Authentic Gyros Recipe Greece, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Thin, but juicy meat shavings, garnished with aromatic tzatziki sauce and ripe summer vegetables, and stuffed in a pita bread — that, in its essence, is gyros, one of the most popular street foods of Greece. Calling gyros fast food would not do it justice, since the preparation is lengthy and requires special machinery. The process starts by marinating thin slices of meat — usually pork or lamb, but beef and chicken are also an option — in a blend of olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegar and spices such as thyme, oregano, rosemary and sweet paprika, to name just some. After marinating overnight, the tenderized meat is laid around a vertical skewer in the form of a cone and pressed so no gaps are left. The gyro cone is then placed on the rotisserie grill, and sometimes a thin slice of fat is put on top so it can melt during baking. The skewer rotates slowly in an upright position — hence the name gyros, which means to rotate or to turn — and ... Read more
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Cooking tips
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meat
Basically, any kind of meat can be used to make gyros, though lamb and pork are a bit more traditional than beef and chicken. Also, lamb and pork tend to contain a higher percentage of fat which makes gyros extra juicy: go for the leg, shank or shoulder meat. The original gyros is made from individual slices of meat stacked together in the shape of a cone around the rotating metal skewer and baked ... Read more -
marinating
The key to making perfect gyros is marinating the meat in a mixture of spices — most commonly oregano, rosemary, and thyme — oil and vinegar, preferably overnight, which will break the meat’s texture and make it extra soft and full of flavor. You can also add honey to the marinade to give the meat some extra glaze. -
baking
Since the vertical rotisserie oven is a rare sight outside restaurant kitchens, three main techniques have been developed to prepare gyros at home. The meat can be cut into thin slices and sautéed in a pan; the ground meat can be baked in a baking pan, or wrapped in plastic foil and cooked in a bain-marie. -
slicing
Originally, the meat for gyros is cut by using a special electric device resembling a shaver. You can easily imitate this technique with an extra-sharp, thin knife: simply cut the meat into the thinnest slices possible. -
serving
Gyros is usually served wrapped in pita bread, garnished with tzatziki sauce and fresh vegetables such as tomato, onion, and lettuce. Paprika, cabbage, and corn are sometimes added as well, and most Greeks stuff some French fries inside their gyros for a true fast food experience.
Recipe variations
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Homemade Pork Gyros
Ready in 5h 20minThis recipe for traditional gyros is adapted for at-home preparation. Pork tenderloin is the main ingredient, and extra softness is achieved by marinating the meat in a blend of herbs, oil, vinegar, and honey. The meat is prepared in a frying pan and served inside a pita bread with tzatziki, onion, and tomato. Tzatziki can be substituted with yogurt or with mustard and mayonnaise sauce.
Homemade Pork Gyros
PREP 2h
COOK 20min
RESTING 3h
READY IN 5h 20min
This recipe for traditional gyros is adapted for at-home preparation. Pork tenderloin is the main ingredient, and extra softness is achieved by marinating the meat in a blend of herbs, oil, vinegar, and honey. The meat is prepared in a frying pan and served inside a pita bread with tzatziki, onion, and tomato. Tzatziki can be substituted with yogurt or with mustard and mayonnaise sauce.
Ingredients
Homemade Pork Gyros
FOR THE PORK GYROS
1 pork tenderloin, cut into strips
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 tbsp of olive oil
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp oregano
thyme
rosemary
1/2 tbsp honey
FOR THE TZATZIKI SAUCE
1 cucumber
2 cloves garlic
60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
500g (1.1 lbs) yogurt
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
TO SERVE
4 pita breads
1 red onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
fried potatoes (optional)
lettuce
Preparation
Homemade Pork Gyros
Begin with preparing the pork gyros: cut the tenderloin into thin strips and place them in a large bowl. Add garlic, onion, olive, oil, vinegar, and herbs and combine squeezing with your hands. To finish, add honey, cover the bowl, and place it into the fridge for at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight.
Heat a large, non-sticking pan. Toss in the pork with the entire marinade and sauté for 1 minute without stirring. Then, turn the ingredients on the other side and sauté for another minute, until the meat is browned and crispy on the outside, but still soft and juicy on the inside.
Now, prepare the tzatziki sauce. Pulse olive oil and garlic in a food processor until the garlic is completely smooth and no chunks are left behind. Grate the cucumber, season with salt, and leave for 10 minutes. Now, drain the water out of the cucumber by wrapping it in a towel or a firm kitchen cloth and squeezing it with your hands. Mix cucumber, blended garlic, olive oil, yogurt, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and put in a refrigerator to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 250°C/480°F. Brush both sides of pita breads with some oil and season them with salt, pepper, and oregano. Bake for 1 minute.
To finish, spread some tzatziki on the pita bread, arrange the gyros on top, and add sliced tomato and onion. If you want to, you can also stuff some fried potatoes and lettuce in the pita bread. Wrap the pita bread like a sandwich and serve.
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