Peruvian · lunch, dinner
Anticuchos de Corazon (Peruvian Beef Heart Skewers)
Anticuchos de corazón
Video by Abelca on YouTube, in Spanish · Open on YouTube
- Low carb (4.3 g net carbs) but not keto: 23% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Beef heart is lean and high in protein: about 37 g protein and 4 g net carbs a serve, more than five days' vitamin B12 and rich in iron and selenium, marinated in chilli, garlic and vinegar.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 9
Method
The cook speaks Spanish; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Trim the fat and sinew off the beef heart, then cut the clean meat into small, even pieces for the skewers. 0:12
- Make the marinade: in a bowl mix the ají paste with salt, cumin, garlic paste, black pepper and oregano rubbed between your palms. Stir in the vinegar and bay leaves, taste and adjust the salt. 0:32
- Pour the marinade over the heart, mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or better overnight. 2:05
- Thread 3–4 pieces of marinated heart onto each bamboo skewer. 3:40
- Cook the skewers on a very hot ridged grill pan (or a charcoal grill), turning them, until browned on all sides, a few minutes a side. 4:05
Tip. Serves 3 (our estimate: 3 skewers each). The cook plates them with mushrooms and snow peas tossed in olive oil, garlic and oregano and grilled, plus small boiled potatoes in their skins; potatoes and corn are the usual street sides.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 3
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 8%
- Protein 67%
- Fat 25%
Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High563%
14 µg a serve, mostly from beef heart (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Selenium High90%
50 µg a serve, mostly from beef heart (98%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin C High55%
50 mg a serve, mostly from ají especial paste (96%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Iron High48%
8.6 mg a serve, mostly from beef heart (93%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc High34%
3.8 mg a serve, mostly from beef heart (96%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B6 High32%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from beef heart (54%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin E Source12%
1.9 mg a serve, mostly from ají especial paste (77%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Show the other 8
Potassium9%
440 mg a serve, mostly from beef heart (63%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Magnesium9%
38 mg a serve, mostly from beef heart (69%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin K8%
9.9 µg a serve, mostly from ají especial paste (75%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Omega-35%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from beef heart (48%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Folate4%
18 µg a serve, mostly from ají especial paste (60%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Calcium3%
33 mg a serve, mostly from ground garlic paste (36%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin A2%
22 µg a serve, mostly from ají especial paste (98%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from beef heart (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Abelca; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.