Whenever I’m in Greece, I’m always the first in line for gyros. So, I thought it was time to introduce you to something that lets you enjoy those delicious Greek flavors from the comfort of your own home. That’s right – it’s pork gyros with tzatziki and sweet chili sauce!
Hi everyone, Nicky here from Kitchen Sanctuary with a meaty recipe for all of those carnivores out there!
This unbeatable recipe perfectly recreates those rotating rotisseries that you’d find in traditional Greek restaurants. Okay, not the mechanism but the TASTE.
Gyros are usually made with small chunks of well-seasoned pork (or chicken!), but you can easily get the same tenderness with a Dutch oven, a shoulder of pork, and a handful of herbs and spices.
Cooking the pork this way is seriously amazing. Not only is it left flaky, tender, and full of flavor from the slow cooking, but the final frying stage gives the meat a caramelized crunch that’s simply divine.
I always recommend serving this pork inside a Greek-style pita bread with salad and a heaping spoon of tzatziki. Finish things off with some sweet chili sauce and you’ll be transported to gyros heaven in seconds.
Why You’ll Love These Pork Gyros with Tzatziki and Sweet Chili Sauce
- They’re packed with authentic spices for a rich and flavorful bite
- They’re surprisingly healthy
- The tzatziki adds a pleasant tartness to the gyros which is simply irresistible
- The sweet chili sauce packs a punch that finishes the recipe off beautifully
Ingredients
- Celery salt
- Ground cumin
- Garlic salt
- Ground coriander
- Dried oregano
- Paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Boneless rolled pork shoulder joint with rind
- Vegetable oil
- Garlic
- Hot chicken/pork/vegetable stock
Tzatziki
- Large cucumber
- Full-fat Greek yogurt
- White wine vinegar
- Dried dill
- Garlic
- Granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
To Serve
- Warm Greek pita breads
- Shredded romaine lettuce
- Chopped grape tomatoes
- Sliced red onion
- Sweet chili sauce
How to Make Pork Gyros with Tzatziki and Sweet Chili Sauce
- Step One: Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Step Two: Mix the celery salt, cumin, garlic salt, ground coriander, oregano, paprika, salt, and black pepper on a plate.
- Step Three: Roll the pork joint in the spice mix so that all the meaty sides are well covered (no need to cover the rind).
- Step Four: Heat 2 tbsp of the oil until hot in a Dutch oven or a large thick-based, oven-proof pan. Sear the meat on all sides (except the rind side), then add the garlic and stock. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
- Step Five: Place a lid on and place in the oven to cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours – until you’re able to pull the meat away easily with a fork. Check the pork a couple of times during cooking to ensure there’s always some liquid in there. If it starts to go dry, top up with half a cup of hot water from the kettle.
- Step Six: When cooked, take off the oven, and remove the lid.
- Step Seven: Next make the tzatziki. Peel the cucumber and slice it in half, lengthways. Remove the seeds by scooping them out with a teaspoon. Grate the cucumber with a hand grater, then squeeze all the liquid out using clean hands.
- Step Eight: Place the squeezed-out cucumber in a bowl and add the rest of the tzatziki ingredients. Mix, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Step Nine: Carefully remove the meat from the pan and place it on a chopping board. Discard the cooking liquid (it will be very salty). Discard the pork rind too.
- Step Ten: Pull the meat into small chunks using two forks.
- Step Eleven: Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and add the pork. Fry on high heat, turning a few times during cooking, until golden brown (about 6-8 minutes). You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.
- Step Twelve: Place the pitas on plates along with the lettuce, tomato, and red onion. Top with the gyros meat and the cucumber tzatziki. Drizzle with sweet chili sauce before serving.
Equipment Needed
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What to Serve with Pork Gyros with Tzatziki and Sweet Chili Sauce
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- It’s a great idea to infuse your pork with spices before cooking. This allows the aromas to infuse into the meat and keeps things moist and flavorful.
- If you’re feeling funky, don’t be afraid to add a dash of vinegar and honey to your recipe. This will add depth to the pork and results in a seriously delicious bite.
