Original Halifax Donair - Anyone can make this treat
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Original Halifax Donair - Anyone can make this treat
The official food of Halifax Nova Scotia. Something you cannot pass up if you visit our city. Original Halifax Donair
Thanks to Cailin O'Neil for the permission to use her Pictures.
/ cailinoneil another great Halifax Creator.
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Thank you
Chef Mike
A technique I use for making the loaf is to form it into a ball and “slam” it into the counter about 20 times from about shoulder height, turning it each time. It makes the loaf denser and more uniform. Thanks for the video.
If you don’t want to make a bunch of noise. ie if your living in an older apartment building like myself, and it’s past the hours of throwing meat around. Take a piece of plastic wrap and wrap the meat and roll it into a tube. Same pressure that’s needed to accomplish the task.
Yup, that's exactly what I do too, slam it over n over lol
@@mixwell12333 you must beat the meat 😂😂
@@marknichols7861 love it. I smash it like that too. Gets the air out
this looks really good... i didn't realize it can be this simple.... thanks!
Hope you enjoy
I didn't realize how simple the recipe was for these. It's crazy how unique the flavour of these is for what it contains. Truly one of those recipes where the finished product is more than the sum of its parts
Glad you like them!
I worked at Pizza Delight, late 80s/ early 90s. I was a waiter. The kitchen staff made the donair meat. When that meat came out of the oven, we would pretty much devour a bread pan of freshly made and baked donair meat each time it was made. Great stuff. It was always good to eat, but when it was straight out of the oven and smothered in donair sauce, so addictive. Could not stop eating it.
great one chef!
If you have solved the "runny Donair sauce" problem then I am forever in your debt. Thanks so much for posting this! It has been many years since I've had a really good Donair (in Halifax, of course). I will try to recreate the magic out here in the foothills of the Rockies.
Camping With Steve just introduced me to the donair today. I'm from New Jersey and have experienced all kinds of foods but never the donair! I can't wait to make this recipe. I'm a big fan of gyros but this seems like an equally delicious alternative. Thanks for the recipe.
I was thinking it would be good camping if you cooked the loaf before going. Very simple recipe and not much mess. Making it today.
Steve is from Edmonton and I think they have better donairs than Halifax. 160th st and Stoney Plain rd approx yummy
Now that is a super idea. The meat keeps in the fridge or even freezer well.
@@jasseyjefferr7787 You are 100% correct. I've been eating Mom's Donair on Stony Plain road since the mid 90's when it opened as Mr. Donair or Gramma's Donair?? . .. She used to steam her pita with a rice steamer which gave it such a moist chewiness. I don't think she's doing that anymore unfortunately. She also adds mozzarella cheese and shredded lettuce along with the tomato and onion. The onion isn't diced either, she thinly cuts it into long thin ribbons which I find better than biting into a big chunk of raw onion. I was just there last October (2022) and they are much smaller (Super donair, they don't have the jumbo anymore) post pandemic. Still taste the same after all these years. These are definitely better than the Halifax Original. I would pit them against any Donair in Canada actually.
I had to come back to comment! I’m making 4 pounds tonight- I made 2 pounds last time and it was the best donair meat I’ve ever eaten! BUT the donairs sauce is probably the best recipe in the world!! I’m so grateful to find this video- we LOVE donairs in my house, and we were paying almost $20/lb- from our local guy. I now make a pound for about $4! We can live off of this now 😂
THANK YOU!!
That is awesome! Nothing beats homemade. Kudos and thanks for dropping a comment. I really appreciate it.
My house smells like a Saturday night in a Halifax pizza shop. I hope they taste as good as they smell!
I travelled to the maritimes 3 times a year and since I retired I miss this as much as the friendly people. I tried a couple of other recipes and this is the one that Is exactly like the Donairs I remember. Or at least what i could remember after that Saturday Night! LOL! Thanks sooo much for showing this recipe.
Did you ever get to the original King of Donair on Spring Garden Road, underneath the Dairy Queen (70's to 80's) That is where I remembered the Donair, I think. LOL Thank you and be safe.
Oooohhhhhh, this is definitely my recipe discovery of the month! I often crave a donair from the Maritimes and now I can make my own! I can't wait to try. Yummy!
