East Coast Donair

I was so excited to get this recipe for an East Coast Donair when I heard the electrician Nathan Munroe, who did our kitchen reno talking about it. Wonderfully spiced donair meat piled high on pita bread and topped with onions and tomatoes, it makes a great meal for lunch or dinner.

This is a true Canadian recipe that I grew up on in Ontario and still love to this day out here in Alberta. Thanks again Nathan for this wonderful recipe!!

I don’t think I realized though that it is was a very Eastern Canada thing from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Nova Scotians are proud to call this their own. Want to try another great East Coast treat, try our other Amazing Shrimp Roll Recipe. 

What is a Donair?

What exactly is this? It is a truly Canadian invention by a man named Peter Gamoulakos originally from Greece.

He was selling his beloved Greek Gyros in Halifax but they weren’t jiving with the east coast meat and potatoes crowd. So he swapped out the lamb for ground beef and made a sweet “donair sauce” with evaporated milk, sugar, garlic powder, and vinegar. When you add the vinegar the mixture thickens on its own. 

This was instantly a hit and caused a feeding frenzy!! It is the perfect late-night snack after a night of indulging!! Trust me, I have been there and done that many times!! 

So loved this is that Halifax city council in 2015 made it the official city’s food!!

How to Make a Donair?

It is traditionally made with ground beef that is molded into a log and formed around a spit. The spit then rotates standing up and thin slices of meat are carved off the spit in thin strips. 

What makes the donair killer though is the sweet sauce, I always ask for extra!! 

To start with, mix together all of the Donair spices and add them to the ground beef. Make into a loaf and place on a greased broiler or roasting pan.

Bake at 275F for 3 hours. Check with a thermometer for doneness, it should read 160F. When the loaf is finished let cool or refrigerate (I found it sliced even better after being refrigerated).

While the meat is cooking I make the sauce by adding in the evaporated milk, sugar, and garlic powder. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Gently add in the vinegar but don’t over stir; it will now thicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When ready to eat, make up some rectangles of wax paper and foil. Slice off thin strips from the loaf. Fry in a non-stick pan with a small amount of water.

When the meat is heated lay a pita bread on top and let it steam slightly. Take the pita off and lay it on the wax paper that is on top of the foil. Top with the beef slices. Top with tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and sweet sauce. Wrap up and serve.

Late Night Noshing

We are talking eating to the supreme here!! Now you start to see the donair creeping into donair pizza and more. They are in pizza shops out here too. 

I have so enjoyed going down memory lane (may it be a bit foggy from the late-night noshing), thinking back about this delicious recipe!! This was a favorite to get after the bar in our home town. 

You will want to make this recipe and compare it to the donairs you have also loved or if you have never had one then hell, get on it.

You have no idea what you are missing!!  

Why is it called Donair?

Donairs are Greek or Turkish in origin. They are also called doners, gyros, doner kebabs, kebabs, and donners. Their history or origins go way back past Halifax to Greece and Turkey. 

They say it is not a donair without tomatoes and onions; I like lettuce and some like other toppings like cheese. Any way you slice it, you will love this classic Canadian dish!

In the video we had created, the meat is cooked in a loaf pan, which is not traditional but easy. The slices should be very thin, not like meatloaf slices. 

I have also made it on top of a roasting pan on the rack to let the juices drip off and dry the meat out more.

Having cooled the meat lets you slice it easier. You rewarm the slices in a pan anyway at the end. 

East Coast Donair

Tara Noland

This East Coast Donair is a true Canadian classic made with spicy beef, sweet garlicky sauce, and fresh veggies like tomatoes, onions, and lettuce.

4.60 from 22 votes

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 814 kcal

Ingredients

 

For the Donair

• 2 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion salt
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• I did not have the “salts” so I used 1 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. each of garlic powder and onion powder
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1-2 tsp. crushed red pepper 2 tsp. makes it spicy
• 2 tsp. white pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 3 lbs. lean ground beef

Donair Sauce

• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 cup vinegar

Toppings

• Chopped tomato
• Chopped lettuce
• Diced onion
• Foil and wax paper for each donair
• Pitas whole wheat or white

Instructions

 

• Mix together all of the Donair spices and add them to the ground beef. Make into a loaf and place on a greased broiler or roasting pan. Bake at 275F for 3 hours. Check with a thermometer for doneness, it should read 160F. When the loaf is finished let cool or refrigerate (I found it sliced even better after being refrigerated).
• Meanwhile make the sauce by adding in the milk, sugar, and garlic powder. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Gently add in the vinegar but don’t over stir; it will now thicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to eat, make up some rectangles of wax paper and foil. Slice off thin strips from the loaf. Fry in a non-stick pan with a small amount of water. When the meat is heated lay a pita bread on top and let it steam slightly. Take the pita off and lay it on the wax paper that is on top of the foil. Top with the beef slices. Top with tomatoes, lettuce, onion, and sweet sauce. Wrap up and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 814kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 63gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 1406mgFiber: 5gSugar: 44g

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

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