Why this recipe sings

These aromatic pork skewers are a great warm-weather dinner, ready in minutes on the grill pan, the grill, or the broiler.

The lemony yogurt marinade has a surprise ingredient: sesame seeds and their mild, sweet, nutty flavor. A tablespoon of toasted sesame gets pounded in a mortar and pestle, then mixed with yogurt and lemon. The marinade is also the sauce the skewers are served with. You will use half of it to marinate and reserve the rest for serving.

This aromatic pork skewers recipe is a snap to throw together — exactly what you want for a night of summer grilling.

You can marinate the pork skewers for a few minutes or up to a day.

The pork skewers can be served with pita, crusty bread, a corn tomato salad, or simple grilled corn on the cob.

Here is what you need

• Pork shoulder. This is a fatty cut of meat also used for making gyros. Marinated, it becomes when cooked deliciously tender and juicy. You can utilize pork loin or tenderloin.
• Dijon mustard. I love the spicy flavor of Dijon. You can substitute with any mustard in your pantry, even honey. You can also use ground mustard.
• Lemons. Fresh lemon juice is added to the marinade.
• Smoked paprika. It has a smoky and spicy flavor with a hint of sweetness. Greek cooks often use it to make souvlaki, chicken dishes, fried potatoes, etc.
• Greek yogurt. The tangy, creamy yogurt tenderizes the meat and adds so much flavor.
• Sesame seeds. They get toasted, pounded to release their aromatic oils and added to the marinade.
• Extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

How to make these pork skewers

Toast the sesame seeds in a small non-stick pan over low heat, stirring constantly until they brown evenly. Be careful not to burn them.

Pound the toasted seeds in the mortar to extract their aroma and oil.

Rub the pieces of meat with the lemon wedge and put them in a bowl.

Mix all the marinade ingredients (olive oil, yogurt, mustard, paprika, lemon, crushed sesame seeds, sea salt, and pepper).

Put half of the marinade sauce in the bowl with the meat, mix well, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 3 hours to marinate the meat.

Keep the rest of the marinate in the fridge to use later for serving.

If you are using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.

After 3 hours, thread the pork pieces on the skewers. Rest the skewers on a wire rack to drain as much yogurt marinade as possible because the yogurt will burn, and the meat inside will not be able to cook properly. You can also wipe it off with a paper towel.

Place skewers on the oven shelf with the baking tray underneath.

Broil skewers for 10-12 minutes. Turn the skewers two or three times to cook evenly on each side.

Helpful tips

• If you don’t have a mortar & pestle, use a sturdy zip lock bag and a meat pounder, or a rolling pin, or an empty wine bottle. Place the toasted sesame seeds in the bag, seal it, let out any air pockets, and pound the seeds. Ensure that no air pockets are left, as it will cause the bag to explode when you start pounding.
• It’s always a good idea to soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes beforehand. This will help prevent any flare-ups during cooking.
• If you’re broiling and don’t feel like using skewers, consider spreading your pork pieces on a rimmed sheet pan. Turn them halfway through cooking with some trusty tongs or a spatula. Happy cooking!