options.
10. Don’t forget to top each skewer with a slice of bread.

Optional and what I do:  Add the bread slices to the grill and brush with garlic mojo.  Char on each side for a minute.

Top each skewer with a slice of bread!  Truly authentic pinchos!

Update!  Pinchos de Pollo (Puerto Rico Chicken Skewers) are here!

For more delicious Pork and Puerto Rican Dishes you will also love these:

Carne Frita (Fried Pork Chunks)

Camarones al Ajillo (Puerto Rican Garlic Shrimp)

Puerto Rican Stuffed Peppers

Puerto Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas)

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