How to Make Pinchos Morunos: 8 Tips for Spanish-Style Kebabs

Although it is easy to assume making pinchos morunos is largely a matter of throwing some flavorful seasonings onto small chunks of meat and tossing them onto the grill, there is actually a lot more to the process than just “grill some stuff”.

This is because the very small size of the meat creates a narrow window of time in which they can achieve that nice char we associate with grilled meats, such as on the outside, without drying out completely on the inside. So even though it might seem like all you are trying to do is get as much of that char as possible, that is really not the case; you must control four factors, including meat size, marinade strength, grill temperature and internal temperature, independent of each other so you can get the exterior to burn nicely without losing the juiciness you expect.

8 Steps for Juicy Spanish-Style Kebabs 

Use Uniformly Sized Chunks

By using fairly uniformly sized pieces of meat you minimize the chance that larger pieces will be significantly drier than smaller ones after cooking. Of course, you still cannot eliminate completely the possibility that larger pieces may end up somewhat drier than others. But you certainly reduce the risk. Additionally, having uniform sizes simplifies things if you are going to be cooking many skewers at once.

Let Your Marinade Do Its Job

As stated above, pinchos morunos owe a significant portion of their identity to their seasoning. Most recipes include a combination of ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander and/or various other spices. And unlike when you cook a single large roast in which all of the seasonings tend to accumulate at the exterior, the smaller pieces used for pinchos morunos give you considerably more surface area for seasoning to work against.

So give your marinade plenty of time to soak into your meat and provide flavor prior to grilling. However, remember that having too much marinade on the surface doesn’t automatically equate to more flavor. Extra liquid can hinder browning once your skewers hit the grill.

Remove Excess Moisture Prior To Grilling

You want your meat to be seasoned – not swimming in marinade!

When excess moisture hits a hot grill it has no choice but evaporate. That means instead of instantly developing those nice brown edges that mark a well-cooked pincho moruno, the meat will likely spend precious time releasing moisture.

And the excess oil on top of the grill can also start fires. When flames erupt suddenly they may scorch certain parts of your skewer before the meat at the center is even close to being done.

Remove excess marinade prior to putting your skewers on the grill. This way you will have enough marinade left to add flavor but the exterior will also have ample opportunity to darken properly.

Space Your Meat Properly On A Skewer

There is nothing wrong with trying to squeeze as many pieces of meat as possible onto a skewer. However, when you press every last piece tightly together you limit how much surface area is exposed to direct heat.

Leave a bit of space between each chunk. This allows more of your skewered meat to be exposed to direct airflow and heat. As a result you will be able to get a better-brown finish on each piece rather than ending up with a bunch of charred ends and paler surfaces where the pieces touched. You don’t need huge amounts of space, simply enough so that none of your pieces touch.

Set Up Separate Heat Zones On Your Grill

Hot temperatures are wonderful for achieving a deep brown edge on your pinchos morunos, and that is precisely what characterizes these types of grilled kebabs. The problem arises when hot temperatures become your sole means of cooking.

Establish two zones: one for browning (hot), and another for finishing off the rest of the cooking (moderate).

If your skewer starts getting good browning on the outside before it is fully cooked, transfer it to a lower-heat zone. If it is mostly done internally but needs more browning, run it over high heat for a few minutes.

This type of separation gives you far greater control over when your interior cooks vs. when you achieve the exterior browning than if you were trying to do it all with high heat alone.

Appearance Does Not Equate To Doneness

Appearance and doneness are often discussed interchangeably when it comes to grilled meats. In reality, however, they represent two distinct concepts.

In fact, pinchos morunos serve as a prime example of this. While the outside edges of your pinchos morunos can develop color incredibly quickly under high heat, the resulting color tells you absolutely nothing about what is happening inside the meat.

Similarly, timing doesn’t always guarantee successful results either. Even if every piece appears to look identical upon completion, varying levels of initial thickness, starting temperature and proximity to the grill itself can lead to faster-than-average internal cooking times among different pieces.

Therefore, rely on visual indicators of browning success and internal temperature to assess what is truly occurring within your meat.

Measure Internal Temperature Using an Instant Read Meat Thermometer

With a multitude of fast-cooking small pieces of meat involved with pinchos morunos, rapid temperature readings become essential. The TempPro TempSwift CORE TP15H Instant-Read Meat Thermometer provides accurate internal temperature readings in roughly one second, with ±0.9° F accuracy, thereby enabling you to check several pieces without wasting a lot of time hovering over a hot grill.

Its 5.4-inch food-grade stainless steel probe is specifically designed for grilling and enables you to reach further across your grill while maintaining safe distance from fire.

Don’t test just one piece and then assume all pieces on your skewer are cooked equally. Instead, check several of the thicker pieces, as well as several pieces from different sections of your grill, regardless of how many skewers you’re preparing. Finally, with its Lock Feature, you can save a reading temporarily while moving the instant-read kitchen thermometer away from heat sources before verifying the results.

At night-time BBQs, its bright backlight feature makes displaying temperature readings visible around dimly lit backyard grill settings.

Finish With High Heat To Get Those Classic Burnt Edge Flavors

Once your meat approaches its optimal internal temperature, focus solely on appearance.

Rotate skewers constantly over hotter portions of your grill to expose new surfaces to heat. This short finishing phase can intensify browning and deliver classic burned-edge flavors without forcing you to keep your skewers consistently exposed to maximum heat throughout cooking.

Using The TempPro TempSwift CORE TP15H instant-read thermometer will allow you to perform rapid follow-up checks whenever necessary. Since measurements take roughly one second, you’ll be able to verify internal conditions and immediately resume monitoring external development.

Lastly, The TempPro TempSwift CORE TP15H is rated as IPX6 waterproof, so you can clean it under running water. Its strong adhesive base and hook enable convenient storage next to your kitchen or outdoor grilling station.

FAQs About Making Pinchos Morunos

What are pinchos morunos?

Pinchos morunos are Spanish-style skewers consisting of seasoned or marinated pieces of meat cooked over high heat.

Why do my kebabs become dry?

Small pieces of meat cook quickly. Continuing to grill them simply because the exterior needs additional browning can cause the interior to lose moisture. Using separate heat zones can help you manage browning and internal doneness independently.

Should I remove excess marinade before grilling?

Yes. Removing excess surface marinade can encourage better browning and reduce excessive dripping and flare-ups over the grill.

Why is an instant-read thermometer useful for pinchos morunos?

Several individual pieces may need to be checked across multiple skewers. The TempPro TempSwift TP15H Instant-Read Meat Thermometer provides readings quickly, making it practical to check multiple pieces.

What makes the TempPro TempSwift CORE TP15H useful around a hot grill?

Its 5.4-inch probe provides additional reach, while the Lock Function lets you capture a temperature reading and move the thermometer away from the heat before viewing it.