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You are here: Home » Recipes » Beef

Mexican Beef Kabobs (Alambres de carne)

Published: May 28, 2017 · Updated: Jun 2, 2021 by Mely Martínez

JUMP TO RECIPE

Mexican beef kabobs, also known as alambres de carne, are traditional and popular grilled food in Mexico. These skewers, made with grilled meat and veggies, can be found in many Mexican restaurants but they are usually served with tortillas. This beef kabobs recipe will show you how to make your own alambres at home so you never have to go out again!

Mexican Beef Alambres with avocado and spicy salsa
Jump to:
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Beef Kabobs
  • Authentic Mexican Beef Alambres
  • How To Make Beef Kabobs On The Grill
  • More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

Like many other countries, one of Mexico's grilled staples are alambres (or pinchos) de carne, which essentially are beef skewers. It is considered a traditional dish in Mexican culture. Although kabobs is a popular street food in the Middle East, in Mexico we like it too.

While everyone has their own version of beef kabobs, these have a different flavor profile. They are usually made with chopped onions and bell peppers to accompany the meat on skewers.

When I make these at home for my family, I like to make them with onions, green peppers, bacon, and beef. Very simple!

Everyone, especially my son, loves this recipe for Mexican beef kabobs. They are tender, juicy, and absolutely delicious. What's not to love?

Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Beef Kabobs

Before I share this recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked and wanted to answer.

What's the best kind of meat to use for beef kabobs recipe?

I've found that for this recipe, it's better to use a tender cut, like beef tenderloin or rib eye since these are some of the finest cuts of meat from the cow that render softer, juicier, and flavorful bites.

Can I use another protein for these kabobs?

Yes! If you can't kind the cut of beef you like or prefer to use another protein, you can swap out the beef to make chicken, shrimp, or pork kabobs.

For a vegetarian option, completely omit the beef and just use different chopped vegetables. My favorite grilled veggies (besides onions and bell peppers) are:

  • Zucchini
  • Yellow Squash
  • Mushrooms
  • Corn

Do I have to grill these alambres de carne?

I prefer to grill them. I think they taste the best!

Beef kabobs are really easy to prepare and we love to grill them on our small cast iron Hibachi grill. But, if you have a gas grill outsides, the results are still delicious.

I sometimes prepare them indoors on my stovetop cast iron grill. I live in an apartment and grilling outdoors is one of the things that we miss the most.

You can also try cooking them in the oven, but they might dry out faster. So, I would recommend keeping an eye on them.

How do I avoid burning the veggies while cooking the kabobs on the grill?

This is a great question! The first thing I try to do is make sure I cut the beef and vegetables as close as I can to the same size so they all cook at the same rate.

I also try to rotate the skewers when I am cooking them on my grill. That way, they will all cook more evenly. And, if some of the edges are getting too crispy, then you can simply move those pieces over to one side or the other for less time on that area of the grill.

Authentic Mexican Beef Alambres

Alambres de carne are one of my favorite Mexican dishes because it's simple, flavorful, and easy to make!

Here are the ingredients you need to make this dish:

  • Ribeye (cubed)
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • White onion (cubed)
  • Red and green bell pepper (cubed)
  • Bacon

You'll also need a few large metal or wooden skewers to put the kabobs together.

Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

ingredients for Mexican beef kabobs

Cooking Tips:

  • To season these with something other than salt and pepper, add a few dashes of cumin (just a sprinkle), Mexican oregano, and chili powder.
  • If you use the wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least half an hour to prevent burning the edges. If not, cover the edges of the skewer with aluminum foil.
  • Don't have skewers? Cook all of the ingredients in a cast-iron skillet over the grill to make tacos de alambre.

How To Make Beef Kabobs On The Grill

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this beef kabobs recipe into sections.

Tip: Before you start cooking, make sure to preheat the grill and lightly oil the grates.

Prep and Season Ingredients

  • Start by cubing the meat and veggies into even pieces. Make sure they are all separate so it is easy to assemble the skewers.
  • Place the beef cubes into a medium-sized bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the vegetable oil.

Assemble The Alambres

  • To start making the kabobs, thread the meat and vegetables onto the skewers, following this pattern: Start first with the onion, then the green pepper, bacon, meat, red pepper, and onion.
  • Repeat until all the meat has been placed onto the skewers.

Tip: If you have leftover veggies, sav them to roast another day with some grilled carne asada to make homemade fajitas!

Grill And Serve!

