Pork Souvlaki Recipe With Lemon Rice
For the juiciest, most flavorful pork souvlaki, I suggest marinating the pork for at least 2 hours. The lemon rice on the side is optional, but it's a non-negotiable in our house!
Servings 6 skewers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 3 Meyer lemons, divided (or 4 regular lemons)
- ½ cup fruity olive oil
- 6 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons oregano
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
Instructions
- Prepare the pork. Trim the fat from 2 pounds of pork tenderloin and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
- Make the souvlaki marinade. Zest 2 lemons and set the zest aside for the lemon rice. In a small bowl, mix ½ cup olive oil with the juice of 2 Meyer lemons or 3 regular lemons. Reserve one lemon to juice for the lemon rice. Whisk in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 6 cloves pressed garlic, 3 tablespoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Marinate the pork. Pour the marinade into a plastic bag with the pork and seal tightly, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for 2 hours but preferably overnight.
- Prepare the grill and skewer the meat. When ready to cook, heat a grill to medium high. Remove the pork from the plastic bag and discard the marinade. Thread the pork on metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 20 minutes to avoid flare-ups.
- Make the lemon rice. While the grill is heating, rinse 1 cup of white rice in cold water, stirring with your hand, drain, and repeat two more times until the water runs mostly clear. Add the rice to a medium saucepan fitted with a lid. Add 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon butter, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir, then bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover with the lid. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the minced parsley. Add more salt and butter to taste.
- Grill the pork. Grill the pork until browned on all sides, turning every few minutes, and cook to 160°F, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a platter, cover with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, another squeeze of lemon, and serve with the lemon rice.
Notes
Rice is from my Lemon Rice recipe.