Hope you enjoy
I'll definitely be making this soon, and probably often. Grocery day is tomorrow, and I plan on stocking up on the needed things for this that I don't have
After trying it out, this old blunoser is convinced this is the real deal. I didn't have the luxury of letting it cool before I tried it, but I can tell the other 3 small loaves I made will be perfect tomorrow once they've cooled, and the sauce was incredible! I just got 20 years younger. Now all I need is some chow (which I'm going to make for the first time this year), some Chris brothers pepperoni, Lunenburg sausage, and fresh cod. Not easy things to find in good quality outside of the coast, if you can find it at all.
I know this recipe will make awesome donair pizza too
I am so glad you like it. Funny how taste is also associated with memory. Yes...Donair Pizza!!!
@@ChefMikeMoses gotta say that sauce is even better next day. Just reheated some of the leftovers, and it so much better today than last night, and last night was pretty good too. I've missed these badly, so I appreciate this recipe. All due respect to those who try to make them other ways in ontario, but they just don't do the east coast version justice. Cant even come close. I might have to invest in a spit this summer so I can make them on that. It was so much easier to make the meat an sauce than I ever thought
I wish i had seen the comments about the salt and cayenne. Half the salt and 1/4 of the cayenne is ideal. Otherwise, tastes great and the sauce is perfect too. Ill definitely make it agian with the slight change in seasoning. Thanks Chef Mike.
I think my family is going to love this! I am going to your channel to see what else I could get inspired by. Meal prepping gets boring with no fresh ideas.
That it does, I have been researching for cost-effective and tastey recipes all summer, more coming soon
I've been missing Donairs living in the states I'm going to have to make this recipe thank you
I tried this tonight. Absolutely delicious. Thanks Chef.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Looks good I going to try it out next week
You actually spread some sauce on the pita bread, put the donair meat on, add the veggies then add more sauce. Use the first sheet of foil to wrap it tightly and do not touch the donair at all then the second wrap of foil. If you want cheese on the donair. Dress the donair, add cheese on top of it and leave it open faced and put it in the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes. Take out of oven then add more sauce and wrap it up, or eat it open faced. I’ve been making these for almost 40 years. I was taught but Peter who is the one who originally started donairs.
donairs are my favourite food and now i have the recipe i am gonna make this thank you....yum yum
You are most welcome
Can't lie and say I haven't been out at 3am in my 20s and drunk eating a donair with a little tinfoil added lol. Love how easy this is too cook. Going to try it this week
I just tried the recipe today. had my friend over. It was delicious I prefer just a little donair sauce but besides that fantastic. Thanks again man preciate it. I'm going to be making them every month.
Awesome recipe
Glad you liked it
First trip to CAN was last week, of all of the food I've tried there the Donair was my Favorite. But in Ouebec they added peppers and pickles or maybe pickeled peppers. I'll try your reciepe, but might add the peppers and grill the onions. Thanks
The Canadian "French" ruin everything. Should have stopped at poutine and ended on a good note
I'll be making this sometime this week. Can't wait!
I always wondered what a Donair looked like and now I know and have to make some at home. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us.
Let me know if you try one. Thank you
Stellar Sir
Thanks so much got to try this 😊 new subscriber, just shared to Facebook 😉
Awesome! Thank you!
Just stumbled upon your channel that donair looks delicious, I didn’t think it was that easy to make definitely going to try this recipe
Trying this recipe right now, I miss Halifax so much. It smells pretty good in the oven, I can't wait to taste it !! Thank you very much
I hope it was good! Imma start making it shortly for dinner tonight. I’m going to try a blend of pork and ground beef. 🤞
@@PilotChad really good 👍😁
@@ericleblond7517 I JUST ate it! LOVED IT. The sauce when I made it, I really didn’t like it when I finished it. Couldn’t get my head around it. But in the wrap, it completed it. Ying/Yang thing.
@@PilotChad I wasn't sure too until like you said, it was in the wrap. Next time I do it, I'll make more and keep some meat already sliced in the freezer for quick late night snacks 😅👌
@@ericleblond7517 bwahaha! The meat part is KILLER! Even cold sliced. I changed the recipe tho. I added Italian seasoning from Walmart. (Bulk pack). Some Cayenne. Little. No onion powder. Oh, and I used a KitchenAid Mixer and beat the ever loving peese out of it for like 8 mins. And it makes it just like cured meat when it’s cooked and cold. Crazy. Mmm. Smells like beef jerky in the fridge.
