Greek Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Hello my Hy-Vee friends!

Memorial Day has come and gone and that means it's summer time! So let's get out of the kitchen and let’s start grilling people! Of course a grill is perfect for steaks, chicken breast, hamburgers and hot dogs, but I would ask you to think outside the box. I’m thinking we head west for about 5,300 miles and get inspiration from Greece. The Greeks not only created modern philosophy, geometry, cartography, and the Olympics (to name a few), but more important to our discussion today they were the first to perfect grilling. Sure, prehistoric man figured out to put a hunk of meat on a stick and throw it into the fire, but it was the Greeks who understood how to marinate and season the meat.

Souvlaki is a perfect example of Greek grilling. Hunks of pork are marinated in fresh lemon juice, a splash of red wine and herbs, grilled to perfection and then served on pita bread with a schmear of yogurt sauce called tzatziki. If I do say so myself, you have a perfect dish for your next grill out.

Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

All you need:

1 1/2 pounds of pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon dried mint

1 tablespoon dried oregano

4 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced finely

For the Tzaziki

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and grated on large holes of grater

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 tablespoon lemon juice

All you do:

1. In a large bowl, add the meat and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Toss to combine and marinate for 4-8 hours.

2. Drain the pork and thread onto skewers. Grill the kebabs until nicely browned and cooked through internal temperature (145 degrees).

3. For the Tzaziki: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir.

4. Serve with pita and tzatziki and enjoy!

So get to grilling some Greek food and as always, Praise the Lard!

-Chef Alex