Marinated pork skewers in the Air Fryer
Spanish pinchos morunos made with small cubes of pork marinated in olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin and garlic. The air fryer gives the skewers crisp edges and a juicy centre in 12 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 8 Metal skewer Short, so they can lie freely in the basket
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Marinated pork
- 700 g pork neck fillet
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin Ground
3 clove garlic Finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
1 tbsp lemon juice
To serve
1 pcs lemon In wedges
2 tbsp fresh parsley Roughly chopped
Instructions
Marinating
- Cut 700 g pork neck fillet into even cubes of about 2.5 centimetres. Even-sized cubes are essential, as they'll all get the same cooking time in the basket.
- Stir 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp cumin, 3 clove garlic, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp lemon juice together in a mixing bowl to make a thick, deep red marinade.
- Turn the meat cubes in the marinade until each one is coated on all sides. Cover the bowl, and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours — ideally overnight, so the spices penetrate all the way into the meat.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Take the meat out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking, and thread the cubes onto short metal skewers. Leave a small gap between the cubes so the hot air can circulate around them, and pat off any excess marinade with a piece of kitchen paper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place the skewers in a single layer in the basket without letting them overlap, and cook them at 200 °C for 12 minutes.
- Turn the skewers after 6 minutes, so the meat gets crisp edges all the way round.
- Check the core temperature in the thickest cube with a meat thermometer. It should be 70 °C. Give the skewers another 2-3 minutes at 200 °C if the meat isn't cooked through.
Serving
- Leave the skewers to rest for 5 minutes outside the basket. Sprinkle them with 2 tbsp fresh parsley, and serve with 1 pcs lemon cut into wedges, so the juice can be squeezed over the warm meat.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
Pat the cubes dry before threading them onto the skewers. Excess marinade will steam rather than sear, so the edges won't turn crisp. The skewers need to lie freely in the basket — never on top of each other. Marinating:
2 hours is the minimum, but leaving it overnight clearly gives the deepest flavour. Don't marinate the meat for more than 24 hours, as the lemon juice will gradually make the texture mushy. Variation:
Swap the pork neck for diced chicken thighs (core temperature 75 °C), or replace half the smoked paprika with hot paprika if you want some heat. Cubes of red pepper and red onion between the meat cubes turn the skewers into a complete meal. Serving:
Classic Spanish style, with a piece of good bread, a bowl of olives and a cold beer. As tapas, they go well with patatas bravas and a garlic aioli. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches. Keep the first batch warm under a piece of foil.
Pat the cubes dry before threading them onto the skewers. Excess marinade will steam rather than sear, so the edges won't turn crisp. The skewers need to lie freely in the basket — never on top of each other. Marinating:
2 hours is the minimum, but leaving it overnight clearly gives the deepest flavour. Don't marinate the meat for more than 24 hours, as the lemon juice will gradually make the texture mushy. Variation:
Swap the pork neck for diced chicken thighs (core temperature 75 °C), or replace half the smoked paprika with hot paprika if you want some heat. Cubes of red pepper and red onion between the meat cubes turn the skewers into a complete meal. Serving:
Classic Spanish style, with a piece of good bread, a bowl of olives and a cold beer. As tapas, they go well with patatas bravas and a garlic aioli. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches. Keep the first batch warm under a piece of foil.
Nutrition
Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 32gFat: 39gSaturated fat: 13gPolyunsaturated fat: 4gMonounsaturated fat: 19gTrans fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 660mgPotassium: 540mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mgNet carbohydrates: 3g
