Adapted from my chicken gyros recipe.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- gyros:
- 4 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 1 onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 pound boneless pork shoulder roast (2-3 or butt)
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 lemons (juiced)
- 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons greek yogurt
- 4-8 pitas
- 1/2 cup fresh cherry tomatoes (halved, for serving)
- 1 red onion (thinly sliced, for serving)
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (for serving)
- tzatziki:
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt (i used full fat)
- 1/4 hothouse cucumber (peeled and seeded and diced small)
- 1 large clove garlic (grated (or finely minced))
- 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon (juiced)
- tapenade (optional):
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/4 cup pitted green olives
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- 1 pepperoncini (diced (optional))
- Carbohydrate 19.1961748234583 g
- Cholesterol 25.2597864964757 mg
- Fat 15.862326707101 g
- Fiber 5.01121618127876 g
- Protein 6.85121978974012 g
- Saturated Fat 5.62306647406404 g
- Serving Size 1 1 (332g)
- Sodium 616.444401065798 mg
- Sugar 14.1849586421795 g
- Trans Fat 0.816371662397097 g
- Calories 228 calories
Step-by-step
- Spray a crockpot with cooking spray. Add the onions and garlic.
- In a small bowl combine the oregano, dill, paprika, cayenne, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the pork with half of the spice mixture.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add the pork and sear on all sides until golden brown (about 2 minutes per side). Try and get a really good caramelization on the meat.
- Add pork to the prepared crockpot and sprinkle with the remaining seasonings and any drippings from the pan. To the crockpot add the 1/3 cup olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, greek yogurt and 3/4 cup of water. Cover and cook on low, 8 hours. or high for 4-6 hours. If possible check the pork a few times during cooking. If needed add some water to keep the meat moist.
- To prepare the tzatziki pour any liquid off the surface of the greek yogurt. (I find it is best to use full fat greek yogurt for this, but 2% works ok as well. You want the yogurt to be thick, so if your greek yogurt seems thin strain it through a fine mesh strainer). Mix together the greek yogurt, diced cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, dill, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
- If making the tapenade, dice the olives and mix in a small bowl with the garlic, pepperoncini and parsley. Set aside in the fridge until read to serve.
- After 8 hours (or 4-6 on high) remove the pork and set aside to cool slightly. Once cool enough to touch shred the pork with two forks, it should fall apart easily. Return the pork to the crockpot and toss with the onions. Crank the heat to high. Allow the pork to get warm for five minutes.
- Heat pitas (I just popped them in the microwave for a few seconds). Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, sliced tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and tapenade if using. Serve immediately.
Warm pita wraps filled with tender shredded pork, sharp red onion, briny olives, and cool garlic-cucumber sauce offer a precise balance of heavy fat and bright acid. Pork shoulder requires careful handling to bridge the gap between tough connective tissue and melt-in-the-mouth tenderness.
- Sear the pork shoulder on medium-high heat for roughly two minutes per side until deeply browned; this Maillard reaction builds foundational savoriness that a slow cooker alone cannot achieve.
- Select full-fat Greek yogurt for the tzatziki because its lower whey content prevents the sauce from breaking down into a watery puddle when combined with salted cucumber.
- Shred the meat only after it cools slightly to prevent the muscle fibers from compacting and squeezing out their internal moisture.
- Strain thin commercial yogurts through a fine mesh sieve for 30 minutes if full-fat varieties are unavailable, ensuring the final sauce clings properly to the meat.
Proper seasoning adjustments during the final high-heat crockpot toss ensure the lean and fat portions absorb the surrounding pan juices evenly. Resting the assembled components at room temperature for no longer than 15 minutes keeps the pita pliable without becoming soggy from the tomato moisture.
