Bring the flavors of Greece into your kitchen with this authentic pork gyros recipe. Pork shoulder steaks and pork belly slices are marinated, then cooked in the oven or air fryer until the meat is tender and juicy with crispy edges. This straightforward gyro recipe is destined to become a family favorite.
Pork gyros are my go-to whenever I visit Greece — I can’t get enough. I usually enjoy the meat plated (μερίδα) with warm pita, Greek salad, fries and tzatziki, while my family prefers theirs wrapped in pita.
We often crave gyros back home in London, so I worked to recreate the true Greek flavor. This version pairs shoulder and belly for the right balance of tenderness and fat, and I believe it’s the best one yet.
What is Gyros?
Gyros (γύρο, pronounced “yeeros”) means “turn” in Greek. Traditionally, slices of meat — often pork or chicken — are stacked into a cone and roasted on a vertical rotisserie. As the outer layer cooks, it’s shaved off to serve. Don’t confuse gyros with souvlaki, where cubes of meat are threaded on skewers and grilled.
Reproducing a rotisserie at home isn’t always practical. If you don’t want another kitchen gadget, this recipe offers two easy alternatives — oven roasting on a vertical skewer or using an air fryer — both delivering excellent results.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flexible cooking – oven or air fryer both produce tender meat and crisp edges.
- True Greek flavor – shoulder and belly together give authentic juiciness.
- Make-ahead friendly – marinate overnight and cook when ready.
- Great for gatherings – set up a gyro bar with pita, salad, tzatziki and sauces.
- Easy to store – leftovers refrigerate or freeze well.
Pork Gyro Ingredients
The key to juicy gyros is using cuts with some fat. Lean cuts won’t give the same flavor or texture. A mix of pork shoulder steaks and pork belly slices gives the right balance of meat and fat for authentic gyros.
The marinade tenderizes the meat and layers in flavor. It combines white wine or apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, oregano, ground cumin, onion or garlic powder, sweet paprika, salt and pepper.
How to Make Pork Gyros
Marinate the pork
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a non-reactive container. Add pork belly slices and shoulder steaks, turning to coat each piece. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Bring the marinated pork to room temperature before cooking for even results.
Roast on a vertical skewer (oven)
- Preheat the oven. Thread the pork onto a vertical skewer, alternating shoulder steaks with belly slices. Top the stack with half a sliced lemon or a red onion for extra flavor.
- Place the skewer on a roasting tray and roast 60–90 minutes, rotating the tray occasionally so the meat cooks evenly. If the exterior is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
Cook gyros in the air fryer
- The vertical skewer won’t fit an air fryer basket, so thread the pork onto long metal skewers instead. Use several skewers to keep the stack secure for lifting in and out of the air fryer.
- Preheat the air fryer to 325°F (160°C). Place the skewers in the basket and cook 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Increase the temperature to 350°F (180°C) for a few minutes at the end to crisp the edges, watching closely as the fat can cause fast charring.
Rest and slice
- Cook until the pork reaches about 165°F (75°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and rest, loosely covered with foil, for five minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the gyros into thin slivers. Only slice what you need to keep the meat moist.
Serving Suggestions
- Pita wrap: Spread warm pita with tzatziki, add sliced red onion, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, gyros, a drizzle of the special sauce and fries if you like.
- As a portion: Serve plated with Greek Horiatiki salad, fries, toasted pita and tzatziki.
Which method wins?
Both methods are excellent: the oven yields slightly more tender meat while the air fryer produces crispier edges. If you’re short on time, the air fryer is quicker and more energy-efficient — just watch for fast charring because of the fat content.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe makes a large batch, roughly eight servings. Use a large air fryer or roast in batches if needed.
- Check the meat as it cooks and tent with foil if it browns too quickly. In an air fryer, make sure foil is secured so it doesn’t blow around.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the air fryer, oven or skillet to warm and re-crisp the edges.
Related Recipes
If you love these gyros, try other recipes like chicken gyros, lamb gyros or pork souvlaki for more Greek-inspired meals.
Thanks for bringing a taste of Greece into your kitchen with this Homemade Pork Gyros recipe. I hope you enjoy the juicy, crispy meat and have fun building your own gyro spreads at home. If you try it, please leave a rating or comment.
Greek Pork Gyros Recipe
Video
Equipment
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Large air fryer or oven
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Instant-read thermometer
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Vertical skewer or long metal skewers
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Sharp slicing knife
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder steaks (about 1.3 kg)
- 1 pound pork belly slices (about 450 g)
- ½ lemon or red onion (for oven method)
For the marinade
- 4 tbsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp onion or garlic powder
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 3 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
“Special” sauce
- 3 tbsp French’s mustard
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
To serve
- pita bread
- tzatziki sauce
- sliced red onions
- tomatoes
- shredded lettuce
- fries (optional)
Instructions
Marinate the meat
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a non-reactive container. Add the pork, coating each piece well. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Oven: roast on a vertical skewer
- Bring the pork to room temperature and thread onto a vertical skewer, alternating cuts. Top with half a sliced lemon or onion.
- Roast on a tray for 60–90 minutes, rotating occasionally. Tent with foil if needed to prevent over-browning.
Air fryer method
- Thread the pork onto long metal skewers so they fit the air fryer. Secure with multiple skewers for stability.
- Preheat to 325°F (160°C). Cook 30 minutes, flipping halfway. Finish at 350°F (180°C) for a few minutes to crisp, watching for quick charring.
Rest and slice
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Transfer to a plate and rest 5 minutes, loosely covered.
- Slice thinly with a sharp knife and serve as needed.
Serving suggestions
- Mix the special sauce ingredients to taste. Adjust ketchup and mayo for sweetness.
- Pita wrap: spread pita with tzatziki, add onions, lettuce, tomatoes, gyros, special sauce and fries if desired.
- As a portion: serve with Greek salad, fries, toasted pita and tzatziki.
Notes
- Fridge: Store sliced cooked pork in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze slices for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Oven 350°F (180°C) for 8–10 minutes; air fryer 350°F (180°C) for 3–5 minutes; or pan-sear briefly to warm and re-crisp edges.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and will vary with ingredients and portions.
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