The souvlaki is first introduced in ancient Greece, where it was known as an “obelisk” (from the word obelos = skewer). He appears in the works of Aristophanes, Xenophon and Aristotle, among others. A simple recipe of small pieces of meat nailed lengthwise to a skewer with a slice of bread, not far from its current form, especially if we order it as “kalamaki” with some bread. Here we offer the original souvlaki recipe and its variations!
How to eat souvlaki today
The souvlaki consists of fried pieces of pork served on a small wooden skewer made from reeds (the reason why in southern Greece it is called “kalamaki” – the Greek word for reed). It is also made from chicken (wrapped in bacon it becomes “chicken bacon”),from beef, from a combination of lamb and beef (kebab), from a burger and even from a sausage. The most filling version is wrapped in a baked cake in which minced meat is often served together with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki and French fries.
In northern Greece, the above version of everything necessarily includes other “salves” such as ketchup and mustard in addition to tzatziki, while in recent years many grills have launched vegan versions with grilled vegetables.
The pork is first marinated to soak up all the wonderful Mediterranean flavors and then grilled at high temperatures to crisp it up and give it a nice color. It's probably one of the most popular Greek tavern recipes!
Prepare the souvlaki marinade
For the souvlaki recipe you canfor the marinadeUse good extra virgin olive oil and Greek oregano to enhance the flavor. Adding vinegar and lemon juice to the marinade also helps tenderize the meat.
For this souvlaki recipe, you can use either pork tenderloin or pork neck. The pork neck is a little tougher than the fillet, so the vinegar and lemon juice penetrate the meat and give it the desired melt-in-your-mouth texture. Honey balances the acidity and ensures a crispy crust.
Ingredients:
For the pork souvlaki
800g pork fillet or pork neck (boneless), cut into 2cm pieces
100 ml high quality olive oil (and 1 tablespoon)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
8 wooden skewers
For the tzatziki sauce:
1 Lettuce
2 cloves of garlic
50 g olive oil
500 g Yoghurt
1-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons chopped dill (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
To serve:
8 Fladenbrote
2 red onions, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
Preparation:
- Cut the pork into 2cm pieces and place in a large bowl along with all the marinade ingredients. Mix well with your hands, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the tzatziki sauce for the souvlaki. Add the olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic to a food processor and pulse until the garlic is thinned (do not leave any large pieces of garlic).
- Grate the cucumber into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and let it rest for 10 minutes. Wrap the grated cucumber in a towel and squeeze to remove most of the water. In a bowl, combine the cucumber, whisked garlic and oil, yogurt, 1-2 tablespoons chopped dill, 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Cook the pork skewers for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until nicely colored and cooked through.
- Whilethe pork is cooking, prepare the flatbreads. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Oil the flatbreads on both sides with a cooking brush and season with salt and oregano. Place a large baking sheet (top side down) in the bottom of the oven and place the flatbreads on top. Bake for 1-2 minutes.
- To serve souvlaki, slice 2 red onions and arrange on a platter; Top with the pork skewers, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and add a good squeeze of lemon juice on top. Serve the skewers warm with pita bread and tzatziki sauce or wrap them like a sandwich and add some tzatziki, sliced onions and tomatoes. Bon appetit!
Prepare the dish with chicken
Ingredients:
5 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
70 g olive oil
1 lemon, juice and zest
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Tzatziki Sauce:
2 cups whole milk Greek yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation:
- Cut the chicken thighs (or breasts, if desired) into 1-inch cubes. Place in a large covered container or large ziplock bag.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, and salt. Pour over the chicken, cover well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Place the chicken skewers in a bowl or tray of water while the chicken is in the refrigerator. Remove the skewers from the water when you remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Place 5-6 chicken pieces on each skewer.
- Place on the hot grill and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side,until the chickenis cooked through.
Tzatziki Sauce:
Mix all the ingredients together and place in the fridge while the chicken marinates.
Variations for the chicken souvlaki
- Grilled Vegetable Skewers: Along with the chicken, you can prepare some vegetables on the skewers. Red onions, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes or pumpkin taste great with Greek chicken souvlaki.
- Spices: You can experiment with the flavor of your chicken by adding different spices to the lemon marinade. Onion powder, black pepper, basil, garlic powder, dried parsley, rosemary or dill can be added to the liquid marinade and season the chicken.
- Meat: You can also use other types of meat for this recipe, such as: B. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. Remember that chicken breasts cook faster than chicken legs.
