Lamb Souvlaki

Αρνί Σουβλάκι

Serves:
6 people
Prep time:
10 minutes
Cook time:
30 minutes

This is Pappou’s recipe that Jim has perfected. It's untouched and unbeatable. The secret? Good oregano. Not the powdered stuff—real, Greek island oregano on the stalk, straight from the Greek shops. Whether you’re grilling or skewering, this lamb souvlaki is as traditional as it gets, a true taste of family history.

Ingredients

  • 1 leg of lamb (3-4kg)
  • 1.5 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • Handful of Greek whole oregano stalks
  • 2 large lemons

Method

Tap, click or hover over a highlighted ingredient to see its quantity.

  1. Bone the leg of and cut the lamb into 3-4cm cubes if grilling, not removing any fat. For larger skewers for rotisserie only, cut into 7-10cm cubes
  2. Place the lamb cubes into a large tupperware container, sprinkling enough to ensure full coverage and add ground . If you're using lamb backstrap, add oil since there is no fat to it. If you’re using half a leg of lamb, half the seasonings
  3. Take a handful of whole stalks and rub between your hands, letting the oregano fall onto the lamb. Make sure all the lamb is fully covered. Mix the lamb with your hands, ensuring the seasoning is evenly distributed, and let sit for 30 mins
  4. After the lamb has been sitting for 20 minutes, squeeze the over the meat. Mix the lemon through with your hands and let it sit for 10 minutes. The meat should begin to change colour, going a shade of white
  5. Use metal skewers and pack the lamb cubes tightly together. For a 30-40cm long skewer, Jim uses about 8-10 cubes. If you’re using larger skewers for rotisserie, you can get 1.5 legs of lamb onto 1 skewer. But that's for the experienced souvlaki-ist, and may require Jim consultation
  6. In an emergency, you can cook on a gas BBQ, but it's not as good. Make sure you use the grill section and on high heat in this case. If it's REALLY an emergency, cooking in the frying pan is a different system altogether. Half the amount of lemon and cut all the fat off your meat, reduce the salt and pepper amounts too
  7. If you’re doing it the correct way-on coals-make sure the coals are well alight before you start cooking. Place lamb skewers on the grill and turn them infrequently (twice each side) and don’t let them burn. The timing depends on the heat of the coals and the size of your lamb. The meat browns on the outside but should be pink and juicy in the middle. So watch them carefully
  8. As you’re cooking, set some bits aside for any willing tasting assistants to test. Don’t forget the wise words: “If you let them dry up in the middle, they’ll be shit-house”
Inset of a hand holding a skewer of freshly cooked, charred lamb chunks over a pan
Figure 3. Fresh off the spit

From Yiayia's Fridge · page 57