Grilled Pork Shoulder Souvlaki
In this Greek dinner specialty, thinly sliced pork shoulder is marinated and then threaded into kebabs to make juicy and flavorful grilled pork souvlaki! Make a it plate with rice and salad or wrap up the pork in a pita for gyros.
Servings 8
Calories 325kcal
Ingredients
Pork Souvlaki
- 1 1/2 lbs pork shoulder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup grated cucumber
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Toppings/Additions
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2-3 sliced tomatoes
- 4 cups lettuce
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumbers
- hummus
- pita bread
Instructions
Pork Souvlaki
- Trim the pork shoulder of excess fat. (Reserve the fat.) Cut the trimmed meat into slices about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick and 1 1/2 - 2 inches wide.
- Place the slices along with some of the reserved fat into a sealable bag.
- Mix together the olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour the marinade into the bag with the pork and seal the bag.
- Refrigerate it and let it marinate for at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
- If using wooden skewers, begin soaking them 1 hour before you are going to use them.
- Heat a grill on high.
- Thread the pork onto skewers, fold the strips of meat up like an accordion. Add bits of fat between some of the strips.
- Grill on high, turning occasionally, until the outside is browned and crispy and the inside is just a little pink.
- Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce and any toppings you want.
Tzatziki Sauce
- Wrap the grated cucumber in a paper towel or some cheesecloth and squeeze it dry.
- Combine the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, olive oil, and salt in a bowl and mix together.
- Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and either use immediately or refrigerate until you are ready to eat.
- Tzatziki sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. (It will last 4 days in the refrigerator but the quality drops off a bit after 2 days.)
Notes
- Cucumber: I like the small Persian cucumbers often found on trays or in bags in the supermarket. Another option is an English cucumber. If you can't find either, peel the cucumber and scoop out the seeds before grating.
- Garlic: If you are grating the garlic, use the smallest holes on the grater or a microplane. Also, you can tame the bite of the garlic by cooking the whole cloves in boiling water for 30 seconds before using them (parboiling).
- Pork Shoulder: Make sure you cut the meat against the grain so that you have short fibers in the strips.
- Nutrition Info: Calories are an estimate and only for the pork and tzatziki sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal