Main Dishes

Perfect Homemade Gyros Completely From Scratch

We're taking this serious.. homemade pita, homemade gyro meat on a real gyro spindle roaster, and of course the greatest tzatziki to live. You can do it all and we're going to make that possible for you.

Prep
1 hour, 45 minutes
Cook
1-3 hours
Total
3-4 hours
Serves
8
people
Perfect Homemade Gyros Completely From Scratch
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Ingredients

Pita:

  • ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp (207ml) water, 95℉
  • 1.5 tsp (6g) active yeast
  • 1 Tbsp (14g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp (14g) fine sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp (13g) extra virgin olive oil

Meat:

  • 3 - 4 lbs pork shoulder, boneless 
  • 1.5 lb pork belly, skin off 
  • 1 Tbsp (13g) smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp (11g) garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp (8g) ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp (3g) dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped 
  • 1 Tbsp (14g) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp (19g) kosher salt
  • 3 Tbsp (45g) white distilled vinegar

Tzatziki:

  • 1.5 cups (349g) Greek yogurt
  • 1 English cucumber, finely diced 
  • 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped 
  • 1 Tbsp dill, finely chopped 
  • 1 Tbsp mint, finely chopped 
  • Juice and zest from whole lemon
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • Kosher salt to taste

Accouterment:

  • 1 tomato, thinly sliced
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced and washed 
  • Tzatziki
  • Herb mix of dill, mint, parsley

Directions

Pita:

  1. Start by whisking together 95℉ warm water with yeast, and granulated sugar. Let bloom for 7 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together flour and fine sea salt.
  3. Before mixing the yeast mixture with the flour mixture, whisk in olive oil with the yeast mixture. Pour into the flour mixture and mix by hand until a dough forms.
  4. Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead using the slap and fold method for 1 - 3 minutes until smooth but unable to tear.
  5. Spray a medium bowl with cooking spray, roll dough into a tight ball placed into the bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 hour or until doubled.
  6. Place a pizza stone into an oven and set it to its max temperature (475℉ - 500℉). This should take just over an hour while the dough rises.
  7. Punch dough down. Add to a lightly floured work surface and cut into six equal pieces (75g each).
  8. Form the pieces into balls and place in a lightly floured container, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
  9. To shape and bake, take a dough ball and lightly flour on a work surface. Roll it out to a 6” disc and transfer it to a small piece of parchment. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
  10. Place pita discs on pizza peel and carefully slide them onto the heated pizza stone. Bake for 2 - 3 minutes.
  11. Once puffed and golden, transfer to a towel and cover to keep warm.

Meat:

  1. Slice pork shoulder into ½” thick slices. Slice the pork belly into 2 even segments and slice into ½” slices.
  2. For the spices, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together until combined.
  3. Place meat into a container in single layers seasoning each layer at a time until all the meat has been added. Add the rest of the seasoning and toss together.
  4. Add in the vinegar, and toss to combine.
  5. Alternate placing the meat slices onto the rotisserie rod pork until the meat reaches the top.
  6. Place the secured rod to the rotisserie, turn heat to medium-low, and let cook and rotate for 1 - 3 hours. Check often to avoid burning.
  7. Once outside is fully cooked, slice and serve.

Tzatziki:

  1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients with salt to taste and whisk together until fully incorporated.

Assembly:

  1. Slice tomatoes thinly. Place on a baking sheet and season with salt, and let rest for a few minutes.
  2. Slice the cooked meat from the spindle and place it in a flattened pita.
  3. Top the meat with tzatziki sauce, sliced tomatoes, additional diced cucumber, fresh parsley, mint, and dill then finished with finely sliced red onions.