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Pot Roast Gyros – street food inspired, oven-roasted pot roast stuffed inside fresh pitas with all the “extras”. Add delicious creamy tzatziki sauce and all of the desired toppings you love. This Greek-inspired loaded beef gyro is SO GOOD. It makes for a quick, fun, delicious, and different weeknight meal. Seriously, this recipe is perfect for any night of the week. Serve each gyro with homemade fries + ketchup for dipping for a meal that everyone will truly love.
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I’ve been excited to share this recipe all month long. It’s, without a doubt, my favorite recipe of April, and my family has been greatly enjoying it.
This past fall, I discovered a new love for slow-cooked pot roast. I made this cider braised pot roast, and that recipe officially sold me on cooking more pot roast recipes, whether it’s fall, winter, spring, or summer. There are so many ways we can cook affordable meat and make it delicious!
I’ve made classic pot roast, pineapple pot roast bowls, and even pot roast tacos, but again, this gyro is by far my favorite. A very simple and straightforward recipe that’s so delicious.
Creighton, Mom, Dad, Asher, and even Oslo love this recipe! We love any kind of loaded “street food” style wrap/sandwich/bowl. The idea with these gyros is that they’re simple. Nothing too fancy, but they use such delicious flavors. Slow-cook the meat in the oven or the crockpot, then toss with sauce. Assemble your pitas and enjoy them with so much Tzatziki sauce.
Ingredients
- Yellow onion
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Sweet/smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Fresh thyme
- Cayenne
- Pink Himalayan salt
- Chuck roast
- Beer (or use chicken broth)
- Lemon juice
- Salted butter
- Fresh pitas or naan
- Pickled red onion, lettuce, and fresh herbs
- Tzatziki for serving
These are the Details
Step 1: the seasoning
My go-to gyro seasoning blend is smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, fresh thyme, cayenne, and salt.
I use this for most of my gyro wraps/bowls; it’s my favorite blend.
Step 2: slow-cook the meat
You can braise the meat in the oven or use the crockpot. Both methods are almost identical and equally delicious.
Arrange lots of sliced onions, shallots, and garlic in the bottom of your pot. Add beer, then lemon juice. If you prefer not to cook with beer, use broth. Slow braise the meat for 2-3 hours in the oven or 5 hours in the crockpot. As the meat is slowly cooking, the braising liquid turns into a yummy sauce. Save this sauce.
Step 3: shred the meat
When the roast is falling apart, remove it from the pot and shred the meat.
Step 4: the sauce
Now take the sauce in the pot and add butter, then simmer until it’s just barely reduced.
You can make homemade Tzatziki sauce or use store-bought. I always make my own, then add crumbled feta cheese. It makes it even yummier.
Step 5: assemble
Stuff the meat, onions, and sauce into warm pitas. Add Tzatziki sauce, shredded lettuce, pickled red onion, maybe some feta cheese, and then lots of fresh herbs.
I always, always serve with homemade french fries + ketchup for dipping, the perfect dinner! For more color on your plate, seasonal fruit on the side or vegetables like roasted broccoli or roasted bell peppers works too!
Looking for other easy dinners? Here are some favorites:
Easy Greek Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken
Sheet Pan Sticky Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sheet Pan Chicken Gyros with Feta Tzatziki
Lastly, if you make these Pot Roast Gyros be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pot Roast Gyros
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sweet/smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 4 pound chuck roast
- 1 (12 ounce) beer (or use chicken broth)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 6 fresh pitas or naan, warmed
- pickled red onion, lettuce, and herbs for serving
- Tzatziki, for serving
Instructions
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.2. Arrange the onions, shallots, and garlic, in the bottom of a large, oven-safe Dutch oven.3. In a bowl, mix the paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, cayenne, and season with 2 teaspoons of salt. Place the roast on the onions, then rub all over with the spice mix. Pour over the beer and lemon juice. Add 1/3 cup water. Cover and roast for 3 to 4 hours or until very tender.4. Crank the heat on the oven up to 425° F. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes, until deeply caramelized on top. Remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks.5. Simmer the remaining sauce left in the pot with the butter, until just barely reduced. Toss the beef with the sauce. 6. Stuff the beef and onions into warmed pitas with tzatziki. Then add lettuce, red onions, and herbs. Drizzle over more tzatziki. YUM! Enjoy!
