In China, street vendors offer grilled meat skewers seasoned with cumin and chili peppers. These multi-spiced beef skewers are served piping hot and could be a more exciting Memorial Day dish than the usual hot dog or hamburger.
To create layers of flavor, the chefs at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street season the meat twice. Some of the heady spice blend is poured over the beef just before cooking. The rest is sprinkled on at the end. Be sure to slice the meat against the grain. You can substitute shoulder or boneless leg of lamb for lamb skewers.
Inspired by the meat skewers sold by street vendors in China, these doubly spiced beef skewers are served piping hot and richly flavored with cumin and chili peppers—a Memorial Day dish that’s way more exciting than the usual hot dog or hamburger.
In this recipe from our cookbook Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year , a heady spice blend is added to the beef just before cooking, then sprinkled on more at the end. This creates layers of flavor that you won’t get with simply marinated and grilled skewers.
Strips of beef steak are first tossed in a mixture of sherry, soy sauce and oil to give them a deeply flavorful note. Keeping the meat in strips rather than cubes increases the surface area available for browning while ensuring quick and even cooking.
While the meat is being seasoned, cumin, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorns are toasted until fragrant, then coarsely ground and mixed with salt. Some of the mixture is set aside and the rest is sprinkled on both sides of the meat and gently tapped on the surface to help it adhere.
The skewers are then grilled hot and quick over charcoal until charred on all sides, then finished with the reserved spice mix and drizzled with chili oil for a little heat.
To make lamb skewers instead of beef, called yang rou chuan, substitute boneless lamb shoulder or leg; be sure to cut the meat against the grain. While these skewers are usually enjoyed as a snack, if served with steamed rice and stir-fried vegetables, they make a satisfying dinner.
CHINESE SPICY BEEF SKEWERS (NIU ROU CHUAN)
From start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
1½ pounds flat-leaf beef steak, cut across the grain into ¼-inch-thick strips
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral oil, plus more for grill grate
2½ tablespoons cumin seeds
2½ teaspoons fennel seeds
1½ teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Chili oil, for serving (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine beef, sherry, soy sauce and oil. Let stand at room temperature while you prepare spice mix and grill.
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the cumin, fennel, and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and add the chili flakes. Pulse until coarsely ground, about 10 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Measure out 1 tablespoon of the mixture and reserve for use as a garnish.
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct, high-heat cooking. For a charcoal grill, light a large chimney of coals and let them burn until lightly covered with ash, then spread the coals evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the grill’s bottom vents and the lid vent. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high. Heat the grill, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate.
While the grill is heating, thread the beef onto ten 8- to 10-inch metal skewers, dividing the meat evenly and pushing the pieces together. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over both sides of the meat, patting gently to adhere.
Grill until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and grill until lightly charred on the other side, 2 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle both sides of the skewers with the reserved spice mixture, then drizzle with chili oil (if using).
OVEN COOKING METHOD
Follow the recipe to prepare and distribute the spice mixture. Heat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches from the element. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then place a rack in the baking sheet. While the broiler is heating, thread the beef onto ten 8- to 10-inch metal skewers, distributing the meat evenly. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over both sides of the meat, patting gently to adhere.
Spread the skewers evenly on the grill and grill until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip each skewer and grill until the second side is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle both sides of the skewers with the reserved spice mixture, then drizzle with chili oil, if using.
