with
Original Icelandic Skyr
We fired up the “Barbie” the other day, and cooked these delicious Greek Style Pork Steaks with Garlic Yogurt Sauce over the coals! The weather was hot and sunny, and it was the perfect day for cooking and eating “Al Fresco”. I love pork steaks, they are lean and boneless with not much fat on them, which means they are great for low-fat, high protein meals. But, they can dry out when cooked, thus rendering them almost inedible, with a texture similar to shoe leather……so, one of the best ways to cook these lean pork steaks is to let them bathe in a flavourful (and healthy) olive oil-based marinade for several hours before cooking them. The steaks then retain their juiciness throughout cooking, and the marinade imparts a wonderful flavour to them too.
After a few hours luxuriating in an herbal oil bath, the steaks are then cooked for just a few minutes on each side, and are served with a delicious garlic Skyr sauce. But what is this Skyr? Skyr (pronounced skeer) is a remarkable dairy product unique to Iceland. With a smooth, rich flavour and creamy thick texture, it has a distinct place of its own on the dairy shelf. When the first Nordic settlers came to Iceland, they brought centuries of food-preserving skills with them, so dairy products took on new qualities, thanks to the unique climate and environment, of which Skyr is just one example. Made with Original Icelandic Skyr Cultures, using skimmed milk, there is next to no fat and exceptional levels of calcium and protein, which makes it the ideal food for active people and as a supplement to a healthy lifestyle.
Today’s recipe for Greek Style Pork Steaks with Garlic Yogurt Sauce, uses Skyr in place of the usual natural yogurt, and the creaminess of the product really adds to the unctuous texture. I added some olive oil with lemon juice, as well as minced garlic, seas salt and some fresh oregano – the result is a velvety sauce that spoons seductively over the grilled pork steaks and is a great accompaniment to the Greek salad and pitta breads. I have also used Skyr in curries, smoothies and with my morning cereal – it’s really a very versatile dairy product, as well as being healthy and packed with calcium and protein. As well as the natural Skyr I used, they also have some wonderful fruit flavours – Blueberry, Strawberry and a very delicious Vanilla flavour too.
Today’s recipe for the Skyr garlic sauce will also be perfect for any barbecued meats this summer, especially when served with grilled chicken, beefburgers or lamb kebabs. I’m already planning a recipe using their vanilla Skyr in a summer dessert, and I love the fruity flavours with a chopped banana and a handful of granola in the morning for breakfast. But, it’s all about the Greek Pork Steaks and Garlic Sauce for today, and I DO hope that you try this latest recipe of mine, especially if it’s BBQ weather, so you can imbibe in the outdoor Mediterranean lifestyle! That’s all for today, I’ll be back tomorrow, where I’ll be tempting you with tales about my recent trip to VEGAS! Have a lovely day and see you soon, Karen
Greek Style Pork Steaks with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Print recipe
| Serves | 4 |
| Prep time | 3 hours, 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 3 hours, 20 minutes |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Casual Party |
| Region | Greek |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 4 boned pork steaks (about 150g each)
- 4 pitta breads (warmed, to serve)
- Greek salad (to serve)
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic granules
- sea salt and black pepper (about 1 teaspoon of both mixed together)
Sauce
- 8 tablespoons Skyr natural fat-free Icelandic style yogurt
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 10 fresh oregano leaves (finely diced)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Note
A simple but tasty way to serve Pork Steaks; in a Greek style marinade with Greek salad and Pitta breads. By using low-fat natural Skyr (Icelandic style yogurt), and grilling the steaks, you cut back on excess fat and calories, but not on flavour.
Directions
| Step 1 | Mix all the marinade ingredients together and lay the pork steaks in a non-metal container. Drizzle over the marinade, turning the pork steaks so they are coated with the marinade both sides. You can add some fresh oregano leaves too, if you wish. Cover and set aside in a cool place for 3 to 4 hours. |
| Step 2 | Make the sauce; whisk the Skyr with all the remaining sauce ingredients together in a bowl, and then spoon it into a serving pot, cover with cling film and leave until you need to serve it later. You can make this up to 12 hours beforehand. |
| Step 3 | When you are ready to cook the pork steaks, sit them on a heatproof tray and place them under a hot grill - cook them for about 3 to 4 minutes in each side, according to the thickness of the steaks. You can also barbecue them or pan fry them, again, for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. |
| Step 4 | Serve the pork steaks with warm pitta bread, salad and the yogurt sauce. |
More GREEK recipes and articles on Lavender and Lovage:
Fabulous Greek Food on the Island of Astypalea
My Big Fat Greek Tomato, Olive and Caper Tart
Greek Lunch Box Salad with Feta Cheese and Mint Dressing
Greek Salad and Chicken in Pita Bread
As this recipe is FULL of Spring Flavours and uses my home grown oregano, I am adding it to May’s Tea Time Treats, which is hosted by Moi, at Lavender and Lovage, Manjiri from Travels for Taste and Jo from Jo’s Kitchen. Jo is hosting it this month, so PLEASE pop over to join in here:
Spring Flavours for Tea Time Treats
*Collaborative Post with Skyr*
Julia says
I just love Greek food, and always add cucumber and lots of garlic to the yoghurt.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Yes, cucumbers and garlic is fab when added to yogurt for a tzatziki style dip!
naina says
thanks a lot for sharing this recipe i will try making this dish
Karen Burns-Booth says
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!