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Beef suya skewers on a dish with tomato slices, red onion slices.

Beef Sūya (Nutty Spiced Beef Skewers)

Sūya is Nigerian street food at its finest—think flame-grilled nutty, spicy meat cradled in paper with a side of fresh tomatoes, sliced red onions, peppers, cabbage and some yajin kuli for dipping. Though sūya often refers to meat skewers, it’s an umbrella name for grilled or roasted meat.
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Equipment

  • spice mill
  • small bowl
  • lidded jar
  • metal skewers
  • plastic wrap
  • plate or small baking sheet
  • chef's knife
  • large bowl
  • charcoal grill or gas grill
  • serving platter

Ingredients

Yajin Kuli

  • 1 tbsp alligator pepper seeds
  • 4 whole uda pods
  • 3 ehuru seeds shelled
  • 3 whole cloves
  • ½ tsp whole uziza peppercorns
  • 1 cup ground kuli-kuli
  • 2 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp dry pepper
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1½ tsp fine sea salt

Suya

  • 1 lb 450 g beef filet, sirloin or blade steak
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil plus more for the grill
  • ⅓ cup yaji spice plus more as needed
  • To Serve
  • ½ cup Yajin Kuli
  • thinly sliced red onions
  • sliced tomatoes

Instructions
 

Yajin Kuli

  • In spice mill, combine alligator pepper, uda, ehuru, cloves and uziza peppercorns and grind. Add kuli-kuli and grind again as finely as possible. (You may need to do this in batches.) Empty ground spice mixture into bowl and add paprika, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, dry pepper, sugar and salt. Stir to combine, then transfer to jar with lid. Set aside to rest for 2 to 3 days, then regrind and discard large bits.
  • If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling so they don’t burn on the grill.

Sūya

  • Wrap beef tightly in plastic wrap and place on plate or small baking sheet. Freeze for 15 to 30 minutes, until partially frozen and firm to the touch.
  • Unwrap meat. With sharp chef’s knife, slice meat against the grain into strips that are 2 in (5 cm) long, 1 in (2.5 cm) wide and 1⁄8 in (3 mm) thick. The easiest and most efficient way to do this is to portion beef into pieces that are 2 in (5 wide and 1 in (2.5 cm) thick and then cut those pieces crosswise into strips that are 1⁄8 in (3 mm) thick.
  • Put meat strips in large bowl, drizzle oil over them and then sprinkle with 2 tbsp of the yaji. Carefully toss and massage yaji into meat until it is evenly coated. Season with another 2 tbsp of the yaji.
  • Working with one piece at a time, thread beef onto metal or wooden skewers, piercing each piece in two places to secure it, then spread meat out on skewer so it will cook evenly. Leave 2 in (5 cm) of skewer exposed at either end.
  • Place completed skewer on platter and repeat with the remaining beef. Once all skewers are assembled, sprinkle the remaining yaji on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours before grilling.
  • If using charcoal grill, light chimney starter full of charcoal. When coals are hot and covered with gray ash, carefully spread onto one side of grill. If using gas grill, set burners on one side of grill to high. (Leave the other side off.) Cover and preheat for 5 to 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
  • Place skewers on grill over direct heat and cook for about 8 minutes, turning them over once, until charred on both sides and cooked through. Transfer to serving platter and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. (Alternatively, let skewers rest for 1 to 2 hours, then reheat as needed.)
  • Serve the skewers with the Yajin Kuli, onions and tomatoes.
Keyword bbq