Easy to make beef skewers seasoned with the most incredible peanut based spice mix for a show-off worthy party appetizer or insatiable main dish. Trust me, you won’t be able to eat just one.
The music of Fertile Ground is highly spiritual. I listen and immediately feel a connection that goes beyond the beat and melody. Such is also the experience to eating really really good beef suya. Enjoy a few skewers, crack open a cold one, and just “let the wind blow!”
What is Beef Suya?
If you are interested in developing Nigerian recipes, start with Beef suya. It is Nigerian street food featuring grilled beef skewers seasoned with ground peanuts and spices.
Suya actually refers to the seasoning mix which typically includes the aforementioned ground peanuts, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili pepper.
The flavor is complex and the aroma is strong but pleasant. Heat levels vary depending on the cook, but the depth of flavor is consistent and is the draw that will make you overeat if you’re not careful.
What Ingredients Is Suya Made With?
The ingredient list is a short one. The suya spice mix drives the dish. For the peanuts go for unsalted and non-roasted. For the spice mix that accompanies the peanut butter, I go with garlic powder, ground ginger, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Dial the cayenne up or down depending on your heat preference.
Tip: Use the lime after grilling the skewers. They brighten the dish and help bring out the flavors.
How to make beef suya skewers (step by step)?
step 1: Make the suya spice mix
Step 2: add the spices to the peanut puree
step 3: make the suya paste
step 5: prepare the meat
step 6: prepare the skewers
step 7: grill the beef
Serving Suggestions
These are in regular rotation at our family barbecues. The skewers make great appetizers or can be served over a bed of jollof rice for dinner.
Expert Cooking Tips
- Soak the skewers ahead of time so that they don’t burn when cooking
- Target beef slice sizes somewhere between a Greek kebab (chunky) and Vietnamese satay (thin)
- Salt the beef ahead of time to make them more receptive to the flavors from the spice mix
- Some spice heat is required as you’ll need it to balance against the peanut flavor. However, do adjust the seasoning to your preferred level.
- The brown sugar in the recipe helps achieve that caramelization on the beef when grilling. This is next-level flavor stuff and also adds that sexy visual appeal
- Dash the skewers with lime juice before serving
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How easy is it to make beef suya?
This is an easy, no fuss recipe. It’s actually fairly low involved. If you have a knife, blender, and grill you’re good to go. Skewering the meat is the only real work involved in this recipe. Beyond that, you’ll need to slice the beef and blend the seasoning mix, rub, grill and eat!
Tip: Slice you steak thinly. Thinner cuts will cook fast over high heat and remain tender.
What is the best beef for suya?
For this recipe I used sirloin. It’s a great cut to use as it’s easy to slice thinly. The key is to use a tender cut that can hold up to high heat grilling. Flat-iron and ribeyes are cuts that would do well also.
Does the suya spice work with other foods?
Traditional recipes call for beef, but the seasoning works just as well with chicken as well as lamb. I’m currently entertaining ideas for my next suya recipe. Who knows, maybe it will be recipes for popcorn or lobster. Stay tuned!
For other similar recipes try:
If you make these delicious crowd-pleasing Nigerian beef suya skewers please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs top Sirloin Steak Sliced into ½ inch thick cuts
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup UNSALTED DRY-ROASTED Peanuts
- 1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsps light brown sugar
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup Canola oil
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- Pulse peanuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, ginger, salt, sugar, and pepper; pulse to combine.
- Place 3/4 of the spice mix in a large mixing bowl. Reserve a quarter of the mixture and set aside for later.
- Add half the oil to the mixing bowl to create a paste. Mix thoroughly using your hands.
- Season beef with salt and let sit for half an hour
- Combine beef with the peanut mixture and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high (about 450°F). Using the remaining oil dampen a paper towels and brush the grate with it.
- Thread beef onto skewers. Grill, turning once or twice, until lightly charred and nearly cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter; squeeze lime juice onto skewers. Optionally, add remaining spice mix to the skewers. Serve with sliced red onion, tomato, and cucumber.
Notes
- If beef slices are too thick, feel free to pound them flatter and cut as necessary.