Trailer Park Boys brought me here. I'll be making these tonight.
Facts 😭😭🔥🔥🔥
Definitely my go to recipe been making this one for a couple of years now
It's so good!
It's late in the day for starting this, but I don't care. I been waiting a couple decades for this, so if it's more of a late night snack with enough left over for the next few days, it's all good. Thanks for the info!
Mozzarella cheese and lettuce added to mine please! 😍
Amazing recipe! Just tried this tonight and I doubt I’ll have to go out for donairs ever again!
Thanks Joel, one of my favorites
The texture of your donair meat looks spot on, ive tried the loaf method but in a meatloaf pan and wasnt happy with thebresult. Then tried a rotisserie and you can imagine how that went lol going to try it this way with the rack until i can find a stand up spit rotisserie that will fit in my kitchen 😂
I watched this video about 3 years ago… I make these monthly they are delicious! I re watch it the video use to have the recipe in black at the end. Great tecipe
Thanks We make it at home about every 2 months, use one loaf right away and freeze the second one. Donair Club House Sandwiches Da Bomb! 🙂
Greco Pizza in Bathurst, New Brunswick was the first place where I tried Donairs. It was one of my addictions and their pizza was too. They had the best pizza in town. Sadly, they aren't there anymore. My late Aunt who also lived in town would make homemade Donairs. They were so good. There are a couple of restaurants in Toronto that make them.
Thank you, I have been looking for a good donair since I left the N.S
Good work on the meatloaf
I made this but altered the recipe. I added a tbsp of butter and vegetable oil to this mixture to help emulsify it better. Also, it was way too salty with 2 tsps. of salt so I cut it down to one. I only used a 1/4 tsp of cayenne because we found it too hot. I used a food processor to emulsify the meat for about 3 minutes then I squeezed all the air out and rolled it into a log. Wrapped it all up and put it in the fridge overnight and then cooked it. It was so freaking good!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Excellent tutorial!
Glad you liked it!
@@ChefMikeMoses I'm definitely making this today!
This was great!! New sub here!
WOE... way to Spicy....
That can be adjusted. But the spice is the kick :-)
❤️👍🏻🥳Unwrapped a few Halifax donairs during my university days!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe. We have tasty Greek Gyros here in western Montana but no donairs.
Same...funny how it was one my better memories of University, not the studies LOL
Nothing fuels the souls like a nice donair with that sweet sauce, all wrapped up in aluminum foil. My go-to place to get a donair is Greco, but I'd also recommend the donair pizza as well.
Yes I agree, Donair Pizza, Donair Clubhouse. It is all good!
From my experience making donairs on the waterfront, you missed a vital step. Steaming the pita on top of the meat while you reheat. Vital to get the pita soft and pliable, and the flavors into it
I would have done that, but my griddle was not big enough. That being said, my out door griddle is, and I do it all the time. Thanks for pointing out an important technique.
Having these for New Years day. I made the meat and its a bit peppery so i'm counting on the sauce to bring it down a bit ..excited to try them!
The sauce will tone it down somewhat. Enjoy Let me know how you make out. Happy New Year!
Doing this tonight for dinner! ❤️❤️🥰
Excellent Presentation!😍ThankS deeply for sharinG your Yummylicious receipe for Humanity's Benefit that iS budget friendly especially durinG these High Inflationary Times!✌😃🙏😇🌹🌞🌹🌯🌹
Yummy-:))👍💙😊
Making this tomorrow, thanks so much 😋
Come on Moses, you know Truro is the true home of the thick sauce version! The Original Damascus. Been making that version for a couple years and 2 things I altered was 24 hours in the fridge in a freezer bag and there is something magical in slamming the uncooked meat hard on to a slid surface 15 times or more before forming the loaf. It makes for a very dense product. Really enjoy your channel. Love to see you make a good Alfredo sauce.
Thanks, no argument there, I've eaten my share of Damascus Donairs while in Truro in the late '80s. Thick or thin sauce, it is all good. Thank you.
