Greek Tzatziki Style Grilling Sauce

What is Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki sauce has become a popular dip, topping and spread in many backyards during grilling season. The dish, in this version, is traditionally used in Greek cooking as a sauce for grilled meats or as a dip.

This recipe is one I used in my Great American Grilling Cookbook and it seems to be a fan favorite as it’s so versatile. It’s made of sheep or goat milk, with finely chopped cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, and more. There are as many variations of Tzatziki Sauce as there are barbecue sauces!

You can use this as a baste for grilled chicken, lamb, seafood and pork or use it as a drizzle over kabobs and even as a dip or dipping sauce.

Grilling Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2-3 tablespoons of peeled fine chopped cucumber
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Dash of parsley flakes (fresh if possible)

Directions: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix. If you want a sauce that’s not too chunky with cucumber you can mince the cucumber with a knife or food processor before adding it to the mix. If I’m going for the creamy version I chop the cucumber up as fine as possible and then crush with a heavy spoon and avoid the food processor since it’s only a few tablespoons. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Author Bio: Kent Whitaker, also known as “The Deck Chef,” is an award-winning culinary writer and cookbook author. He’s also penned Young Reader, NASCAR and History titles. The former winner of the Emeril Live Food Network Barbecue Contest also covers football, motorsports, and bass fishing. Kent currently lives in East Tennessee with his wife, son, and a couple of dogs that love when he fires up the smoker or grill. You can reach out to Kent at www.thedeckchef.com, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.