Homemade Traditional Greek Pork Gyros
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
3 hrs
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Additional Time
1 d
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Servings
8
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Calories
749 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Homemade Traditional Greek Pork Gyros
Description
The process starts with a savory brine infused with salt, brown sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, garlic, and fresh herbs. Immersing the pork overnight in this brine ensures thorough seasoning and moisture retention. After brining, the pork is dried and marinated with olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, sumac, oregano, black pepper, chili flakes, and fresh herbs to build layers of flavor.
The pork cutlets and thinly sliced pork belly are assembled on a vertical rotisserie, layering cuts for even cooking. Roasting at moderate oven temperature cooks the meat slowly, allowing fat to render and the exterior to brown, emulating traditional street gyros. Alternatively, the gyros can be wrapped and baked in parchment then finished under a broiler for crispness.
This gyros preparation yields juicy, tender pork with fragrant herb and spice notes and a slightly crispy edge. It is suitable for slicing thin to be served in pita with typical accompaniments or as part of a main course.
Notes include an alternative method of cooking in parchment (kleftiko style) and suggest the use of wooden skewers to hold the layers together. Nutritional content is estimated and may vary by ingredients.
Ingredients
The meat
- 4 lbs pork shoulder cutlet
- 1 lb pork belly thinly sliced
For the brine
- ¼ cup salt sea salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1-2 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns whole
- 2-3 Herb Like sage and rosemary sprigs, fresh, sprigs
- 3-4 cloves
- 4 garlic crushed, cloves
For the marinade
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1 tablespoon oregano dry
- 1 tablespoon black pepper fresh ground
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons salt sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs roughly chopped, like fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage
For serving
- smoked paprika optional
- lemon optional, slices
Instructions
Brine the pork
- For the brine, place the sugar, salt, in a sauce pan with a cup of water. Simmer on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Fill a large container or pot with the sugar-salt mixture and water. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, garlic, and herbs. Stir well. Place the pork in the brine. Make sure it is fully immersed and cover with water. Chill overnight.
Marinate
- Remove the meat add dry the pieces well with a paper towel.
- In a bowl, mix ½ cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon dry oregano, 1 tablespoon sumac, 2 teaspoons sea salt, roughly chopped, like fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage and some freshly ground pepper.
- Place meat pieces in a pan and pour the marinade all over. Rub pieces with marinade. Let pork belly sit for 3 hours or overnight.
Roast
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pierce the pork pieces on the vertical rotisserie. Add the pork belly slices between the cutlets. Add half a lemon on top or half an onion. Place meat on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn pork around every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking.
Notes
- Brine pork overnight to enhance flavor and moisture retention.
- The gyros can be cooked on a vertical rotisserie or baked wrapped in parchment for traditional or alternative methods.
- Use wooden skewers to pierce meat layers if assembling by hand before roasting.
- Finish baked gyros under a broiler for a few minutes on each side to achieve a crispy surface.
- Nutritional information is approximate and dependent on ingredients used.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 749 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 749kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 57g | 114% |
| Fat | 51g | 78% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 27g | 135% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 191mg | 64% |
| Sodium | 4252mg | 177% |
| Potassium | 1060mg | 23% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 115IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 9mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 50mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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