How To Make Simple and Excellent Venison Gyros: Recipe + Vid

I have recently had a revelation in my wild-game cooking journey. It’s funny, because this is SO incredibly simple and I have no idea why I hadn’t thought of doing this before. When the light went on I had a vision of taking venison roasts, especially the hams, and slicing them incredibly thin for use in a wide variety of dishes. See? I told you it was simple. But it’s been yielding some awesome results. I’ve been hammering through roasts from the freezer the past few weeks, making everything from venison Philly cheesesteaks to an array of Asian dishes — lately, I’ve been using this idea to create one of my favorite Greek dishes: the gyro.

This insanely simple yet beautiful and delicious pita sandwich comes together in just about 30 minutes. It’s quick, easy, simple, and wonderful. That’s music to my ears, right there!

Gyro (pronounced “YEE-roh” or “YEAR-oh”) is a Greek dish consisting of meat cooking on a vertical rotisserie, then sliced very thin and served in a warm pita bread with various toppings like fresh sliced tomato, raw red onion, feta cheese, and the GOAT of greek sauces: tzatziki sauce (tsa-ZEE-kee).

The name “gyro” comes from the Greek word “to turn”, referring to the rotating spit used to cook the meat on. Since I did this in a home kitchen, I didn’t cook the meat on a vertical spit. If I could’ve, I would’ve, but unfortunately, I just don’t have the access to those tools. So instead I got a cast iron pan piping hot and seared the venison strips that way. The high heat gave the meat a good crust, which is what you get on mean from a food-truck style gyro.

Traditionally, a gyro is stuffed with lamb, beef, or pork, but whitetail deer meat is a perfect fit. Any venison will do for this recipe — elk, antelope (pronghorn), axis deer, etc. Heck you could probably even give wild turkey a try. Wait a minute….That gives me a good idea. (currently making note to do this recipe in the spring with wild turkey meat).

I’m always looking for fun and different ways to cook my wild game and I’ve been absolutely blown away by the variety of ways I’ve found to maximize the potential of the meat I put in my freezer. In this case, I encourage everyone to save at least one roast from the meat grinder this deer season and set it aside for something different, like this gyro. I promise you won’t regret it. Until then, best of luck on your 2025 hunting season and here’s to filling that freezer!

Venison Gyro Recipe

Ingredients

For the venison gyro meat:

2–3 pounds venison rear ham roast (well-trimmed of silver skin and fat)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika (or regular)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

For serving:

Warm pita or flatbread
Tzatziki sauce (yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon juice)
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced red onion
Shredded lettuce or spinach
Feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. Prep the Meat

Place the venison ham roast in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes. This will firm it up and make thin slicing way easier.

Slice the roast across the grain into very thin slices (1/8–1/4 inch). Use a sharp knife or meat slicer, if you have access to one.

2. Marinate

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, cumin, paprika, coriander, lemon juice, and zest.

Add the sliced venison and toss well to coat.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor.

3. Cook the Venison

Skillet/Griddle Method (classic street-style):
Heat a cast iron skillet or flat top over medium-high heat. Cook the venison slices in batches, spreading them out so they sear instead of steam. Cook for 1–2 minutes per side until browned but still tender.

Rotisserie-Style (if you have a rotisserie or vertical spit):
Stack marinated slices tightly on a skewer or spit, roast at 325 degrees F until cooked through (about 1–1.5 hours), then shave thin slices off for serving.