I'm not sure when they started using sweet condensed milk , but back in the day it was made with evaporated milk. The purpose of the vinegar was to thicken the sauce. you put 1 to 1 milk and sugar and stir until sugar was completely dissolved ,a little garlic power if you wanted it . than add 1/4 cup vinegar , just gently fold it in , not stir than let it chill in fridge, perfect every time . when using sweet condensed milk , when you add the vinegar it thickens it even more and it's like drywall mud, where's the fun in that , a Donair after the bar was all about the sauce and lots of it , always got extra in a cup. Drink that stuff like water when you're pounding back an extra large Donair lol. Your meat recipe , spot on . good video just the same
None of the real pizza joints here in Halifax use condensed milk. Only the cheap franchises like Greco do. Evaporated milk makes much much better donair sauce.
If I half the recipe should I half the cook time?
In theory, just make sure the meat is at 165 degrees F in the middle.
Since you did the Halifax Donair to a tee, any chance you can recreate a Halifax egg roll with that delicious meat paste?? I've tried egg rolls across all of Canada and have never found them the same way they do in Halifax.
Thanks for the idea, let me research and see what I can cook up.
i do not have a stand mixer can i use a hand mixer or am i out of luck
You can mix by hand. The donair's at my local eatery are made all by hand the old school way. You just want to blend the fat and spices really well. Good luck
After you've shaved off the first layer of meat do you put the beef back in the oven to cook the outer part again?
Thanks for the question. No, the loaf is fully cooked (165F). The meat is usually sliced and warmed up in a frying pan or on a griddle.
Fantastic video, sir! We love authentic Halifax donair and have been scratching our itch for it with boxed kits, but I'd love to make it myself at home and hopefully get closer to the real deal.
My question: could I just halve the ingredients to make just enough for two? Specifically, does that affect the oven time? Still 350 for 2 hours or will that overdo it?
Thanks again for sharing!
Hard to beat a good donair when you're thrashed. But it's still good anytime regardless. Cheers
Aren't "condensed" milk and "sweetened condensed" milk different, and, if so, which did you use?
Thanks in advance for your reply. 👍
That is a misnomer in the culinary world. Condensed and sweetened condensed are the same thing. They have sugar added at the end of the condensing. Evaporated milk is condensed milk without the added sugar. So.. I use condensed milk in my Donair Sauce. Great question. Thank you.
Thanks Chef! What's the belt buckle? Did some time?
Fire department. I was a Deputy Chief a few years ago
@@ChefMikeMoses Epic! I'm firing up this recipe tonight out west here. I think you have king of donair beat with this one. Now that I'm older and wiser than my Halifax days, I won't be waking up with half of it all over me and hungover. Thanks for your service chef/chief.
@@zackzip4000 I did that too, LOL funny how in the "day" you could always find the donair shop in Halifax, and then maybe your way back home.
How long would you cook a half pound beef? I overcooked it last time and it was very dry.
@ShaneOliveria. Grab you thermometer. Cook it until temp reaches 160 right in center and then let it rest about 20 minutes. You should be moist :-)
@@ChefMikeMoses Thanks so much! Gonna try it again tomorrow night!
Of all the things I can't get since leaving halifax, a good donair 8s the top of the list. Bash Toulaney was my favourite donair maker. He wouldn't give me his sauce recipe no matter how much I bugged him for it 🤣🤣🤣
Yes Bash kept that a secret. Back in my University years, i visited his shop many times, and never got the recipe.
Thanks for bring back a great memory. Enjoy
Thanks for the recipe 😁 is it unsweetened or sweetened condensed milk? Because I tried it with just regular condensed milk and the sauce did not thicken.
I see now it’s sweetened because it’s thick, thanks again for the recipe 😃
I use eagle brand sweetened condensed milk. The vinegar causes it to thicken.
@@ChefMikeMoses thank you
@@ChefMikeMoses I see that it’s sweetened milk now because the regular condensed milk is very runny like milk and I have been trying it with that nut never realized the sweetened is thick and that’s why it never turned out l.
Is there a way I could use my BBQ rotisserie to cook the Donair meat?
Yes of course. But it will cook in layers. The traditional way is to put the loaf on a spit and shave off enough for a donair, which leaves the loaf exposed to cook further. Always make sure your meat is at least 165 degrees, which you can sear off in a pan if necessary. I use the oven method to make sure the loaf is cooked all the way through before slicing, since we can't eat a whole loaf at once, not that we haven't tried :-)
Thank you for your advice
Use a ziplock bag with a tip cut off to apply the donair sauce like icing a cake
Hi Mike - thanks for the videos, it's great to have a taste of home while I'm overseas. Quick question - why the long cooking time? That's about double what I would do for a comparable size meatloaf; won't the meat be really dry? Or is that the goal? Thanks again!
