Souvlaki Marinade Recipe — Greek BBQ Skewers | The Rub Kitchen
Souvlaki is Greece's most grilled dish — found at every market, every terrace, and every family barbecue in the summer. Small pieces of meat on a skewer, marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and Greek oregano, grilled over charcoal. The marinade is simple, but the effect is significant: the combination of citric acid, oregano, and the heat of the grill gives an aromatic, lightly charred character that is unmistakably Greek.
What is souvlaki?
Souvlaki (from the Greek souvla: skewer) are small skewers of grilled meat — Greece's fastest and most common street food. Pork is the most common base, but chicken and lamb are also classic. Served in a pita with tzatziki, tomato, onion, and fries, or simply off the stick as souvlaki skewers.
Souvlaki differs from gyros (vertically roasted, sliced meat) and from kebab (minced meat) — it is always cubes of whole meat on a skewer.
Souvlaki marinade — classic Greek recipe
For 500g pork neck chops or chicken thighs (cut into 3–4 cm cubes):
- 80 ml olive oil — extra virgin
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 3 cloves garlic — pressed or finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried Greek oregano — the key spice; use Greek oregano (rigani), not Italian — it has a more intense flavor
- 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
- Optional: 50 ml dry white wine
Method: mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add the meat and mix well so that each piece is coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Marinating times per meat type
- Pork (neck or shoulder) — 4‒8 hours, preferably overnight. Pork absorbs the marinade well.
- Chicken (thigh, boneless) — 2–4 hours. Not too long — citric acid can make chicken mushy if marinated too long.
- Lamb (shoulder or loin) — 4‒8 hours. Add extra rosemary for the lamb-oregano-lemon combination.
On the BBQ
- Thread the cubes onto metal or soaked bamboo skewers — not too loose, not too tight
- High direct heat — souvlaki cooks quickly: 3–4 minutes per side
- Turn regularly for even browning
- Pork is done at an internal temperature of 68°C, chicken at 74°C
- Rest for 2 minutes before serving
Serving
- Pita — grilled on the BBQ for 30 seconds per side
- Tzatziki — → Tzatziki recipe — creamy garlic sauce for the BBQ
- Sliced tomato, cucumber, red onion
- Fries — always present in Greek pita
- Fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon over the top
Greek oregano — the key spice
Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum) is more intense, resinous, and aromatic than its Italian or Mexican counterpart. It is the spice that gives souvlaki its character. Available at Greek delicatessens and online. Use at least 1.5x more if you only have Italian oregano.