This homemade traditional Greek pork gyros is the real deal and better than anything you can get at a restaurant. Brined, then marinated, and cooked on a vertical rotisserie in the oven, it would also be perfect for the grill. The crispy yet tender gyros is served with warm pita, tomatoes, tzatziki, fries, or anything you like, is a delicacy not to be missed.
In Greece, gyros is normally made with pork, though other meats are used in other countries. Chicken is common, and lamb or beef may be found more rarely. Typical American mass-produced gyros are made with finely ground beef mixed with lamb.
How to make pork gyros at home
To make a great traditional Greek gyro, the meat must be tender and not be too lean. The fat adds so much flavor and also gets crispy and delicious. A lean cut with no fat will produce a dry, tough gyro.
The best combination is pork shoulder cutlets with some sliced pork belly.
All the meat is brined for 24 hours. Then it marinates for a good amount of time before getting on the skewer. This preparation seems long, but it is easy and worth it. Trust me!
This is what you need for the brine*:
Fill a small saucepan with water.
Add the salt and sugar and simmer over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until the sugar and salt have diluted. Fill a large container with water and mix in the sugar/salt mixture. Stir well. Add all the other brine ingredients. Stir and add the meat. Make sure it is covered fully with water. Place in the fridge and brine the meat, if possible, for 24 hours. It will result in very tender, juicy meat.
This is what you need for the marinade*:
The marinade intensifies the gyro’s taste and makes it very flavorful and aromatic. The longer you leave the meat in the marinade, the more it will absorb the seasonings. If you want to marinate meat quickly, use the vacuum-seal method. Get the right equipment; you can vacuum seal your meat and shorten the time you need to wait before cooking.
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Make sure the honey is well-fixed with everything. Rub marinade on the meat, place it in the fridge, and marinate for 3 hours or overnight.
Why this recipe sings
It is a well-known fact I make souvlaki every time I feel homesick. It is also my most requested dish every time we have guests. I make versions with chicken and pork, wrapped in homemade pitas, and served with lots of veggies, sauces, and fries.
I was on a quest to make authentic traditional Greek pork gyro on a vertical rotisserie. Lacking the outdoor grill, I found a relatively small vertical rotisserie I could use in my oven. It took a few tries to perfect this recipe. Lots of cuts of meat went on that rotisserie, and Daryl had to sample my homemade gyros versions daily for a week. He was not complaining; he is, after all, my trusted recipe tester but let’s say he had had enough of my gyro escapades. I consulted my butcher for what cut would be perfect for traditional Greek pork gyros at home. We tried various combinations, and the perfect Greek gyros is finally here. It was a major win to perfect the tenderness of the salty, crispy meat that is such a popular delicious food back home in Greece.
Homemade Pork Gyros | Akis Petretzikis
FAQ
Does gyro meat have pork?
What kind of meat is gyro?
What is the difference between Greek gyros and American gyros?
Do Jews eat gyros?
Which meat is best for gyros?
And seeing as pork, like beef, is one of the more readily available meats, getting some to make your own gyros is an easy affair. Like lamb, the best cut for pork gyros is the pork shoulder. This cut has an excellent meat to fat ratio.
What is gyro meat made out of?
In Greece, gyros are often made out of pork, but in the United States, there are many traditional gyro meat recipes (like this one!) that are made from a combination of lamb and beef. Gyro meat ingredients are very basic and simple to find at any grocery store: Onion – I recommend using a white onion, but yellow or red will also work.
What is a Greek gyro?
A gyro (pronounced YEE-row) is a Greek dish that is typically served on a pita. Made with stacked meat that has been cooked on a vertical rotisserie, “gyro” means “round” in Greek. In Greece, gyros are traditionally made with pork, but chicken is also common, and the slices of meat are stacked on a spit.
Can you eat pork gyros in Greece?
In Greece, pork is perhaps the most common meat you’ll find in gyros apart from lamb. Found in many regions of the country, pork fat trimmings are typically added to gyros in order to achieve maximum flavor. And seeing as pork, like beef, is one of the more readily available meats, getting some to make your own gyros is an easy affair.