Classic Donair Recipe
Spicy donair meat, crisp lettuce, onions and tomatoes, topped with our famous made-in-house donair sauce.
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Ingredients
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Donair Meat
Donair Sauce
Assembly & Toppings
Method
Donair Meat
- 1
Prepare meat mixture
In a large bowl combine ground beef and ground lamb. Add breadcrumbs and milk, then sprinkle in sugar, oregano, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using). Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined and tacky but not overly compacted, about 1–2 minutes.
- 2
Shape and chill (optional)
For best texture, form the mixture into a log or flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour. This helps the spices meld and makes slicing easier if you choose to roast or broil. (You may skip chilling if short on time.)
- 3
Cook on stovetop
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. If you chilled a log/disk, thinly slice or crumble the meat into the skillet. If not, add the raw mixture in an even layer and press slightly. Cook, breaking up with a spatula, until well browned and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes. Stir occasionally to get even browning and crisp edges. Drain excess fat if desired and keep warm.
Donair Sauce
- 4
Make sauce
In a small bowl whisk together sweetened condensed milk, white vinegar and minced garlic until smooth. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 additional teaspoon vinegar for more tang or a pinch more salt to balance. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld; sauce will thicken slightly as it chills.
Assembly & Toppings
- 5
- 6
- 7
Assemble donairs: open each warmed pita and layer about 4–5 ounces (roughly 1/4 of cooked meat) of hot donair meat into the pocket. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and sliced onion. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of donair sauce over the fillings (adjust to taste). Add pickled banana peppers and parsley if using.
- 8
Serve immediately
Serve donairs immediately while the meat is hot and the sauce is chilled or room temperature. Provide extra sauce on the side.
