Grill Souvlaki

Souvlaki means "little skewers" in Greek so it's no surprise that meat skewers are great to toss on the grill. Cut pork tenderloin into cubes and marinate it in a flavorful mixture of onion, lemon, oregano, and oil. Thread the pork onto skewers and grill them until they're charred on the outside and tender on the inside. Serve the souvlaki with toasted pita and a homemade tzatziki sauce.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the tzatziki:

• 2 cups (570 g) plain Greek yogurt
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and grated
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the souvlaki:

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) pork loin
• 5 or 6 pocketless pita

Makes about 6 servings

Steps

Marinating the Pork and Making Tzatziki

1. Combine the marinade. Measure 1/2 cup (120 ml) of olive oil into a small bowl. Finely chop 1 small red onion and 2 garlic cloves. Add these to the oil along with the rest of the marinade ingredients. Whisk them until they're combined. You'll need to add:
   • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
   • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
   • 2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
   • Salt and pepper to taste
2. Trim and cut the pork loin. Get out 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) of pork loin. Use a sharp knife to carefully trim off any visible fat and silver skin. Silver skin is white connective tissue that can become tough once the pork cooks. Cut the trimmed pork loin into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
3. Marinate the pork for at least two hours. Put the pork cubes into a plastic freezer bag. Pour the marinade into the bag and squeeze out as much air as you can. Seal the bag completely shut and put it in the refrigerator. Marinate the pork for at least two hours so it becomes flavorful.
   • If you want to prepare the souvlaki ahead of time, you can marinate the pork overnight.
4. Combine and chill the tzatziki. Peel 1 English cucumber and grate it into a mixing bowl. Add 2 cups (570 g) of plain Greek yogurt, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Stir the tzatziki sauce until it's combined and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.
   • You can store the tzatziki up to overnight. If you store it longer, it may become watery.

Grilling the Souvlaki

1. Soak the wooden skewers in water. Open a package of 12-inch (30cm) wooden skewers. Place them in a shallow baking pan and pour a few inches (at least 5 cm) of water in the pan. Soak the skewers in the water for at least 30 minutes.
   • Soaking the skewers will prevent them from burning when they're on the grill.
2. Prepare the grill. If you're using a gas grill, turn it on to medium-high heat (450 degrees F or 230 C). If you're using a charcoal grill, heat the coals until they're ashy. Dump and spread the coals evenly across the grill.
3. Thread the pork onto the skewers. Remove the marinating pork from the refrigerator. Scoop out the cubes of pork. Take a soaked wooden skewer and thread several pork cubes onto it. Continue threading the skewers until you've used all of the pork.
   • You can discard the marinade.
4. Grill the souvlaki for 8 to 12 minutes. Place the souvlaki on your hot grill and put the lid on it. Turn the souvlaki every couple of minutes as they cook so they don't burn on one side. You'll need to cook the souvlaki for 8 to 12 minutes depending on how well-cooked you'd like the pork.
   • Consider setting a timer when you put the souvlaki on the grill.

Assembling the Souvlaki

1. Rest the souvlaki. Remove the souvlaki from the grill and put them on a large plate or baking sheet. Let the souvlaki rest for 5 minutes so the juices distribute evenly in the meat.
2. Grill the pita for 1 to 2 minutes. While the meat rests, put 5 to 6 pocketless pita on the grill. Let them toast for 1 minute and then carefully flip them over. Grill them for another minute and then take them off of the grill.
   • You can serve the souvlaki in the large pita or slice the pita into smaller pieces that you can wrap the meat in.
3. Assemble the souvlaki. Lay one skewer of souvlaki on a piece of toasted pita. Drizzle the souvlaki with tzatziki. Consider serving the souvlaki with:
   • Feta cheese
   • Harissa sauce
   • Pickled red onions

Things You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Plastic freezer bag
• Shallow baking dish
• Digital scale
• Wooden skewers
• Gas or charcoal grill
• Knife and cutting board

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Greek Whole Grain Olive Bread
• Make Spanakopita
• Make a Traditional Greek Salad
• Make Greek Coffee
• Make Tiropita
• Cook Greek Moussaka
• Make a Greek Gyro
• Make a Traditional Greek Frappe