Pork Gyros with Pita and Tomato

Name: Pork Gyros with Pita and Tomato
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of thick fat and gristle, sliced across the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick strips, then cut into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) wide; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers; 1 tsp (2½ g) sweet paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; if using Morton kosher or fine salt, use 1 tsp (6 g); 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado or other neutral oil, used 1 tbsp (15 ml) per batch for searing; 6 pitas (420 g) thick, soft Greek-style pita breads, about 7 inches (18 cm) round, pocketless if available (about 70 g each); 3 tomatoes (450 g) ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices, then halved; 1 onion (120 g) small red onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons; 1¼ cups (300 g) tzatziki, cold, store-bought or homemade (about 3 tbsp / 45 g per gyro, with a little extra); 1 lemon (100 g) lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thin slices of pork shoulder soak in a bright marinade of oregano, garlic and lemon, then sear in a hot skillet until browned at the edges and juicy inside. Pile the pork onto warm pita with tomato, red onion and cool tzatziki for a Greek street-food favorite you can make at home.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 2 hr 52 min
Makes: 6 gyros

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the pork
1½ lb (680 g) boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of thick fat and gristle, sliced across the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick strips, then cut into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) wide
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; if using Morton kosher or fine salt, use 1 tsp (6 g)
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
3 tbsp (45 ml) avocado or other neutral oil, used 1 tbsp (15 ml) per batch for searing
To serve
6 pitas (420 g) thick, soft Greek-style pita breads, about 7 inches (18 cm) round, pocketless if available (about 70 g each)
3 tomatoes (450 g) ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices, then halved
1 onion (120 g) small red onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons
1¼ cups (300 g) tzatziki, cold, store-bought or homemade (about 3 tbsp / 45 g per gyro, with a little extra)
1 lemon (100 g) lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional)

Equipment (9)

12-inch (30 cm) cast-iron or heavy stainless steel skillet
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
Large mixing bowl (3-quart / 3 L)
Microplane or fine grater, for the garlic
Tongs
Paper towels
Instant-read thermometer (optional, for checking a stack of cooked pieces)
Aluminum foil
Clean kitchen towel

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 2 hours of marinating and no more than 6 hours in the fridge. Thin slices in lemon juice turn mushy if left longer.
Use boneless pork shoulder (also sold as Boston butt) with some marbling. Trim off any thick outer fat cap and hard gristle.
A sharp knife makes thin slicing much easier. If the pork is slippery, freeze it for 20 minutes first so it firms up.
Take the pork out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking, and keep the tzatziki cold until you assemble.
Check your salt: the recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Morton kosher or fine salt is about twice as dense, so use half the volume.

1
Slice the pork
- Place the pork shoulder on a cutting board and trim off thick outer fat and hard gristle, leaving thin marbling.
- Slice against the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick strips, then cut the strips into pieces about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
- Aim for even thickness so everything cooks at the same speed.
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Ready when: Slices are uniformly about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick with no large pieces of fat.
Tip: If the meat is slippery and hard to slice thinly, freeze it for 20 minutes to firm it up.
2
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, kosher salt and black pepper.
- It will be a loose, golden, speckled liquid, not a paste.
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Ready when: Salt is dissolved or evenly dispersed and the spices are evenly suspended with no clumps.
3
Marinate the pork
- Add the sliced pork to the bowl and toss with your hands for about 1 minute so every piece is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.
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Ready when: Pork looks evenly coated and glossy, with no dry patches.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 6 hours; the lemon juice starts to turn thin slices mushy.
4
Prep the toppings
- While the pork marinates, slice the tomatoes and red onion as described in the ingredient list.
- Keep them in separate covered bowls in the fridge.
- Cut the lemon into 6 wedges, if using.
- Leave the tzatziki in the fridge.
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Ready when: Tomato slices are about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and onion slices are thin and even.
Tip: Don't salt the tomatoes until you build each gyro, or they release a lot of liquid.
5
Drain the pork
- About 20 minutes before cooking, take the pork out of the fridge.
- Lift the pieces out of the marinade a handful at a time, shake off the excess, and blot them lightly with paper towels onto a plate.
- Divide into 3 roughly equal piles.
- Discard the leftover marinade.
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Ready when: Pork is glistening but not dripping, with only a thin film of marinade clinging.
Tip: Wet pork steams instead of browning, so don't skip the blotting.
6
Sear the first batch
- Heat the 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over high heat for 2 minutes until very hot.
- Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the neutral oil and swirl.
- Add one pile of pork in a single layer with space between pieces.
- Cook without moving for 2 minutes, then flip and cook 2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Pieces are deeply browned with crisp edges, and when you cut into the thickest piece there is no pink.
Tip: Crowding the pan steams the meat, so cook only one-third at a time.
7
Sear batches two and three
- Before each batch, carefully scrape out any burnt bits with tongs or a spatula, and if the pan is smoking heavily, lower the heat for a moment.
- Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil, let it shimmer, then cook the second pile exactly like the first (2 minutes, flip, 2 minutes).
- Repeat with the third pile and the last tablespoon of oil.
- Pile all the pork on the plate and tent loosely with foil.
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Ready when: All pork is browned at the edges and cooked through with no pink. If you check, a stack of pieces on the plate reads at least 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Shoulder is forgiving, so a little extra browning adds flavor. Don't wipe a hot pan with a paper towel; use tongs.
8
Warm the pita
- Turn the heat to medium and wipe the skillet clean once it has cooled slightly.
- Warm each pita in the dry skillet for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
- Stack the pitas and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them pliable.
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Ready when: Pita is hot, soft and flexible with light brown spots, and folds without cracking.
Tip: Don't overheat the pita or it will dry out and crack when folded.
9
Assemble and serve
- Lay a warm pita flat on a plate.
- Spread about 3 tablespoons (45 g) of tzatziki down the center, top with about one-sixth of the pork, then add tomato slices (with a pinch of salt) and red onion.
- Fold the sides over the filling and roll closed, wrapping the bottom in parchment or foil if you like.
- Serve right away with lemon wedges for squeezing.
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Ready when: Gyros are filled and folded with the pork still hot and the tzatziki still cold.
Tip: Build gyros one at a time so the pita stays soft and the tzatziki stays cold.

Good to know

Tips

Slice against the grain for tender pork: find the lines of muscle fiber and cut across them.
Get the pan very hot before the pork goes in, and don't move the pieces for the first 2 minutes to get browned, crisp edges.
Cook in three batches and blot off excess marinade; crowding or wet meat steams instead of browning.
For a more traditional look, press the cooked pork in the pan with a spatula for a minute at the end so the edges crisp up.

Make ahead

Slice and marinate the pork up to 6 hours ahead, covered in the fridge. Slice the tomato and onion up to 4 hours ahead. Cooked pork can be made a day ahead and reheated in a hot skillet.

Storage & reheating

Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes with a splash of water or oil until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C). Keep pita, tomato and tzatziki separate; assembled gyros get soggy. Pita keeps at room temperature for 2 days, or frozen for 2 months.

Substitutions

boneless pork shoulder → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Slice the same way and cook until no pink remains and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C); cook time is about the same.
tzatziki → plain Greek yogurt mixed with grated cucumber, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. Squeeze the grated cucumber dry first so the sauce stays thick.
dried oregano → dried Greek thyme or marjoram. Use the same amount; the flavor will be a bit milder.
thick, soft Greek-style pita breads → naan or flatbread. Warm in the same way; the texture will be softer and chewier.