Souvlaki

About This Recipe

Souvlaki is the great equaliser of Greek cuisine — eaten on the street, at the beach, at family barbecues and in tavernas from Thessaloniki to Heraklion. These small cubes of marinated pork threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal achieve a wonderful combination of charred exterior and juicy, tender interior. The marinade is the soul of souvlaki: olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano and perhaps a little thyme or rosemary — simple, Mediterranean and immensely effective. Served in a grilled pita with tzatziki, chopped tomatoes, onion and a squeeze of lemon, souvlaki pita is one of the world's great street foods.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gpork shoulder or neck(cut into 3cm cubes)
• 5 tablespoonsolive oil
• 3 tablespoonslemon juice(freshly squeezed)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 teaspoonsdried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoondried thyme
• 1 teaspoonsweet paprika
• 1 teaspoonfine salt
• 0.5 teaspoonblack pepper
• 4pita breads(to serve)
• 250 gtzatziki(to serve)
• 2 mediumtomatoes(chopped, to serve)
• 0.5red onion(thinly sliced, to serve)
• 1lemon(cut into wedges, to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the pork

   Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the pork cubes and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight gives the best flavour.

   Pork neck (kollaraki) is juicier and more forgiving than shoulder — use it if available.

2. 2

   Thread and grill

   Thread the marinated pork onto metal skewers (or soaked wooden skewers), 5–6 pieces per skewer, pressing the pieces together tightly. Grill over high heat — charcoal is traditional, a very hot griddle pan or gas grill works well — for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2–3 minutes, until charred in places and cooked through.

3. 3

   Rest the meat

   Remove the skewers from the heat and rest for 3 minutes before serving — this keeps the pork juicy.

4. 4

   Assemble and serve

   Warm the pita breads on the grill for 1 minute per side. Spread generously with tzatziki, add chopped tomatoes and red onion, slide the pork off the skewer and squeeze lemon over. Wrap or serve open — alongside crispy chips (frites) for the full Greek street-food experience.

Variations

• •

  Chicken souvlaki: replace pork with chicken breast or thigh cut into cubes — reduce cooking time to 8–10 minutes.

• •

  Lamb souvlaki: lamb neck or shoulder works beautifully — marinate for at least 4 hours.

• •

  Add a teaspoon of dried rosemary to the marinade for a more resinous, aromatic flavour.

Storage

Marinated raw pork can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Cooked souvlaki keeps for up to 2 days refrigerated — excellent cold in pittas or chopped into salads.

Frequently Asked Questions