Beef Brisket Gyros
Gyros are my go to meal when I need something savory, filling, but still bursting with fresh flavors. I have to admit that before I moved to Alberta I had never truly had a perfect medium rare steak. I just had never liked beef that much till I tried the grass fed variety that we eat out here! Sad I know but I’ve been making up for lost time, and that’s where this recipe comes in.
What Are Gyros?
Gyros are a Greek dish made from meat shaved from an upright rotisserie. Traditionally pork or chicken are used in the old country but beef is a common substitute in North America. It’s served in a pita stuffed with tomatoes, onions, tzatziki and sometimes even french fries (yum!).
Now I don’t have a vertical rotisserie lying around my kitchen, surprising I know seeing as I have most other gadgets! Instead I’ll show you how to make these delicious beef brisket gyros in the oven and while it may take a bit of time, believe me these gyros are worth it.
Ingredients In Beef Brisket Gyros
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on my printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Beef brisket
- Beef brisket – We want a cut of meat that will slice up beautifully after being slow cooked.
- Olive oil – We’re going to use this to oil to sear our meat before putting it in the oven.
- Beef broth – You can use water to braise your beef but I prefer to use beef broth as it gives so much more flavor to the dish
Dry rub
- Italian seasoning – Such a great spice cabinet staple. I definitely recommend picking some up if not for this recipe, then for anything else!
- Herbs – Oregano and dill, both dried.
- Garlic powder – This flavor concentrate will be better used in our rub than fresh or minced.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
Gyros
- Pitas – Medium sized, store bought are fine but if you’d like to make them fresh, follow my recipe here.
- Tzatziki – Again store bought is fine but my recipe here will send this dish truly to the moon!
- Greek salad – We want a veggie base that is fresh but full of it’s own complex flavor, my Greek Salad recipe is easy and quick to whip up.
How To Make Beef Brisket Gyro
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on my printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat your oven: To 325 F degrees.
- Prepare the brisket: Add all the dry rub ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.
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Rub the dry rub all over the brisket on both sides, using your hands. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the brisket to the skillet and sear on both sides until browned.
- Bake the brisket: Turn off the heat and add the beef broth to the skillet. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and place the skillet in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 4 hours. Remove the skillet from the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Place the brisket on a cutting board then cover with the aluminum foil and let the brisket rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice the beef thinly afterwards.
- Assemble gyros: Warm up pita breads first in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place a pita bread on a piece of parchment paper. Add a few slices of brisket, then top with some tzatziki sauce and finally with Greek salad. Roll up the wrap, enclosing it with the parchment paper. Twist the end of the paper if needed. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Tips For Making The Best Beef Gyros
- Don’t trim off too much fat. As a matter of fact, I didn’t trim off any fat from my brisket, however mine was already pretty lean, but fat is flavor, so keep your fat on.
- Always sear your meat first to lock in those flavors and sear the aromatics.
- Make it ahead of time! Beef brisket is perfect when made the day before. Keep it in the fridge in the braising liquid, this will give it extra time to absorb those flavors.
Other Ways To Make Beef Brisket Gyros
Slow cooker
Follow the same instructions, but instead of the oven, place the brisket in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for about 5 hours.
Pressure cooker
Follow the same instructions, you can even sear the meat in the Instant Pot, then add the beef broth and set the IP to manual for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Storing Leftover Beef Gyros
The sauce and salad can both be stored in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 2 days. The beef brisket itself can be stored in the fridge for 3 -4 days, in the freezer the brisket will last up to 3 months.
Looking For More Greek Recipes? Try These:
- Skillet Braised Greek Chicken Thighs
- Greek Meatballs
- Savory Cheese Pie
- Greek Potato Foil Packs
- One Pot Greek Chicken Orzo
- Greek Lamb Burgers
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Beef Brisket Gyros
Ingredients
Beef Brisket
- 4 pound beef brisket
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup beef broth low sodium
Dry Rub
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 tablespoon dill dried
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Gyros
- 8 medium pita breads
- 1 cup tzatziki sauce
- 2 cups Greek salad
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 F degrees.
- Add all the dry rub ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Rub the dry rub all over the brisket on both sides, using your hands.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet (mine is 10 1/2 inches in diameter) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the brisket to the skillet and sear on both sides until browned.
- Turn off the heat and add the beef broth to the skillet. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and place the skillet in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 4 hours.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and remove the aluminum foil. Place the brisket on a cutting board then cover with the aluminum foil and let the brisket rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Slice the brisket as thinly as you can.
- Assemble gyros. Warm up pita breads first in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place a pita bread on a piece of parchment paper. Add a few slices of brisket, then top with some tzatziki sauce and finally with Greek salad. Roll up the wrap, enclosing it with the parchment paper. Twist the end of the paper if needed. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Although you could use any other slow cooking cut of beef, I recommend beef brisket. Recommended time is 1 hour per pound of meat, so if you have a smaller or larger piece of meat, adjust the cooking time as needed.
- You can find Tzatziki recipe here and the Greek salad recipe here.
- SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS: Follow the same instructions, but instead of the oven, place the brisket in the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for about 5 hours.
- INSTANT POT/PRESSURE COOKER: Follow the same instructions, you can even sear the meat in the Instant Pot, then add the beef broth and set the IP to manual for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Nutrition: Nutritional information assumes 8 gyros using 4 lb of beef brisket and nutritional information displayed is for 1 gyro. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
I’ve made this at least 6 times now and it keeps getting better. I think the rub needs to be generous to get good coverage and a thick crust to keep the moisture in. I added a bit of red wine and topped up the liquids twice during the 4 hr cook. This results in tasty pan juices that can be turned into gravy. I usually cook 2 pieces of brisket side-by-side that are about 1.2kg each and the 4 hr cook time works – could be a bit less depending on thickness.
Our local go-to gyro take place owner retired was devastated until I tried this recipe. I actually did the “happy dance” all around the house after trying this. Did it in the IP and can you say easy-peasy and the sauce for the win 🙂 Made it the day before so it could swim in all the juices over night in the frig. Can’t say enough wonderful statements about Jo’s recipes!! They will make you look like a rock star with all your family & friends!!
Aw, thank you, Mary. I’m so glad to hear you love this recipe. 🙂
Tried this recipe with the tzaziki and greek salad last Saturday out and everyone just loved it! I used the double amount of the dry rub and marinated for 24 hours.
For the Instant Pot to use manual high pressure for 1.5h?
Yes you got it!
Making this for company tonight, and have a quick question. With the instant pot directions should we naturally release pressure or quick-release?
Let the pressure release naturally.
I made this in a crockpot and my husband and I loved it! I will be making this over and over again!
Made this with flank steak on the BBQ a really great dry rub who makes everyone young and old talk about it for weeks!!!!! Making it again this week end 😋Cant wait 😋😋😋😋😋
wow, I love beef brisket, never dreamed of gyro-izing it, so thank you for a great recipe!
Hi Jo, I was wondering a lot of the (Canadian) grocery stores don’t label their meats with the cuts some recipes call for. So if I don’t see a label that says “Brisket” what should I also be looking for. Look forward to trying this.
Hi Sandra, we’re also from Canada and brisket is always named as such. I’ve never seen it labeled as anything else.
I like the way you don’t trim off any fat to keep it flavor. It’s truly better for the taste.
However, I’m wondering if I just fry the meat until it’s rare, it would be also tasty or not.
Fat is truly where all the flavor hides 🙂 Brisket is extremely tough when it’s cooked like a regular steak so I wouldn’t recommend eating it rare. Cooking it for 4 hours breaks down the fibers and creates an incredibly tender cut of meat.