[2] It differs from the popular Greek dish souvlaki, in that meat cuts are much larger and slow cooked for a much longer period at a greater distance from the hot charcoal.

The process takes between 90 minutes and 3 hours depending on the type of meat, size and heat of fire.

Salt, aromatics (such as oregano), oil, and wine are sprinkled or brushed on the meat once the cooking process is well under way.

Over time, various localities have developed their own recipes, which tend to vary the spices added to the meat marinade.

Typically, souvla in Greece refers to a whole spit-roasted lamb (ovelias, in Greek "Οβελίας") for Easter and other major holidays or specialist restaurants; the Greek dish most similar to souvla is kontosouvli, large pieces of pork cut from the bone, and kokoretsi (lamb innards/offal rolled into a large sausage), or a speciality of the cook in that region of the country.