Espetada madeirense

Name: Espetada madeirense
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 1 kg beef rump or sirloin; 6 garlic cloves; 2 tsp coarse sea salt; 10 bay leaves; 2 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 4 metal skewers or straight bay branches

Garlic and bay beef skewers

Espetada madeirense: garlic and bay beef skewers, grilled over hot coals

Features:

High protein Dairy free

Cuisine:

Portuguese

In Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, on the hillsides above Funchal, the September wine harvest ends with espetada: big cubes of beef rubbed with garlic, salt and crushed bay, threaded onto bay branches and roasted over a wood fire. Restaurants hang the long skewers from hooks above the table, so everyone slides off their own pieces. It is eaten with bolo do caco, milho frito and a salad. Chef's tip: cut the beef into large 4 cm cubes, which stay juicy in the middle while the outside chars.

Total time: 35 min
Difficulty: easy
Serves: 4

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Ingredients

Serves4

2 ¼ lb beef rump or sirlointrimmed, cut into 4 cm cubes
6 garlic clovescrushed
2 tsp coarse sea salt
10 bay leavesfresh or dried; 6 crumbled, 4 whole
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
4 metal skewers or straight bay branchessoaked for 30 minutes if wooden

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What you'll need

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (1)

beef rump or sirloin

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Method

0/6 done

Step 1: Pound 6 garlic cloves, 2 tsp coarse sea salt and 6 of the 6 bay leaves leaves (crumbled) in a mortar to a rough paste. Stir in 2 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp black pepper.
Step 2: Rub the paste all over 2 ¼ lb beef rump or sirloin, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours.
120 min
Step 3: Light a charcoal grill and wait until the coals are covered with grey ash, or heat a griddle pan until smoking. Take the beef out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking.
20 min
Step 4: Thread the beef onto 4 metal skewers or straight bay branches, tucking the remaining 4 bay leaves leaves between the pieces. Don't pack them tightly, or the sides won't brown.
Step 5: Grill for 10–14 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until well charred outside. The meat should feel springy when pressed for medium-rare (131°F inside) and firmer for medium (140°F); cook it longer if you like it well done. A common mistake is putting it on lukewarm coals: the beef stews and turns grey instead of searing.
14 min
Step 6: Rest the skewers for 5 minutes and serve them hanging or laid on the table, with bolo do caco to catch the juices.
5 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 410 kcal
Protein: 52 g
Carbs: 1 g
Fat: 22 g
Fibre: 0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does espetada madeirense take?: About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of garlic cloves?: ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
What can I use instead of bay leaves?: Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).

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