Souvla
“Σούβλα (Souvla)”
Big chunks of meat turned slowly over charcoal
Souvla
Souvla is the centrepiece of a Cypriot family gathering. Large pieces of meat, traditionally pork, lamb or chicken, go on a long metal skewer over a charcoal brazier called a foukou. The skewer turns slowly, high above the coals at first and lowered as the meat cooks, so the outside browns while the inside stays juicy. The whole process runs long, often around 90 minutes to three hours depending on the cut, which is part of why souvla is a weekend and celebration meal rather than a quick dinner.
This is not the same as Greek souvlaki. Souvla uses much bigger pieces of meat, cooked slowly at a greater distance from the coals, so it is closer to a rotisserie roast than a skewer of small cubes. The seasoning is usually simple, salt, pepper and lemon, sometimes a little oregano, letting the charcoal and the slow cooking do the work. It is the Cypriot equivalent of a Sunday roast, cooked outdoors in gardens, on balconies and at village festivals.
Where to try it
- At tavernas across Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos, especially at weekends.
- At village panigiria (festivals) in the Troodos mountains.
- Alongside sheftalia and grilled halloumi on a mixed grill.
Souvla is usually served with flatbread, a village salad, pickles and tzatziki. If you order a mixed grill at a taverna, souvla often arrives with sheftalia, grilled halloumi and koupepia (stuffed vine leaves) on the same platter. It pairs well with a day out on the coast, after the sands at Coral Bay near Paphos or Finikoudes Beach in Larnaca.
Key ingredients
How to make Souvla
- 1
Cut pork, lamb or chicken into large chunks, roughly 5 to 6cm, keeping some fat on for the pork and lamb since it bastes the meat as it turns. Keep each meat type on its own skewer.
- 2
Season the meat simply with salt, pepper and dried oregano, and thread the pieces onto a long metal skewer, pushing them snugly together so the skewer turns as one solid mass.
- 3
Light a good bed of charcoal in a foukou or similar charcoal brazier and let it burn down until the coals are glowing and covered in grey ash, with no open flame.
- 4
Set the skewer high above the coals at first, resting it on the brazier's turning mounts, and begin rotating it slowly and continuously, by hand or with a motor.
- 5
Cook the meat low and slow for 2.5 to 4 hours for lamb and pork, or nearer 1.5 to 2 hours for chicken and smaller cuts, gradually lowering the skewer closer to the coals in the last hour as the fat renders and the outside needs more colour.
- 6
Brush the meat occasionally with a little olive oil mixed with more oregano to keep it moist, and keep turning throughout so no side sits directly over the coals for long, preventing burning while building a deep golden crust.
- 7
Check doneness by cutting into a thick piece: pork and chicken should show no pink and lamb should be very tender and pulling easily from any bone. Pull each skewer as it finishes.
- 8
Slide the meat off the skewer and rest it loosely covered for 10 minutes, then serve with lemon wedges, warm bread, salad and dips.
A home-style reference method; every family and kitchen has its own version.
Souvla questions
What is the difference between souvla and souvlaki?
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How long does souvla take to cook?
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What meat is used for souvla?
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What is souvla served with?
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