Souvlaki over Greek Salad
This recipe really turned out great and was even better the next day for lunch. I ended up preparing the salad with oil and vinegar and then tossing the souvlaki in the Tzatziki sauce to cover, then mixing the souvlaki and tzatziki with the salad. It was delicious!
This recipe really turned out great and was even better the next day for lunch. I ended up preparing the salad with oil and vinegar and then tossing the souvlaki in the Tzatziki sauce to cover, then mixing the souvlaki and tzatziki with the salad. It was delicious!
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- for the pork:
- 1 1/2 pounds pork cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 tablespoon coriander ground
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper ground
- 2 tablespoon oregano fresh; minced (or 2 tsp ground dried greek oregano)
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- for the salad:
- 1 pound salad greens
- 8 cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1/2 red onion shaved
- 1 bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper roasted; sliced
- pepperoncini peppers sliced
- kalamata olives pitted; cut in half
- extra virgin olive oil for dressing
- balsamic vinegar for dressing
- Carbohydrate 23.0713676879009 g
- Cholesterol 115.66605435 mg
- Fat 112.075658175777 g
- Fiber 6.85181899556672 g
- Protein 14.9854396644741 g
- Saturated Fat 39.3647003282944 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (655g)
- Sodium 911.692977495431 mg
- Sugar 16.2195486923342 g
- Trans Fat 5.4433172589176 g
- Calories 1149 calories
Step-by-step
- Whisk together all the ingredients for the pork marinade. Pour it into a gallon ziploc bag along with the pork chunks. Marinate at least 4 hours but preferably overnight or up to 24 hours.
- Stir together the tzatziki ingredients and set aside in the refrigerator.
- Thread the pork chunks onto skewers, shaking off excess marinade. Grill until nicely charred and cooked through.
- While pork is cooking, assemble the salads.
- To serve, dress the salads with oil and vinegar. Top with souvlaki skewers and a blob of tzatziki for dipping.
- Combine the pork and marinade. Freeze in a single large zipper bag (if you will thaw and cook the whole thing at once) or in individual portions in zipper sandwich bags (to thaw individual portions). Salad cannot be frozen; make it before serving, or a couple of days beforehand.
Acid Penetration and Meat Structure
The ingredient list dictates an acid-heavy marinade utilizing lemon juice and red wine vinegar, but it omits how acid interacts with protein. Acidity denatures meat proteins by unraveling their complex structures, transforming firm muscle fibers into tender bites. However, prolonged exposure past twenty-four hours breaks fibers down entirely, resulting in a mushy exterior texture. Keep marinade contact within the four-to-twenty-four-hour window to maintain structural integrity before cooking over direct flame.Fresh Versus Dried Botanicals
Choosing between fresh minced oregano and dried Greek oregano shifts the compound profile significantly. Fresh leaves deliver volatile aromatic oils that dissipate rapidly under high heat, providing a bright, herbaceous top note. Dried oregano contains concentrated phenolic compounds that withstand thermal degradation better, yielding a deeper, more earthy flavor profile. When substituting fresh herbs for dried, triple the volume to account for lower flavor concentration per weight.Thermal Transfer and Equipment Workarounds
Grilling requires high radiant heat to caramelize the pork's exterior sugars and render intramuscular fat efficiently. If an outdoor grill is unavailable, a cast-iron grill pan heated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit serves as an indoor alternative. Sear the skewered meat for three to four minutes per side until distinct char lines form and internal temperatures reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Pair the hot, charred protein immediately with chilled greens to create thermal contrast.
