Pineapple Habanero Beef Skewers with Coriander Lime
Fresh pineapple and habanero give these skewers sweet heat with plenty of energy, while coriander and lime keep the flavour sharp and clean. Serve them when you want a barbecue dish that feels vibrant, punchy and excellent with lighter summer sides.
Ingredients
- 700 g beef sirloin or rump cut into 3cm cubes
- 250 g fresh pineapple cut into 2.5cm chunks
- 1 red onion cut into chunky wedges
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 metal skewers or 4 large skewers
For the pineapple habanero marinade
- 3 tbsp pineapple juice
- 1 small habanero chilli deseeded and very finely chopped
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the coriander lime finish
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
Make the marinade
- In a bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, chopped habanero, honey, soy sauce, lime juice, neutral oil, garlic, ginger, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and black pepper.
Coat the beef
- Add the beef cubes and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Because of the pineapple juice, I don’t leave this one much longer than that or the surface texture can soften too much.
Prepare the barbecue
- Heat your BBQ with one hot direct zone and one gentler zone. Clean the grill grates and brush them lightly with oil. Take the beef out of the fridge 15 to 20 minutes before cooking.
Assemble the skewers
- Thread the beef onto skewers, alternating with pineapple chunks and red onion wedges. Leave a bit of space between the pieces so the heat can circulate and the edges can brown properly.
Grill over direct heat
- Cook the skewers over direct heat for about 2 minutes per side, turning carefully. The pineapple should pick up light char and the beef should start to caramelise at the edges.
Finish over gentler heat
- Move the skewers to the cooler side if the sugars begin to darken too quickly. Continue cooking until the beef is done to your liking and the onion has softened slightly.
Add the coriander lime finish
- Mix the chopped coriander with the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Rest the skewers for 5 minutes, then spoon the dressing over just before serving.
Notes
Fresh pineapple is the better choice here. Tinned pineapple can work in a pinch, though it’s usually softer and sweeter, which means it doesn’t hold its shape as well on the skewers. Fresh chunks stay firmer, pick up better char and give you that sweet-acid balance which makes the beef taste brighter. Pineapple juice in the marinade should be unsweetened if possible, otherwise the glaze can tip too sugary.
With habanero, I take a cautious approach first and then build up. One small chilli, deseeded, gives this recipe a lively kick without turning it into a test of endurance. Leave some seeds in if you want more intensity. Gloves are a sensible idea when chopping it. For the beef, sirloin is lovely if you want a tender, cleaner bite, but rump works brilliantly too and stands up well to the sharp fruit and chilli.
Nutrition
Calories: 421kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 33gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 736mgPotassium: 670mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 530IUCalcium: 39mgIron: 3.8mg
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