- Soak the skewers ahead of time so that they don’t burn when cooking
- Target beef slice sizes somewhere between a Greek kebab (chunky) and Vietnamese satay (thin)
- Salt the beef ahead of time to make them more receptive to the flavors from the spice mix
- Heat is a required as you’ll need it to balance against the peanut flavor. However, do adjust the seasoning to your preferred level.
- The brown sugar in the recipe helps achieve that caramelization on the beef when grilling. This is next level flavor stuff and also adds that sexy visual appeal
Looks tasty. I am african but not nigerian. This is not only nigerian beef. Very common thru out especially southern africa. Made from chicken to beef skews.
Especially on barberque
Only difference we mainly have in africa is when it comes to spices. But way of cooking remain same .
Wish I was there to be part of the feast
I grew up eating this in south africa and it’s common in Namibia too. Botswana.
Thank you and I especially like the feedback. The spices are definitely hard to come by, but I recently found a store nearby that carries some ingredients (spices and seasonings) native to Africa. I have some work to do to get up to speed and learn how to use them.
Haven’t tried the recipe yet but looking forward to it. When I was in Nigeria (not an easy place to get into),
I tried to ear Suya every day in the evening. It is a quick roadside treat served in newspaper along with
slices of read onion and flat bread. At least thats how they serve it in Northern Nigeria. I tried to make it
when I returned home but, never got the ingredients right. Thanks for sharing.
I hope to make it to Nigeria at some point and hopefully try some. Let me know what you think if you try it.
Making this right now and the spice mix seems really good. There are some issues with the instructions though. Instructions call for chili powder but none is listed in ingredients. I assume you mean the cayenne pepper. Most importantly, the instructions say to reserve 1/4 of the spice mix and 1/2 the oil, but then never say what to do with them! I hope you can add these instructions, as this looks like a really good recipe.
Hey great catch. You are correct the instructions should be for cayenne and not chili powder. I’ve used both and prefer just the cayenne. As for what to do with the reserve spice mix – it’s optional but I like to dust the finished skewers with some additional seasonal before eating. Enjoy!
Awesome! And what about the reserve oil?
Mike,
I used the reserved oil to brush my grill grates. Basically you can douse a folded napkin/paper towel and wipe the grates down with it before adding the skewers. Hot grill grates + oil is how you get the grill marks and most importantly keep the meat from sticking.
That’s what I figured the reserve oil was for. Thanks Marwin. About to throw mine on the grill right now!
Thanks for this recipe. I’ve never been to Africa, so can’t compare this to “the real thing,” but I thought this was great! I liked it best when I squeezed a lot of lime on it. Really easy too. Definite keeper!
Thanks Mike! Glad you liked it. I’m a fan of the lime as well. I also make it with a bit more heat when I’m cooking for myself
This is a new recipe for me…never heard of beef suya before. It sounds a lot like Malaysian satay and now my mouth is watering. Imagine the aromas coming off the street vendors while these are grilling? Delicious!
I’ve never heard of (nor tasted) beef suya and now it’s all I want to eat. I love the peanut-based spice mixture it’s cooked in.
I love food, but I love the backstory even more. This peanut sauce looks so tasty. My family is going to love it!
This dish had the most incredible flavors! My whole family loved it. Thanks so much for sharing!
What a fantastic recipe! I’ve not heard of suya before but I will definitely be adding this to my summer meal rotation! Food on a stick is always more fun!
I just shared your recipe with my brother. he loves this and will cook for his friends too.
We watch a lot of programmes about Nigeria and Nigerian food! It all looks so good! This recipe is especially perfect for eating outside – throw it in the grill (or braii in SA!) and away you go!
I made for dinner tonight and oh my was it good .. the spice blend was awesome. It is now on my list of favorites. I made a Jollof rice to go with perfect.. unfortunately not your recipe I didn’t see you had one listed till after I want to make yours now!
I sent the recipe to a dear friend of mine who’s been raving about Nigerian cuisine and it’s been a success. She loved it so very much!
The combination of spice and aromatics sounds incredible -I can almost taste how good these skewers are!
Yum, these skewers look delicious! I love learning about new cuisines and trying different flavour combos. I will have to try these soon!
This would make an awesome appetizer!
This looks so good and full of flavours! Bbq season here we come 🙂
Indeed they are similar to satays
They are addictive. Great for crowds too
Thank you!
I’m trying to eat my way through Africa virtually. South Africa is next!