Greece · Meat Dishes

Gyro

90 min4 servings480 kcal

Thin-sliced seasoned pork roasted until the edges turn crisp and golden, served in warm pita with tzatziki, tomato, and onion.

Gyro

Ingredients

  • pork shoulder steaks, about 1 cm thick800 g
  • pork belly slices200 g
  • olive oil4 tbsp
  • white wine vinegar3 tbsp
  • dried Greek oregano1.5 tsp
  • sweet paprika1 tsp
  • ground cumin1 tsp
  • garlic cloves3
  • fine salt1 tsp
  • black pepper0.5 tsp
  • Greek yogurt300 g
  • cucumber, grated and squeezed dry1
  • garlic cloves, very finely minced2
  • fresh dill or mint2 tbsp
  • pita breads4
  • ripe tomatoes2
  • red onion (half kept whole for the spit base, half thinly sliced for serving)1

Method

  1. 1Marinate the pork. Combine olive oil, vinegar, oregano, paprika, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the pork shoulder steaks and belly slices. Coat thoroughly and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight. The vinegar tenderises the meat and helps it crisp at the edges during roasting.
  2. 2Make the tzatziki. Grate the cucumber on the coarse side of a box grater. Place in a clean cloth and wring out all moisture — it should feel nearly dry. Combine the drained cucumber with the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, dill or mint, and a pinch of salt. Stir well, taste, adjust. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving — the flavor deepens as it sits.
  3. 3Build the vertical spit (home method). Cut the red onion in half. Keep one half whole and place it flat-side down in a small roasting tin or deep oven-safe dish; thinly slice the other half and set it aside for serving. Push two long metal skewers or pre-soaked wooden skewers through the onion half to create a vertical support. Thread the marinated pork pieces onto the skewers alternately — shoulder, belly, shoulder — pressing each layer snugly down. The stack should be 15 to 20 cm tall. Pour any remaining marinade over the top.
  4. 4Roast and grill. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roast the pork stack for 50 to 60 minutes until cooked through and beginning to color on the outside. The internal temperature of the thickest piece should reach 70°C. Switch the oven to grill/broil at maximum heat and grill for 8 to 10 minutes until the outer layer is genuinely crispy and charred at the edges. This grill step is what replicates the rotisserie crust. Rest for 5 minutes, then carve thin strips off the outside of the stack with a sharp knife.
  5. 5Assemble and serve. Warm the pita breads briefly on a hot dry pan or directly over a gas flame. Lay each pita flat, spread tzatziki generously, add a handful of sliced tomato and raw red onion, then pile the carved gyros meat on top. Fold the pita around the filling and serve immediately. The pita can also be wrapped in foil to hold its shape. Serve with extra tzatziki on the side.