  • Place the prepped beef skewers on the grill and cook until golden brown, at least 3 minutes per side.
  • Remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
step by step tutorial for making alambre a la parrilla

What To Serve With Pinchos De Carne

Whenever I make these at home, we love to eat them with homemade flour tortillas along with a few side dishes like:

  • Creamy habanero guacamole (or regular chunky guacamole)
  • Grilled nopales
  • Spicy salsa (like this piquin pepper salsa and habanero tomatillo salsa)
  • Mexican rice
grilled beef kabob on a white plate

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for beef kabobs, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

  • Instant Pot Red Mexican Barbacoa
  • Beef Birria Recipe
  • Steak Ranchero
  • Red Wine Beef Stew
  • Bistec Encebollado

I hope you make these Mexican alambres! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

📖 Recipe

Alambres Recipe

Mely Martínez
Brochetas or Alambres are our Mexican beef kebabs; they are made with a few ingredients that include onion, green pepper, bacon, and beef. They are really easy to prepare and we love to grill them on our small cast iron Hibachi grill. But if you have a gas grill the results are still delicious.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Antojitos, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 532 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ lb. rib eye cut into about 1-inch cubes
  • 1 ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ medium size white onion cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes.
  • 3 thick slices of bacon cut in 1-inch pieces.
  • 1 red pepper cut into 1-inch cubes.
  • 2 large metal or wooden skewers

Instructions
 

  • Place meat in a medium size bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss with the vegetable oil.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grates.
  • Now thread the meat and vegetables onto the skewers, following this pattern: Start first with the onion, then green pepper, bacon, meat, red pepper, and onion. Repeat until all the meat has been placed onto the skewers.
  • Place beef skewers on the grill and cook until browned. At least 3 minutes per side. Remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with warm tortillas, a spicy salsa, and guacamole.

    Notes

    • If you use the wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for at least half an hour to prevent burning the edges or just cover the edges with aluminum foil.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6ozCalories: 532kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 38gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 269mgPotassium: 644mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1065IUVitamin C: 62.9mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 3.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    1. elaine stenzel

      July 01, 2019 at 5:12 pm

      5 stars
      Very delicious recipe,but can i use poblano peppers instead of green peppers.I can't get enough of those peppers I love them.

      Reply
      • mmartinez

        July 01, 2019 at 7:08 pm

        Hello Elaine,
        Yes, you can use poblano peppers to prepare this delicious Alambres. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Anna

      July 04, 2017 at 1:35 am

      5 stars
      Hi Mely! I love reading your recipes and adventures in Mexico. I have also made some of them, although I can't remember which ones right now. 🙁 does the word asada mean grilled? It's difficult to know what to order in Mexico when you don't know what the words mean, so we tend to stick with familiar foods. We did have tacos arrachera a while ago in Merida, and also in Chetumal. Both places had very good food and the arrachera was so soft. Can you tell me what cut of meat the arrachera typically would be? I'd like to try it at home but don't know what meat to buy for that.

      Thanks!
      Anna

      Reply
      • mmartinez

        July 07, 2017 at 11:03 pm

        Hello Anna,
        Arrachera is what you will find as "Fajitas".

        Reply
    3. noritae

      May 29, 2017 at 4:05 am

      5 stars
      I tried it and I liked it!!!!

      Reply
    4. noritae

      May 28, 2017 at 7:21 pm

      I am going to try grilling this today! They look so good. I will let you know how they come out.

      Reply
    5. Xóchitl L.

      July 28, 2015 at 11:38 pm

      I forgot to mention I am planning on making the pollo a la veracruzana for tomorrow's dinner. 🙂

      Reply
    6. Xóchitl L.

      July 28, 2015 at 11:36 pm

      5 stars
      These beef kebabs are fantastic!! Everybody in my family LOVED them! I was planning on taking some pictures (to post on your facebook page) but my husband and kids couldn't wait to pull them apart and start eating. (I was busy in the kitchen getting the beans and guacamole). Thank you VERY much for sharing this wonderful recipe. You made me look like a real chef. 🙂

      Xóchitl

      Reply
    7. loves2spin

      July 10, 2015 at 1:43 am

      5 stars
      Mely, those look so delicious! ... Yolanda

      Reply
      • Kelly

        September 11, 2022 at 6:42 am

        These were my favorite food in Mexico when we lived there. Ours were made with pork loin and they were so delicious. Going to make this for dinner tonight!

        Reply

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    About me

    Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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