Recipe video above. The bold garlic-oregano Greek marinade works wonders to tenderise and infuse incredible flavour into the lamb! The flavour when this is cooking is out of this world. Eat them straight off the skewer while still hot or bundle up into warm pita bread with fixings.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Marinating1 dayd
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: lamb souvlaki, souvlaki
Servings: 12skewers
Calories: 95cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
1.2 kg/ 2.4 lbboneless lamb leg, fat trimmed, cut into 2.5cm/1” cubes (~900g / 1.8lb after trimming) (Note 1)
1tspcooking / kosher salt
1/2tspblack pepper
1tbspextra virgin olive oil
8 - 12skewers, wooden or bamboo
Lamb souvlaki marinade:
5garlic cloves, finely minced
5tbsplemon juice
2tsplemon zest
2tspdried oregano
3fresh bay leaves, crushed in hand (or 2 dried kept whole)
Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat.
Marinate in fridge for 12 - 24 hours.
Skewer & cook:
Skewer - Remove meat from marinade and thread 3 to 4 pieces on each to make 12 skewers, or 5 to make 8 larger skewers (pictured in post).
Sprinkle the meat with the salt and pepper. (This really makes a difference to the finished dish, better than just in the marinade).
Cook - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Cook half the skewers for 3 minutes, turn then cook the other side for 3 minutes until nicely seared (target internal temp 60°C/140°F for medium rare, optimum juiciness).
Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining skewers.
BBQ cooking (Note 2):
Soak skewers - Soak wood/bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes if planning to cook on the BBQ (prevents burning). My skewers are 18cm/7” which fit in a pan (stove cooking).
Preheat BBQ to medium high. Flat iron hot plate is safer for wooden skewers (so they don't catch fire) else use metal skewers on the grill side.
Skewer, oil & season - Skewer per above. Drizzle with the oil (so it doesn't stick to the BBQ) then sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper.
BBQ cook for 3 minutes on each side.
Serve:
Pile Souvlaki onto a serving platter for DIY wraps with tzatziki (from this recipe), toasted pita bread and Greek salad (chopped small), or shredded lettuce and tomato slices. Else, make plates with lemon rice and a Greek Salad!
Notes
1. Lamb cut - I like leg the best for tender, juicy meat (especially after marinating!) and great lamb flavour. It tends to come with a thick layer of fat which is best trimmed.Thick cut lamb chops will also work. Lamb back strap is leaner and just isn't as juicy. Lamb shoulder, shanks and other slow cooking cuts are not suitable for this recipe. I can't afford to use lamb cutlets or lamb rack for a recipe like this!2.BBQ - If grilling on a BBQ, it’s safest to use the flat iron side for wooden skewers. Else, use metal skewers so you can cook on the grill side (ie slats type).3. Lemon yogurt sauce - Mix yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice, slosh of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.Leftovers will keep for 3 - 4 days in the fridge. For a make-ahead freezer option, put the lamb in the marinade then freeze. Thaw 24 hours - the meat will marinade as it thaws. Then thread and cook per recipe.Nutrition is per skewer (excludes fixings). An estimation only - it's always hard to say how much salt and oil in the marinade actually ends up in the finished dish.