My favourite recipe for Crispy Pork Gyros – including how to get that perfect crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside meat!
I’ve been daydreaming about holidays and the gyros you buy from tiny cafes in Greece. That juicy meat, cooling tzatziki and the cheeky handful of fries wrapped in warm pita — it’s the kind of street food that beats many restaurant meals.
There’s something about sitting on a plastic chair, biting into a pork gyro and sipping an ice-cold drink that feels like the real holiday experience. I haven’t been back to Greece recently, but I still chase that salty, crispy meat at home whenever I can. It’s also an unbeatable hangover cure.
What do we need?
Pork – Rolled boneless shoulder of pork (skin on) is perfect for homemade gyros. This cut usually has good marbling and the fatty skin helps keep the meat moist during slow cooking while adding flavour and succulence.
Spices – The spice mix forms a rub that coats the pork before searing. Sealing the meat in a hot pan and then slow-cooking it lets the flavours penetrate the meat for a deep, seasoned result.
How to make homemade Gyros
Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
- Mix the spices and roll the pork joint in the spice mix so all meaty sides are coated. Sear the pork on all sides in a hot oven-proof pan with a little oil to seal in the flavours.
- Add garlic and hot stock to the pan, bring to the boil, cover and transfer to the oven. Slow-cook for 2½–3 hours, until the meat is very tender and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove the pork from the pan and place it on a board. Discard the rind, then shred the meat using two forks.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the shredded pork in batches until golden and crispy. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper while frying.
Serve the crispy pork on warm flatbreads or pitas with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, a generous spoonful of tzatziki and, if you like, a few fries tucked inside.
Authentic Greek Gyros
Traditional gyros are made by stacking seasoned meat on a rotisserie and cooking it slowly while the stack rotates — “gyro” literally means rotation. This recipe uses a different, simpler method to capture the same juicy, salty, crispy profile without specialized equipment. It’s reliable and perfect for a home kitchen.
I pull this recipe out every summer — it easily makes 6–8 gyros, more if you add extra fries. If that’s too much, shred and freeze some of the cooked pork to use later. Defrost in the fridge overnight before frying and finishing.
What to serve it with
These gyros work beautifully with simple sides and salads. Ideas include:
- Oven-baked fries
- Homemade tzatziki
- Greek-style potato hash with feta
- Panzanella salad or a fresh green salad
- Creamy potato salad or grilled romaine with fruit and cheese
- Feta and couscous-stuffed roasted peppers
Ingredient swaps and variations
- Make a salad bowl with the crispy pork, tzatziki, chopped vegetables, quinoa, avocado and feta instead of wraps.
- Use lamb shoulder for a more traditional flavour if you prefer.
- Swap the salad vegetables for whatever you like — baby spinach, sliced peppers, spring onions or jalapeños all work well.
- If you’d rather, replace tzatziki with a tahini-based shawarma sauce.
Video
Crispy Pork Gyros
My favourite recipe for Crispy Pork Gyros — crispy on the outside, tender inside, and full of flavour.
Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook Time: 3 hrs 20 mins | Total Time: 3 hrs 50 mins | Serves: 6
Ingredients
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.8–2 kg (4–4.5 lb) boneless rolled pork shoulder joint with rind
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 cups hot chicken, pork or vegetable stock
To serve
- 6 warm Greek pita breads
- Shredded lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- Tzatziki
- Cooked french fries (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan).
- Scatter the dry spices on a board and roll the pork joint in the mix to coat the meaty sides (the rind can be left as it will be discarded later).
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large oven-proof pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides except the rind side.
- Add the garlic and hot stock to the pan. Bring to the boil, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2½–3 hours until the meat is tender and flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove the pork from the oven and lift it out of the pan using forks. Place on a chopping board and discard the rind.
- Shred the pork with two forks.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add shredded pork in batches with a pinch of salt and pepper and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy (about 6–8 minutes per batch).
- Warm the pita breads, top with lettuce, tomatoes and pork. Scatter red onion and fries if using, spoon over tzatziki, roll and serve.
Notes
Make ahead: Slow-cook and shred the pork up to two days in advance, cool, cover and refrigerate. Fry just before serving.
Freezing: Slow-cook, shred and cool the pork, then freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and finish by frying.
Nutrition: The nutritional information is an approximation and will vary depending on portions and serving choices.
This recipe was first posted in November 2017 and updated in June 2020 with new photos, tips and video.
Some links in the original post were affiliate links. Nutritional information is approximate and intended as a guide.