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1
Make the Yaji Rub
5 Mins • Hands-On
No heat
Grind the roasted peanuts to a fine, dry powder — stop before they turn oily or pasty. Tip them into a bowl and stir in the cayenne, paprika, ground ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, cloves, nutmeg and salt until the mix is one even, rust-red colour. Taste a pinch: it should be nutty first, then warm, then hot. Set aside about 2 tablespoons of the finished yaji in a small bowl for sprinkling at the table.
Yaji is a dry rub, not a wet marinade — the peanut powder should stay crumbly so it forms a crust on the grill, not a paste.
Done when: The yaji is an even rust-red powder, nutty and hot to taste.
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2
Coat the Beef and Marinate
35 Mins • Includes 30 Min Marinating
No heat; chill in the fridge
Brush the thin beef strips lightly with peanut oil — just enough for the yaji to stick. Sprinkle the yaji over the strips and press it in with your hands so every strip is coated on both sides; do not be shy, a thick coating is the point of suya. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. While it marinates, soak the wooden skewers in cold water.
Use your hands, not a spoon: pressing the yaji into the meat is what makes the coating survive the grill instead of falling off.
Done when: Every strip is evenly coated in yaji on both sides and has rested at least 30 minutes.
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3
Thread the Skewers
10 Mins • Hands-On
No heat
Thread the yaji-coated beef strips onto the soaked skewers in loose accordion folds, piercing each strip two or three times so it stays put. Bunch the folds snugly together — unlike kebabs with gaps, suya strips sit close together on the skewer — and leave a few centimetres of bare skewer at the bottom as a handle. Brush the threaded skewers once more with the remaining peanut oil.
Two parallel skewers per portion stop the thin strips spinning when you turn them — a street-vendor trick.
Done when: Skewers are evenly loaded with folded strips, no loose ends flapping free.
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4
Grill Over Charcoal
12 Mins • Turning Often
Medium-high heat, about 200–230°C (400–450°F); beef to at least 63°C (145°F) inside
Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until glowing and grey-ash coated, about 10 minutes. Lay the skewers on the hot grate and grill for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes. The yaji coating should darken and crisp, the edges should char lightly, and the meat should smell smoky and nutty. Check the thickest fold with a thermometer: it must reach at least 63°C (145°F) inside. If you have no charcoal grill, use a grill pan or the oven broiler at 230°C (450°F).
Do not press the meat down — pressing squeezes the juices out and knocks the yaji off. Let the heat do the work, and turn gently.
Done when: Yaji crust dark and crisp, edges lightly charred, centre at least 63°C (145°F); the skewers smell smoky and nutty.
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5
Slice, Sprinkle and Serve
3 Mins • Resting
Off the heat
Rest the skewers for 3 minutes, then slide the beef off and cut it into bite-size pieces, the way vendors do at the stall. Pile the hot suya on a plate or on paper, scatter the sliced red onion, tomato and shredded cabbage alongside, and sprinkle the reserved yaji over everything. Eat hot, straight away, with your hands or a fork.
The extra yaji at the table is not optional garnish — it is part of the dish. Sprinkle generously and let each bite pick up more spice.
Done when: Hot, juicy pieces with a crisp yaji crust, served with onion, tomato, cabbage and extra yaji.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the suya hot off the charcoal, sliced into bite-size pieces with sliced red onion, tomato and cabbage on the side and a good sprinkle of extra yaji over the top. Eat it the street-food way — hot, by hand, straight off the paper.
Nigeria
1h 30m
