Gyros is one of those dishes most people have eaten and few have made themselves. The home version is simpler than it looks.
First things first: gyros in Greece is pork
Many people assume gyros is lamb. Mostly it is not. In Greece, gyros is traditionally made with pork, with chicken as the most common alternative. Lamb arrived in Athens after the Second World War, with migrants from Anatolia and the Middle East, and lamb and beef are today the norm in American and northern European versions. To hit the flavour of Thessaloniki, buy pork neck.
The other thing often misunderstood is that gyros is supposed to be a spice mix. The word means ‘turn' and describes the spit that rotates. It is a method, not a blend. A packet of gyros seasoning is a reasonable starting point, but it does not define the dish.
Ingredients for four
- 800 g pork neck, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 4 pitta breads or lavash
- 1 red onion, 2 tomatoes and chips
For the tzatziki: 400 g Greek yoghurt, half a cucumber, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar and salt.
Method
- Cut the pork neck into thin slices, three to four millimetres.
- Mix the olive oil, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper and vinegar. Turn the meat in the marinade and leave it in the fridge for at least two hours.
- Coarsely grate the cucumber, salt it and let it drain in a sieve for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the rest of the liquid before mixing it with the yoghurt, crushed garlic, olive oil and vinegar. Without this the tzatziki goes thin after half an hour.
- Fry the meat in a good hot pan in small batches. Put it all in at once and it boils instead. Let the slices take a dark colour on both sides.
- Brush the breads with olive oil and warm them in a dry pan for about 30 seconds per side. Greek pitta has no pocket – it should be soft enough to roll.
- Spread tzatziki on the bread, then the meat, onion, tomato and chips. Yes, the chips go inside. Roll it tightly and wrap it in paper.
Frequently asked questions
What is gyros made of?
In Greece usually pork neck, sometimes chicken. Outside Greece more often lamb, or a mix of beef and lamb. The meat is stacked on a vertical spit and shaved off in slices as the surface cooks.
Are gyros and kebab the same?
They are related. Gyros is a Greek adaptation of Turkish döner, and the words mean the same thing in their own languages. The difference lies in the seasoning and the accompaniments: gyros gets oregano, tzatziki and chips, döner more often cumin and salad.
What is the difference between gyros and souvlaki?
Souvlaki is cubed meat on a small skewer over charcoal, gyros is sliced meat on a vertical spit. In Athens, souvlaki is also used as a collective term for both served in bread. Thessaloniki keeps the words apart.
What goes in a gyros?
Tzatziki, tomato, red onion and chips are the standard in Greece. Feta, olives and a little oregano are common at home. Mixed salad and cucumber slices belong to döner.
Where to find the ingredients
The seasoning is on the spice shelf, and a Greek olive oil makes a difference both in the marinade and on top. Tzatziki needs thick yoghurt, and olives and feta finish the table. See also falafel and tabbouleh.
