Marinated Espetada Authentic Recipe
Authentic Espetada Recipe Madeira, Portugal
- 1.5 lb (700g) beef tenderloin or sirloin
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 bay (laurel) leaves
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- coarse sea salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Cut the meat into cubes and chop the onion and garlic finely.
- Prepare the marinade by combining onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Marinate the meat for 4-6 hours.
- Skewer the meat on wooden sticks, placing a bay leaf between cubes.
- Grill the espetadas over ember until they develop a smoky flavor and become browned on the outside.
- Serve hot with papo secos – Portuguese bread buns.
Introduction & history
A perfect example how a mouthwatering dish can be made with the simplest ingredients, the Portuguese espetada is most commonly associated with the version from the Madeira archipelago, where it is hailed as a local delicacy. Soft cuts of beef — such as tenderloin, sirloin, or short loin — are cut into uniform cubes, seasoned with crushed garlic and bay (laurel) leaves, and skewered on bay wood. A traditional method dictates grilling espetada over grape wood embers, although other types of non-resinous wood may be used. Over the years, the original espetada evolved into other varieties with pork, various sausages, seafood, and vegetables, although beef espetada is still regarded as the most popular one. Nowadays, espetada is prepared in numerous Portuguese restaurants, at parties and picnics. In Madeira, they serve it with local flatbread bolo de caco and grilled cornmeal milho frito.
