Souvlaki - Greek Skewers

Key takeaways

• Souvlaki is one of the most popular dishes in Greek cuisine. This grilled skewer can be found in almost every region of Greece.
• Traditionally, they are prepared with pork. Versions made of lamb, chicken or even fish are also popular.
• There are many different recipes and everyone can adapt them to their own tastes.

Introduction

Souvlaki is probably one of the most recognizable Greek dishes. Nothing special - a few pieces of meat baked or grilled on a skewer. Yet, the right combination of meat and spices creating an aromatic marinade can do the trick.

Everyone has probably encountered various skewers served at a barbecue at least once. Their taste and ingredients vary, but they are usually vegetable and meat compositions. The Greek version is based only on meat marinated in herbs. Preparing such a marinade is not that difficult and the result may pleasantly surprise us. So I encourage you to try one of them.

While traveling in various areas of Greece, I saw these skewers in restaurants and taverns. Their taste may vary depending on the spices used or the type of meat. I've seen at least three varieties myself, and that's probably not the end. For me, souvlaki in Crete, Rhodes or Corfu had a completely different taste than those in mainland Greece. Of course, they have common features, but there are differences.

Souvlaki are often served with pita bread. Additives such as tzatziki sauce, red onion and olives are also essential. Together, it really makes for quite an interesting whole. This creates an interesting Mediterranean-style dish. It's up to us whether we want to immerse ourselves in it. In my opinion it's worth a try.

What is Souvlaki?

Souvlaki, or rather σουβλάκια (souvlákia) - are nothing else than 'skewers'. And we should connect them with this meaning. At least that's how the Greeks with whom I had the opportunity to talk about them described them. Both those from Jarapetra, Lindos and Athens confirmed this. So I can take it for granted. It is an identification, but we can also look for other meanings.

I also heard the claim that the name comes from the word souvla (σούβλα), meaning spit. This is probably a stretch. No one I talked to confirmed this either. If you have any other opinion, please add a comment.

How was souvlaki created?

I have heard different opinions about the etymology and origin of this dish. Most sources describe it as a very old dish dating back to ancient times. In the past, most meat and dishes were roasted over a bonfire. These were rather unvaried dishes to satisfy your hunger. However, the hint of flavor never bothered anyone. At some point, dishes are diversified to make them taste better than ordinary roasted meat.

How to prepare souvlakia?

The main ingredient is, of course, good meat. Personally, I mainly choose pork neck from a local supplier. Such meat has the right amount of fat, which adds additional flavor when rendered. We should cut the meat into pieces about 2-3 cm in size.

The next important step is to prepare the marinade. I've seen several versions of it. Below I will post recipes for the two that I like the most. If you have others and would like to share them, please comment. I will definitely check out this recipe.

We should marinate the meat for at least two hours. Some people even leave them overnight. In my opinion, however, there is no need for this. Two hours are enough for the meat to acquire flavor. In my experience, we should leave the meat in the marinade for a maximum of six hours. If we keep them for too long, they may even spoil.

After marinating, it is best to thread the meat onto soaked skewers. Remembering to leave a small space between the pieces. This will ensure that the meat is evenly baked. I recommend putting the fattest pieces on the outer parts of the skewer.