Suya (Spicy Shish Kebab)

Name: Suya (Spicy Shish Kebab)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 pounds of sirloin or chuck roast; ¼ cup roasted peanuts or almonds, ground; 1 tablespoon cayenne or groud red African pepper, add an additional tablespoon for more spice; 2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 tablespoon white pepper; 1 chicken Bouillon cube; salt to taste; Vegetable oil to brush on the meat

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Nigerian suya, a spicy shish kebab with a spice blend of roasted peanuts and pepper. Perfect for grilling and irresistibly delicious!

There are a few things in life I’d give up a kidney for, (no idea why I picked kidney lol) and suya hands down is definitely one of them! If you aren’t familiar with this dish, the simplest way to describe it is skewered meat or meat on a stick. However, I like to say it’s so much more than meat on a stick because of the flavor! Suya hands down is probably one of the most flavorful pieces of meat I’ve ever tasted, and I’m always craving more. I’ve loved suya since childhood. It’s the epitome of Nigerian street food, and every town has it’s go to suya spot. You’ll see vendors out there all day, grilling meat with spices and the high orange flame and smells- it’s truly magical.

Eager to replicate this at home, I spent some time coming up with what I think are the best combinations for suya. A good quality piece of meat, and an even better spice blend. For the beef, I like to use a nice chuck roast or sirloin. You want a tender piece of meat that is easy to cut and not too tough or chewy. I also like to pound my meat flat or thin; you can ask the butcher to do this for you if you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself. From there you want to cut the beef into small, uniform pieces so that they all cook evenly on the grill.

For my spice blend; I think I have come up with the perfect blend. I roasted some peanuts (almonds work great) in the oven, and then tossed them in a blender with the skins on to grind into a powder. Then I mixed the nuts with some white pepper, smoked paprika, ground red pepper, garlic powder, and a chicken bouillon cube.

From there you just thread the skewers with the beef, brush the meat with oil after its on the skewer, and then pack the spices on to the meat. That simple! Grill for 15 to 20 minutes, and you have yourself some delicious spicy and tender suya!

For more grilling recipes, check out these Sweet & Savory Black Bean Pork Kabobs!