Pork Souvlaki With Pita and Tzatziki
For pork souvlaki with maximum flavor, marinate it in a mixture of olive oil, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Greek oregano.
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- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Greek oregano
- Salt and Pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds pork loin, trimmed of silver skin and excess fat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and grated
- 2 cups of Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
- Pocketless Pita
Instructions
- 1
For the Marinade: In a medium bowl, stir together olive oil, onion, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, salt, and black pepper until well combined. Place pork cubes in a large zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag and toss to coat pork evenly with the marinade, then open the bag and reseal, removing as much air as possible. Place the pork in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and no longer than 2 hours.
- 2
For the Tzatziki: Using large holes of a box grater, grate cucumber into a medium bowl. Transfer grated cucumber to a fine mesh strainer, gently press the cucumber against the strainer with the back of a spoon or silicone spatula to get rid of excess liquid. Transfer to a large bowl and add yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt until well combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours to overnight. Presoak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes prior to use.
- 3
Light one chimney full of charcoal . While the charcoal is lighting, thread the pork cubes onto the skewers.
- 4
When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly. Alternatively, set all the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate. Grill the pork skewers, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until char marks appear on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 145°F, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the skewers to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes. While the pork rests, grill the pita until lightly browned on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove the pita from the grill and quarter. To serve, place pita slices on a plate, lay the souvlaki on top, and place a dollop of tzatziki on the side.