There is nothing more special than your first encounter with a traditional Greek gyros. Wrapped in delicate paper, you can feel the heat of the warmed pitta, packed full of thinly sliced, seasoned meat, nestled with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and lashings of cooling tzatziki. Sometimes even French Fries are crammed into the mix. It is a taste sensation to behold.

It is no surprise, then, that this Grecian street food staple can now be found in cities around the world, from London to New York and Sydney to LA.

What is gyros? (pronounced ‘YEE-ros’)

Gyros are traditionally made with thin slices of very well-seasoned pork, but lamb and chicken can also be used. After the slices are seasoned, they are stacked in the shape of an inverted cone on a vertical skewer. The cone of meat is then placed in a rotisserie, and slowly spins, while browning and basting itself with the juices and fat as the meat cooks. Ground meat came about simply as a convenience, not by tradition.

The word gyros is derived from the Greek word ‘gheereezo’, which means ‘to turn’. The cooking process results in meat that is tender, packed with flavour, with a light, crispy edge. When the meat is cooked it is added to a warm pitta wrap with your chosen toppings, typically tomatoes, onions, lettuce, parsley and Greek yoghurt or tzatziki. Even though gyros actually refers to how the meat is cooked, the wrap sandwich is aptly named after it, in honour of the meat’s starring role.

The origins of the famous Greek street food

The Hellenic icon, Alexander the Great, was known to celebrate battle victories with skewered meat feasts. Some historical accounts suggest gyros was a part of this tradition, as soldiers skewered meats on their swords and turned them in the fires to celebrate their victorious return.

However, gyros, as we have come to know them today, likely originated around 1922, as hundreds of thousands of Greek and Armenian refugees fled Turkey. According to folklore, Armenians made the best gyros. The cuisine became popularised as soldiers, returning from WW2, developed a fondness for the local fare while stationed around Europe. This led to a series of immigrant-owned gyros restaurants popping up throughout the USA, Europe and even Australia. Many of these family-run restaurants are still going strong today.

While gyros have a lot in common with kebabs, there are subtle differences between the two popular dishes, which each have their own culinary history and traditions. Take a look at our blog on the origins of Kebabs here.

Check out our easy guide below for the perfect gyros with Trophi…

Ingredients:

• Trophi pre-cooked and pre-seasoned gyros meat (available at the supermarket)
• 4 x pitta bread
• Tzatziki sauce (store-bought or home-made using our delicious recipe on our website)
• 1 large tomato (sliced)
• 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
• ½ cucumber (thinly sliced)
• Feta cheese (optional, crumbled)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (for heating the gyros meat)
• Lettuce (optional, shredded)

Instructions:

1. Heat the Trophi Gyros meat according to the instructions on pack.
2. While the meat is heating, warm the pitta bread. You can do this in a dry frying pan for about 1 minute on each side or wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes.
3. Lay a piece of warm pitta bread flat on a plate.
4. Spread a generous amount of tzatziki sauce in the centre of the pitta.
5. Add a few slices of the heated gyros meat on top of the tzatziki.
6. Top with sliced tomato, red onion, cucumber, and crumbled feta cheese (if using).
7. Add some shredded lettuce if you like.
8. Fold the pitta around the filling so that it is folded in half in a crescent shape.
9. Serve immediately while warm.

We can never have enough tzatziki on our gyros. The creamy tang of the refreshing dip is delicious with any gyros.

Simple Tzatziki Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 200g Greek yogurt
• 100g cucumber (grated)
• 10ml olive oil
• 10ml lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 2g salt
• 2g fresh dill (chopped)

Instructions:

1. Squeeze excess water from grated cucumber in a dry, clean tea towel or kitchen towel.
2. Mix yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and dill.
3. Chill before serving.

An essential addition to any Greek feast is a bowl of rich and creamy houmous. It’s so quick, simple, and easy to prepare, and so much more delicious than shop-bought houmous.

Simple Houmous Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 240g Laila canned chickpeas (drained)
• 60g tahini
• 30ml olive oil
• 30ml lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 1g salt
• 30ml water
• Pine nuts to decorate

Instructions:

1. Blend chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
2. Add water and blend until smooth.
3. Place in a bowl. Serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of pine nuts.