- Make sure you mix your spices carefully before rolling the pork joint. Otherwise, you’ll probably get large chunks of singular spices that won’t taste great.
- If your tzatziki is too runny, add a small amount of xanthan gum to thicken things up. Just be careful how much you use, or you’ll end up with a sludgy mess.
- Don’t overmix your tzatziki. It’s tempting to lump everything into a food processor and stick it on high, but overmixed tzatziki can be bitter and runny.
- Don’t forget to drain your cucumber properly. You’ll want to remove as much water as possible.
Variations and Substitutions
- You can replace the pork in this recipe with chicken or beef for a slightly different feel. If you’re vegetarian, spiced chickpeas are a fabulous alternative.
- If you need to cut a few calories, replace the full-fat Greek yogurt with low-fat alternatives.
Storage Instructions
I recommend storing all elements of this dish separately to avoid any soggy pittas. You can keep the tzatziki and pork mixture in separate airtight containers, while the pittas should be fine in the cupboard (in an airtight container!).
Can I Freeze?
You can slow-cook the pork ahead of time before freezing it in an airtight container or single-serving freezer bags.
You’ll want to shred the pork before freezing it, but you can easily defrost everything in the refrigerator before serving.
Related Recipes
- Savory Pork Chops – For a simple weeknight meal that’s packed with olives, spices, and garlic, try these tender pork chops!
- Pork Chop Skillet Dinner – if you’re on the hunt for a one-pot meal with plenty of veggies, then this recipe is bound to warm your cockles.
- Orange Mustard Pork Tenderloin –This incredible orange mustard glazed pork is full of sweet and savory flavors that the whole family will love.
- Hoisin Chicken BLT Sandwich – If you’re a fan of hoisin sauce and super-juicy chicken, then you need to try this sandwich ASAP.
- Instant Pot BBQ Pork Ribs – I love ribs, and these broiled BBQ beauties are bone tender and super flavorful.
Try Pork Schnitzel, Crockpot Italian Pork Chops, Honey Garlic Pork Chops, Slow Cooker Rodeo Sloppy Joes, Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork, Yum Yum Sauce and Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs.
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Pork Gyros with Tzatziki and Sweet Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 lb boneless rolled pork shoulder joint with rind*
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 3 cups hot chicken/pork/vegetable stock
Tzatziki
- ½ large cucumber
- 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dried dill
- ½ small clove of garlic peeled and minced
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- pinch salt
To Serve
- Warm Greek pita breads
- Shredded romaine lettuce
- Chopped grape tomatoes
- Red onion sliced
- Sweet chili sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix together the celery salt, cumin, garlic salt, ground coriander, oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper on a plate. Roll the pork joint in the spice mix so that all the meaty sides are well covered (no need to cover the rind).
- Heat 2 tbsp of the oil until hot in a dutch oven or large thick-based, oven proof pan. Sear the meat on all sides (except the rind side), then add the garlic and stock. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. Place a lid on and place in the oven to cook for 2 ½ – 3 hours – until you’re able to pull the meat away easily with a fork. Check the pork a couple times during cooking to ensure there’s always some liquid in there. If it starts to go dry, top up with half a cup of hot water from the kettle. When cooked, take out of the oven and remove the lid.
- Next make the tzatziki. Peel the cucumber and slice in half, lengthways. Remove the seeds by scooping them out with teaspoon. Grate the cucumber with a hand grater, then squeeze all of the liquid out using clean hands. Place the squeezed out cucumber in a bowl and add the rest of the tzatziki ingredients. Mix together, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pan and place on a chopping board. Discard the cooking liquid (it will be very salty). Discard the pork rind too. Pull the meat into small chunks using two forks.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet and add the pork. Fry on a high heat, turning a few times during cooking, until golden brown (about 6-8 minutes). You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.
- Place the pitas on plates along with the lettuce, tomato and red onion. Top with the gyros meat and the cucumber tzatziki. Drizzle with sweet chili sauce before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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