Thanks. The donair loaf is not dry by any means, the long cooking time is to mimic spit cooking. Basically, you want the meat cooked completely
@@ChefMikeMoses Thanks for the quick reply. Making them for uninitiated Kiwi friends this weekend!
@@pharmo33 They are in for a treat! Be safe :-)
Is it possible to substitute the beef with chicken and follow the recipe
I would imagine, that would make it like Shawarma. 🙂
I went to university in Halifax in the late 70s. The authentic Halifax donaire was nothing like this.
It had slices of real meat. Tomatoes, raw onions, a light soft pita type wrap, and a savory sauce made from thick goat's milk, garlic sauce and a thickened white paste (Tihini, I think). None if this sweet condensed milk stuff.
The original Donair was created in the early 70's restaurateur Peter Gamoulakos who wanted to share the flavours of his homeland-Greece with the residents of Halifax by introducing the Gyro. Peter soon realized that the taste of the traditional Gyro was not received well, so he decided to make some adjustments. He replaced the lamb with a spiced ground beef and the tzatziki with a sweet sauce he created.
I guess you experienced a Gyro. Thanks for watching.
It’s a doner kebab we have that over in the Uk in chip shops cheers 🍻
I like your video, but the music is too loud, I can barely hear you. I’m going to try this recipe, I’ve never heard of this before. I love preparing new foods!🌻
isn't this turkish doner ? you changed the name to donair ?
Hi,do u have a recipe for keto Donaire meat? Thks Glad💕
The Donair meat is already keto. If you're asking for the sauce their are recipes all over the place.
for the sauce, shouldn't it be sweetened condensed milk? or add sugar if it is regular condensed milk?
from the video it looks like you use eagle brand that is sweetened.
@@reklaw8017 Eaglebrand sweetened condensed milk is what is used. How it reacts with the vinegar creates the sweet donair sauce.
Damm
why do you guys call this a donair and not a gyro. I'm curious because I googled it and there is no difference.
Back in 1975...If memory serves me...I think we were to drunk to roll our R's, and once we ate the whole thing we were "done here". Actually, the inventor did not want to be confused with Gyro because of the sauce and ground beef. Thanks for watching.
ur about halifax yorkshire...ohhh canada😂
The only places that use condensed milk are pizza franchises like Greco. Not nearly as good as evaporated milk.
Being a Chef, do you mind the electric stove top?
I don't mind it too much since it is my home. But that being said I will be replacing it with Induction soon. Thank you for the comment
Don't think I'd like the sweet saus3, but would rather have the Greek type sauce.
Trust me, just try it once ! It sounds bizzarr
But it's amazing with the spice
The music is Too much. Great recipe though , thank you
Noted, the proper mix is something I'm always working on. Thanks for watching.
Such a shame they are so hard to find here in Ottawa...the Shawarma pretty much killed the Donair here.
someone needs to take the leap and open up a Donair Shop there :-)
Check out Centertown Halifax donair on Bronson just north of Gladstone you won’t be disappointed
my meat didn't really brown and i'm not sure why lol
Could be the oven temp, or the amount of fat in the meat. (to little) So what I would do. Cool the loaf, then slice off the desired amount and brown it up in the frying pan.
Where is the cheese?
There's not cheese on a Halifax Donair :-)
Good video. Find the American pronounciation “don air” funny though. It’s comes from Turkish “doner”. But as long as we all enjoy, who cares.
originallly made with lamb.
There's more spices than that
Wrap the bottom with a sandwich plastic bag neater mess catcher
But of course, you know the mess is part of the joy of eating these.
Wonderful video with the exception of the music!! So distracting and unnecessary
Yes, early days of editing, I will fix that for the 12" review Thank you
Need sour cream too, Soooooo delicious! Many thanks
Im always curious to taste Halifax Donair. So, I decided to make it. I followed exactly your recipe. But, I cooked it in the BBQ for 2 hours. 350F. Nice Donair meat! Its a bit spicy. I should have decreased the Cayenne pepper. 🥵
The sauce is sickeningly sweet. I didn’t like it. 🤷🏼♀️
Nice, BBQ. The sauce is sweet, usually to offset the heat.
That looks, not very appetizing ..sorry
Too bad. You're missing out on one of the greatest treats known to mankind.