Souvlaki literally means “small skewer” and is one of the oldest dishes in Greece; even in antiquity meat was roasted on skewers over charcoal. The marinade deliberately stays simple: olive oil, lemon, garlic and oregano. The flavour of the meat takes centre stage.
Souvlaki
Souvlaki
Method
01
Meat
Cut the pork neck into cubes of approx. 3 cm.
02
Marinate
Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix the meat through well, cover and marinate for at least 4 hours; overnight gives the best flavour.
03
Thread
Thread the meat onto metal skewers, not too tightly packed together.
04
Grill
Grill over very hot charcoal and turn regularly. After approx. 10 min the meat is golden brown with lightly charred edges.
05
Rest
Leave to rest for 2 min before serving.
06
Serve
With warm pitta bread, tzatziki, chips, tomato, red onion and lemon wedges.
Tips & notes
Use pork neck, not tenderloin: the neck contains more fat, which melts during grilling and gives the juicy texture you taste in Greek tavernas. A charcoal fire really makes a difference; a griddle pan also works, but you miss the smoky touch. Keeps for 2–3 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
Variations
- Replace the pork neck with chicken thigh for chicken souvlaki, with a slightly shorter marinating time.
- Thread vegetables (pepper, onion, courgette) onto the skewer too for a colourful variant.
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Serve with
| Calories | 544 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3 g |
| Fat | 41 g |
| Fibre | 1 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
