In Greek: γύρο, pronounced YEE-roh
Making gyro is a major undertaking, and for a professional like Bobby Bounakis, who let me follow him around to see the details, the process took just under an hour from the time he brought in the fresh pork to the time the 88-pound gyro cone went up on the rotisserie to start cooking.
Bounakis knows from experience how much gyro to make every day. The day we shot the photos was a "slow day," so the cone weighed "only" about 88 pounds (40 kilos)... to be made into pita bread sandwiches with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki, and french fries.
Other versions of gyro, made with beef and/or lamb (sometimes ground), goat, or chicken, are adaptations of the Turkish döner kebap or Middle Eastern shawarma, which are never made with pork.
Seasonings are adjusted to taste.
Ingredients
- thinly sliced pork shank and/or shoulder
- salt, pepper, sweet paprika, finely crushed Greek oregano (rigani)
- white wine vinegar
- Gyro RotisserieGyro rotisserie grill
- Start with the porkPreparing Gyro - Start with thinly sliced pork shank or shoulder
- Season the meatMaking Gyro - Season the meat
- Sprinkle with vinegarAfter seasoning, sprinkle with vinegar
- RepeatRepeat until all meat is coated
- Set up the skewerSet up the skewer
- Start to build the coneStart to build the gyro cone
- Continue building the coneContinue building the gyro cone
- Press down on the meatPress down on the gyro meat during the build
- Place the cone on the rotisseriePlace the cone on the rotisserie
- Gyro is readyThe gyro meat is ready after about an hour
- The sandwich starts with pita breadMaking a gyro sandwich starts with the pita bread
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