Pork Souvlaki is a classic Greek dish that delicious, easy to make, and perfect for your summer cookouts. Featuring chunks of tender pork, marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano. Then placed on skewers and grilled to perfection.
What is Souvlaki?
Souvlaki is one of the most iconic and popular dishes found in Greek cuisine. Mainly because it tastes amazing! And while it can be prepared with just about any type of meat (beef, chicken, lamb) or even vegetables, the most common version uses pork.
So what exactly is souvlaki and how is it made?
Well, first off there’s the marinade. Which in its most basic form is a combination of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and salt. But depending on the recipe it can also include other ingredients like vinegar, garlic, additional dried herbs, and even things like paprika and chili flakes. Regardless the base marinade will give the dish a bright and fresh flavor that isn’t overpowering.
The second most important aspect of souvlaki is the cooking method. Which involves placing the chunks of marinated meat on skewers and grilling them. Not only does skewering the meat make for easy grilling, but the act of grilling gives the meat a nice charred and smokey flavor.
What’s the Best Type of Pork to Use?
When it comes to making pork souvlaki at home, pretty much any cut of pork will work. So choosing which one to use really comes down to your personal preference. That being said there are three main cuts that you’ll most likely choose from so let’s discuss the pros and cons of them all
- Pork Shoulder – This is a fattier cut of pork and as we all know fat adds flavor. However, this cut is also fairly tough. So if you do pick pork shoulder then I highly recommend that you marinate it overnight to help tenderize it.
- Pork Tenderloin – On the opposite spectrum is the pork tenderloin which is very lean. And while it might lack flavor it is an incredibly tender cut of meat. So you don’t need to marinate it for that long, just the minimum of 1 hour.
- Pork Loin – This is the best of both worlds and what I recommend you use. It has a decent amount of fat, but not too much. And while not as tender as the tenderloin it is much better than the shoulder, so you don’t have to marinate it too long.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- Bake it instead: Ok, I know I just said that one of the main things that makes souvlaki, souvlaki, is grilling it. But let’s be honest sometimes the weather isn’t great and we can get outside to grill. Luckily you can still make this dish inside your house with your oven. Just set your oven broiler on high and arrange the skewers on a rack over a baking sheet. Then cook them just like you would on the grill by flipping them every couple of minutes until they are cooked through.
- Serving suggestions: What’s the best way to serve your pork souvlaki? Well, traditionally it is served with some sort of bread, like pita, a few fresh vegetables, and Tzatziki Sauce. However, it’s also great served with a simple side of Chicken Herb Rice, and a fresh salad with Greek Vinaigrette.
Other Pork Recipes You Might Enjoy
Pork Souvlaki Recipe
Prep time: 1 hour (mostly for marinating the meat)
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
Wooden skewers (soaked in water for at least 30 minutes)
1½ to 2 Lbs of pork (either loin, tenderloin, or shoulder)
⅓ Cup of olive oil
¼ Cup of lemon juice
2 Teaspoons of red wine vinegar
2 to 3 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon of dried oregano
1 Teaspoon of salt
½ Teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Get out a medium-sized bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to it. Then use either a whisk or a fork to stir and combine those ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
- Prep & marinate the pork: Cut your pork into roughly 1-inch sized chunks, and remove any excess fat if you are using a fattier cut like pork shoulder. Place these chunks into a large bowl and pour the prepared marinade over top. Then use your hands to combine the pork and the marinade so that every piece of meat is coated in it. Cover this bowl and let it rest in your fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Get the pork ready for grilling: Set your grill to high and let it heat up for at least 10 minutes. While that is happening thread each chunk of marinated pork on your soaked wooden skewers and set them aside on a plate.
- Grill the pork souvlaki: Place the pork souvlaki on your hot grill and let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes.
Then turn each skewer over and let them cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Keep repeating this process until the pork is slightly charred all over and has an internal temperature of at least 150℉, 66℃.
In total this should take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve the pork souvlaki with some pita bread, and enjoy immediately!
Pork Souvlaki Recipe
Ingredients
- Wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
- 1½ to 2 Lbs of pork either loin, tenderloin, or shoulder
- ⅓ Cup of olive oil
- ¼ Cup of lemon juice
- 2 Teaspoons of red wine vinegar
- 2 to 3 Cloves of garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 Teaspoon of salt
- ½ Teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade: Get out a medium-sized bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to it. Then use either a whisk or a fork to stir and combine those ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.
- Prep & marinate the pork: Cut your pork into roughly 1-inch sized chunks, and remove any excess fat if you are using a fattier cut like pork shoulder. Place these chunks into a large bowl and pour the prepared marinade over top. Then use your hands to combine the pork and the marinade so that every piece of meat is coated in it. Cover this bowl and let it rest in your fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Get the pork ready for grilling: Set your grill to high and let it heat up for at least 10 minutes. While that is happening thread each chunk of marinated pork on your soaked wooden skewers and set them aside on a plate.
- Grill the pork souvlaki: Place the pork souvlaki on your hot grill and let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes. Then turn each skewer over and let them cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Keep repeating this process until the pork is slightly charred all over and has an internal temperature of at least 150℉, 66℃. In total this should take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve the pork souvlaki with some pita bread, and enjoy immediately!
