Name: BBQ Pork Souvlaki with Grilled Lemons & Tzatziki
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Kosher Salt; 2 cups Water (up to 3 cups); 1 lb Pork Chops (up to 1.5 lbs - about 3 pork chops); 2 Red Bell Peppers (cut into 1-inch squares); 1 Red Onions (cut into moons); 1 cup BBQ Sauce (+ more if needed); 1 Lemon (cut in half); 1/2 English Cucumber (peeled and shredded); 1 cup Greek Yogurt (full fat or 2%); 2 cloves Garlic (minced); 1 tbsp Dill (fresh, chopped); Splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar (optional); Salt & Pepper to taste

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Edyta

Author at Eating European

Recipe developer, photographer and the writer behind the Eating European food blog of European and Mediterranean healthy and delicious recipes

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Pork Souvlaki with BBQ Sauce – Great Recipe for Entertainment

I love summer and the fact that I can migrate my cooking outside, on the grill. The icing on the cake is that you can avoid the need for dirty pots and a hot oven, incubating your house. It always feels so much easier to cook outside on the grill. Also, everything cooks faster on the grill too; so you don’t need to devote a lot of time to it.

Logistical elements aside, it’s also fun. You can entertain and cook at the same time. I feel like the best conversations always seem to happen around the grill.

Also when you smother this Pork Souvlaki with the BBQ sauce, the aroma will be incredible. I suspect most people will favor themselves to be the chef and will be prematurely advocating to take them off the grill – so they can be immediately devoured.

What does Souvlaki Means

In Greece, souvlaki is amongst one of the most popular dishes. It’s usually made with pork, peppers & onions. The word souvlaki comes from a Medieval Greek word that simply means skewers.

Here, I decided to make pork souvlaki or pork skewers, and then smoother them with a BBQ sauce. The result was amazing.

Sprinkle Souvlaki With Lemon Juice

Another Greek trick used here is that I sprinkled everything with lemon juice. They believe this helps with digestion. It might be true, but for me, the addition of lemon juice adds some needed acidity and balances out the dish beautifully.

And when you grill the lemons, they will have a nice charred taste and a lot of juice. Don’t skip this part, it really makes the recipe pop!

How to Make Grilled Pork Souvlaki

This BBQ Pork Souvlaki recipe will require a head start. You’ll need to brine your pork ahead of time; it really makes a difference. The meat will never be dry if you brine it (unless you overcook it, of course) and the taste will be a hundred times better. I like to brine my pork for a few hours, but at least a half hour is a must!

Other than that, this recipe is very simple and comes together in no time. BBQ sauce gives this pork a nice sweetness, and the grilled lemon balances out that sweetness.

The Tzatziki sauce (made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and dill) then adds the needed freshness to the entire dish. It’s like a perfect American-Greek marriage. This is another one of those food fusions that I love so much…

List of Ingredients Needed for This Souvlaki Recipe:

Pork chops;
Salted water, for brining;
BBQ Sauce;
Red Bell Peppers;
Red Onions;
Lemons;
Greek Yogurt;
Cucumber;
Dill;
Garlic;
Salt & Pepper.

Step by Step Guide for this BBQ Pork Souvlaki recipe with Tzatziki and Grilled Lemons

(Printable recipe with exact measurements and cooking times can be found below)

Step 1: Prepare your pork.

Brine your pork chops;
Once brined, cut the pork in 1-inch cubes;
Smother the pork with BBQ Sauce and set aside;

Step 2: Make Tzatziki

To make Tzatziki sauce, first shred your cucumber;
Chop dill and garlic, and add to your shredded cucumber;
Add Greek yogurt, mix well and season with salt & pepper;
Optionally, you can add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar (I usually do as it elevates the Tzatziki);

Step 3: Assemble your Skewers

Cut up your Bell Peppers in approximately 1-inch squares and onions in half moons;
Start assembling your skewers with few slices of onions, followed by a piece of pepper and followed by a piece of pork – continue in this manner until all the skewers are assembled.

Tip: I used metal skewers, but if you have wooden skewers, you must soak them in water for about 30 minutes to avoid burning.

Step 4: Grill your Souvlaki

Heat up your grill until hot. Spray it with cooking spray, or brush with oil, and place your skewers on the grill;

Turn skewers on their other side and brush with BBQ Sauce. Repeat a few times, until souvlaki are cooked through;
Place lemon halves on the grill and cook, until slightly charred with grilled marks;

Remove skewers and lemons from the grill and place on the serving platter. Drizzle lemon juice all over the skewers;
Cut up pita bread and serve souvlaki with Tzatziki sauce.

Serving Tip: you can serve tzatziki sauce on a side or you can spoon it on the souvlaki;

What to Serve These BBQ Pork Souvlaki With

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes to pair with this awesome souvlaki:

Other BBQ Recipes to Try: