The Original Donair From the East Coast of Canada

Description

In the early 70’s, a Greek restaurateur in the city of Halifax introduced the Donair. Within a few short years, virtually all pizzerias had added their version of the dish to their menus. Not to be confused with gyros, the Donair has a vastly different flavor. Originally the dish was made with ground lamb, but this proved too costly and ground beef was later substituted. Technically, this resulted in an aberration of sorts, as the final product was not what the originator had intended. What resulted, however, is the legendary East Coast Donair.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup white vinegar, or to taste
  • 6 large pita bread rounds

Instructions

  1. Make the meatloaf: Mix ground beef
  2. cayenne pepper
  3. black pepper
  4. onion powder
  5. garlic powder
  6. salt
  7. paprika
  8. and oregano together in a large bowl until combined. Shape mixture into a loaf and place on a baking tray; cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.
  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  10. Bake meatloaf in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center
  11. about 30 minutes
  12. turning the loaf over halfway through cooking. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Allow the meatloaf to cool so it holds together for slicing.
  13. Meanwhile
  14. make the sauce: Stir evaporated milk and sugar together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved; add vinegar
  15. 1 teaspoon at a time
  16. to taste. Refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.
  17. Slice meatloaf into 1/4-inch thick slices; brown each slice in a skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp
  18. about 5 minutes per side.
  19. Sprinkle pita bread rounds with a little water; warm briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat.
  20. To serve: Place several slices of meatloaf into each warmed pita bread; spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce on top and roll into a cone shape. Wrap each donair in aluminum foil to keep the sauce from dripping out; serve.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Total Time: 9 hrs 50 mins

Servings: 6

Leave a Comment