Crockpot
- 1. Arrange the onions, shallots, and garlic, in the bowl of the crockpot.2. In a bowl, mix the paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and season with 2 teaspoons of salt. Place the roast on the onions and rub all over with the spice mix. Pour over the beer and lemon juice. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.3. Remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks.4. Crank the heat on the crockpot to HIGH and cook the remaining sauce with the butter until just barely reduced. Toss the beef with the sauce. 5. Stuff the beef and onions into warmed pitas with tzatziki. Then add lettuce, red onions, and herbs. Drizzle over more tzatziki. YUM! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Beautiful! I used a half lamb leg instead and my husband and I loved it! Super simple, super easy, super delicious x
Hey Ness,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xx
Could you tell me which fresh herbs you recommend for topping?
Hi Jess,
It’s totally up to you, but I love using fresh dill and parsley for this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
So good!
Thanks so much, Hilary! Love to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! xT
This was yummy and went together very easily in the crockpot. I cooked mine on high for 5-6 hours and the meat was very tender and shredded easily.
Thanks so much, Noell:) So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! xT
I’m making this tonight. How do you make the fries? Yummm!
Hey Jennifer,
I hope you love the recipe! I used this recipe for the fries:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/epic-crispy-quinoa-burgers-topped-sweet-potato-fries-beer-caramelized-onions-gruyere/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Made this for my family and we ALL loved it. Tough for a bunch of picky eaters. We’re a small family (2 adults, 1 kiddo) so did 2.5lbs pot roast, and roughly halved the other ingredients. 2.5hrs in the oven was perfect. Used HBH’s easy tzatziki sauce recipe and also naan instead of pita, which is what we had in hand. My husband said he could eat it every day… I agree!!
Hey Victory,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and your comment! I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Xx
As another commenter said, this took way longer in the oven for me for the meat to get tender! Mine was around 3.8 lb and it took 4.5 hours before the last 10 minutes at a higher temp. To other people wanting to make this recipe—if it isn’t tender enough keep roasting, other pot roast recipes for a 4lb roast are at least 4 hours at this temp 🙂
Hey April,
Happy Sunday! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it and your comment! Sorry to hear it took longer than expected! xT
What beer did you use, or does it matter?
Hey Dan,
I used a modelo, but you can use whatever you like! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Made this tonight and it was amazing!!
I did a good sear on the meat, then cooked down the aromatics, added the beer and 1/3 cup of chicken stock and brought it to a boil then threw it in the oven. (like you do with a classic pot roast) It turned out perfect and juice! My husband and I couldn’t get enough.
Hey Daniel,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for giving it a try and your comment! Xx
Since we are busy during the week, I wanted to give the meat enough time to cook. I made it on Sunday and I am surprised with how well it reheated when we had it for dinner on Monday! These definitely hopped to the top of our favorite list and I shared the recipe with just about everybody that I know. I cannot wait to make it again!
Hey Taylor,
Awesome! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xT
Freezer ideas before cooking? And what settings would you recommend for instant pot?
Hi Denice,
Sorry what do you mean freezing before cooking? You could freeze the meat after it’s been shredded, that would work nicely for you! I haven’t tried this in the instant pot, but I would do at least 60 minutes on high pressure. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Overall great and everyone loved it. I found that the roast took a lot longer to cook. Mine was a little shy of 4 lbs. and cut into 3 pieces, was almost done at 4 hours. Then went to 475 degrees for another 30-45 minutes because folks were starving by that point.
Hey Shanna,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So sorry to hear your roast took longer than expected! Glad to hear the flavors were enjoyed! xx
What cut of lamb would you recommend instead of chuck roast?
Hey Christina,
I think a leg of lamb would probably work nicely for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Super good and very easy! I served with air fried potatoes, tzatziki and homemade sourdough pita. The meat was well flavored and very seasoned. That extra blast of heat at the end caramelized everything and it added an easy depth of flavor that didn’t require searing the meat at the beginning. Especially helpful because I was late getting it in the oven.
Hey Heather,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have a great weekend! xT
I made it tonight in the oven, it was a hit. I love your recipes. Every recipe I’ve tried of yours is so good. I’ve been married 45 years, and it’s nice to have new recipes in the rotation!
Hey Eileen,
Thanks so much:) I’m so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you trying so many new recipes! xT