Greek and Levantine · Greece
Souvlaki
Souvlaki (from souvla — skewer) is grilled pork or chicken cubes on a skewer — marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano, grilled over charcoal until charred at the edges and juicy within. Served either on the skewer with pita and tzatziki, or as a wrapped pita sandwich (pita souvlaki or gyros). The simplicity is the point: the marinade, the charcoal, and the meat quality define everything.
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I
The Market List
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600g
pork tenderloin or chicken breast
cut into 3cm cubes
Your own market
30ml
extra-virgin olive oil
Your own market
30ml
fresh lemon juice
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15ml
red wine vinegar
Your own market
6 cloves
garlic
minced
Your own market
5g
dried oregano
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
3g
sea salt
Your own market
1g
black pepper
Your own market
1
red onion
cut into 3cm chunks
Your own market
1
red bell pepper
cut into 3cm chunks
Your own market
8
bamboo or metal skewers
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
II
The Method
1
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper in bowl.
2
Toss meat cubes with marinade, cover, refrigerate for minimum 2 hours.
3
Remove meat from marinade (reserve marinade), thread alternately with onion and bell pepper chunks onto skewers, dividing ingredients evenly.
4
Heat cast iron grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat (220°C+); grill souvlaki for 8–10 minutes total, rotating every 2 minutes for even charring.
5
Transfer to serving platter, brush with reserved marinade, rest for 3 minutes, serve with lemon wedges and fresh oregano.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where souvlaki lives or dies is the charcoal flare — when the fat from the pork drips onto the hot charcoal, small flares of fire briefly lick the meat. These flares last 2-3 seconds and impart a characteristic smoky-char flavour. Too many flares and the pork chars; too few (from insufficient fat or too-cool charcoal) and the souvlaki is merely grilled rather than true souvlaki. The sweet spot is occasional flares — maintained by turning the skewers every 3 minutes.
Pillars V — VII
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