Pork Gyro Platter
Tender, spiced pork shoulder sliced thin and served on warm pita with cool tzatziki, crisp tomatoes, and red onion. A showstopping Greek platter that tastes like a Greek taverna.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 685
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 3 lb pork shoulder, boneless
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 whole cucumber, grated
- 8 pieces warm pita bread
- 1 large ripe tomato, diced
- ½ whole red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 325°F and wait for the indicator light or beep to show it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
In a small bowl, stir together the minced garlic, dried oregano, cumin, paprika, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 0.75 teaspoon black pepper until it looks like a thick paste.
- 3
Pat the pork shoulder completely dry with paper towels by rubbing it all over on all sides — this helps it brown later.
- 4
Rub the entire surface of the pork shoulder with the spice paste, working it into all the nooks and crevices and covering every exposed side.
- 5
Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into a fine mesh strainer, then squeeze the grated cucumber hard with your hands over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 6
In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt and squeezed grated cucumber until uniform and smooth, then set aside at room temperature.
- 7
Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy oven-safe pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until a drop of water flicked onto the surface immediately sizzles and evaporates.
- 8
Carefully place the spiced pork shoulder into the hot skillet and do not move it for 4 minutes — this creates a brown crust on the bottom.
- 9
Flip the pork shoulder over using tongs and leave it undisturbed for another 4 minutes to brown the other side.
- 10
Transfer the skillet to the preheated 325°F oven and roast uncovered for 2 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part (not touching bone) reads 185°F and the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.
- 11
Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing — this keeps the juices inside the meat instead of running onto the plate.
- 12
Using a sharp knife, slice the rested pork as thin as possible — about the thickness of a coin — against the grain, angling your knife so each slice comes away thin rather than thick.
- 13
Warm the pita bread in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds on each side until soft and pliable, or wrap them in a damp towel and microwave for 30 seconds.
- 14
Spread 2 tablespoons of the tzatziki sauce onto the inside of each warm pita bread.
- 15
Divide the sliced pork evenly among the four pitas, piling it loosely on top of the tzatziki.
- 16
Scatter the diced tomato and sliced red onion on top of the pork in each pita.
- 17
Serve immediately with extra tzatziki sauce on the side, or drizzle additional sauce over the top if desired.
Tools you’ll need
- box grater
- 12-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan
- meat thermometer
- sharp carving knife
- cutting board
- small bowls
- paper towels
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- fine mesh strainer
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