Slow Roast Pork Belly Gyros

Ingredients

• 800 gpork belly
• 500 gyoghurt
• 1cucumber
• 25 gmint
• 2red onions
• 25 gparsley
• 2lemons
• 4vine tomatoes
• 4 tspza’atar
• 4pitta breads
• 1 clovegarlic
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• to tasteolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven

   Heat the oven to 170°C (338°F).

2. 2

   Score the pork

   Put the pork belly on a baking tray. Score the skin diagonally in both directions to make a diamond pattern.

3. 3

   Season the meat

   Add 3 heaped teaspoons of za’atar, the crushed garlic clove, a large pinch of salt, pepper and a glug of olive oil. Rub and mix the seasoning into the meat with your hands.

4. 4

   Roast the pork

   Set the pork skin-side up, sprinkle more salt over the skin and roast for 1½–2 hours. If it is colouring too quickly, reduce the oven to 150°C.

5. 5

   Pickle the onions

   Finely slice the red onions into a bowl. Squeeze over the juice of one lemon, add a good pinch of salt and scrunch the juice and salt into the onions. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

6. 6

   Mix the tzatziki

   Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the excess water. Mix it with the yoghurt, lemon zest, juice of one lemon, salt, pepper, olive oil and a large handful of chopped mint. Set aside.

7. 7

   Prepare the tomatoes

   Finely chop the tomatoes and put them in a bowl with a heaped teaspoon of za’atar, salt, pepper and olive oil. Mix together.

8. 8

   Finish the onions

   Just before removing the pork, chop a handful of parsley, add it to the onions and mix it through.

9. 9

   Crisp the crackling

   After 2½ hours in the oven, check that the pork is done. To crisp the skin, put the pork under the grill for 5 minutes, checking it regularly to prevent burning.

10. 10

    Carve the pork

    Take the pork out of the oven and carve it into slices.

11. 11

    Fill the pittas

    Warm a pitta and spoon in some tzatziki. Add a good spoonful of pickled onions, a generous helping of pork, tomatoes and another dollop of tzatziki, then serve.

What are pork belly gyros?

Gyros are a Greek street-food dish, usually made with seasoned meat cooked on a vertical spit and served in flatbread with sauces and toppings. This version uses slow-roasted pork belly instead, with crisp skin and za’atar for a fragrant, savoury finish.

The rich pork is balanced by cool cucumber yoghurt, sharp lemony onions and juicy tomatoes. Stuffing everything into warm pitta makes the contrasting flavours and textures easy to enjoy together.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1450 calories, 44g protein, 59g carbs, 112g fat.

The pork belly and olive oil provide most of the fat, while the pitta breads contribute much of the carbohydrate. Pork and yoghurt supply protein, with smaller amounts from the bread and vegetables. Pair a pitta with extra salad or vegetables for a fresher, more balanced plate.

Seasoning the pork

Za’atar: The recipe uses most of the seasoning on the meat, with a little reserved for the tomatoes. Rub it into the pork flesh along with garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Scoring: Cut through the skin in diagonal lines in both directions to create diamonds. Keep the cuts in the skin rather than slicing deeply into the meat.

Getting crisp crackling

Dry, salted skin is key to a crackly finish. Keep the pork skin-side up as it roasts, and watch the colour; lower the oven to 150°C if the outside is browning too quickly.

Grilling: Finish the skin under the grill for 5 minutes, checking frequently because it can go from crisp to burnt quickly. Let the crackling guide you rather than leaving it unattended.

Making the toppings

Tzatziki: Squeeze the grated cucumber well before stirring it into the yoghurt. Removing excess water helps the dip stay thick enough to spoon into the pittas.

Onions and tomatoes: Lemon and salt soften and season the sliced onions as they chill. Add the parsley just before serving so it stays fresh, and mix the tomatoes with their za’atar shortly before assembling.

Timing the meal

The onions need a couple of hours in the fridge, so start them early enough to pickle while the pork cooks. The recipe gives 1½–2 hours for roasting, then also says to check the pork after 2½ hours; use the stated doneness cues and keep an eye on the skin.

Prepare the tzatziki and tomatoes during the roasting time. Warm the pittas and carve the pork near serving time so the bread is soft and the crackling stays crisp.

Serving the gyros

Warm each pitta and layer in tzatziki, onions, pork and tomatoes, finishing with another spoonful of yoghurt. Serve straight away so the bread does not sit too long with the moist fillings.

A simple green salad or extra chopped vegetables can accompany the pittas. Keep any additional sauce on the side to let everyone adjust their filling.

Recipe notes & tips

• Dry the pork skin before scoring if it feels damp.
• Use a sharp knife to score the skin without cutting far into the meat.
• Squeeze the grated cucumber firmly to keep the tzatziki thick.
• Check the pork regularly if the skin begins to darken before the meat is ready.
• Add the parsley to the onions just before serving, as directed.
• Keep an eye on the pork under the grill throughout the 5-minute crisping time.

Variations

• Add chilli: Stir sliced fresh chilli into the tomatoes for a sharper kick.
• Use flatbreads: Serve the pork and toppings in another warm flatbread if pitta is unavailable.
• Make it herby: Add extra chopped mint to the yoghurt for a fresher flavour.
• Add leafy greens: Tuck a handful of lettuce into each pitta for extra crunch.
• Serve as a platter: Arrange the pork, pittas and toppings separately for everyone to assemble.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Cutting too deeply: Keep the scoring in the skin so the meat is not sliced into.
• Watery tzatziki: Squeeze the grated cucumber well before mixing it with the yoghurt.
• Burning the skin: Reduce the oven to 150°C if the pork is colouring too quickly, and check often under the grill.
• Soggy parsley: Mix it into the onions just before taking the pork out, rather than leaving it to sit for hours.
• Soft crackling: Keep the pork skin-side up and finish it under the grill for 5 minutes, watching closely.
• Assembling too early: Fill the pittas just before serving so the bread does not become soggy.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover pork and toppings separately in covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the pork until piping hot; warm it in the oven to help the skin crisp again, and assemble with the cold toppings just before serving.

Frequently asked questions