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Sliced charcoal-grilled Cypriot souvla pork piled on a wooden board with bay leaves and lemon wedges under warm light

Traditional Cypriot Souvla: Charcoal-Grilled Pork

Pork shoulder chunks are threaded with bay leaves on long skewers and grilled low over charcoal for about two hours until tender and dark on the outside.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 76
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.8 kg pork shoulder, boneless cut into 5 cm / 2-inch chunks
  • 20 leaves bay leaves fresh or dried
  • 2 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
Baste and Serve
  • 3 tbsp olive oil for basting
  • 2 lemon large; juiced, for basting and finishing
  • lemon wedges for serving

Method
 

Prep the Pork
  1. Trim the pork shoulder of excess silverskin, keeping most of the fat. Cut the meat into rough 5 cm / 2-inch chunks.
  2. Toss the chunks in a bowl with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for more flavor.
Skewer and Fire
  1. Thread the pork chunks onto the long metal skewers, tucking a bay leaf between every second or third piece. Leave a small gap after every third chunk so heat moves through the meat, packing it too tight leaves the center raw while the outside chars.
  2. Light a charcoal fire and let it burn down until the coals are covered in gray ash with no open flame. Bank the coals to one side so the skewers sit 25 to 30 cm / 10 to 12 inches above the heat, not directly over the hottest coals.
Grill Low and Slow
  1. Set the skewers over the fire and turn every 10 to 15 minutes so the meat cooks evenly on all sides. Grill for 1.5 to 2 hours total, adding a small handful of fresh coals every 30 minutes to keep the heat steady.
  2. About 20 minutes before the end, mix the olive oil and lemon juice and brush it over the meat each time you turn the skewers.
  3. Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest chunk. Pull the skewers off the fire once it reads 90 C / 194 F and the meat pulls apart easily with light pressure from tongs.
Rest and Serve
  1. Lift the skewers off the heat and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 10 minutes before sliding the meat off the skewers.
  2. Pile the meat onto a platter, squeeze the remaining lemon over the top, and serve right away with pita, lemon potatoes, or a village salad.

Notes

  • Pack the skewer with small gaps every third chunk so heat moves through evenly.
  • Keep coals banked to one side, direct flame chars the outside before the inside cooks.
  • Pull the meat at 90 C / 194 F, not before, the fat needs that heat to render fully.
  • Rest under foil for 10 minutes before slicing off the skewer.