Firehall Donair Platter

Name: Firehall Donair Platter
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 4.4 lb ground beef; 7/8 lb ground lamb; 1.8 tbsp garlic powder; 1.8 tbsp onion powder; 7/8 tbsp ground oregano; 7/8 tbsp paprika; 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk; 1/4 cup white vinegar; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 10.7 rounds pita bread; 3 whole tomatoes; 1 whole white onion

Spiced beef cones roasted and shaved with sweet sauce for ten

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 65 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: medium

Seasoned ground beef is pressed around vertical skewers, roasted until crisp-edged, then shaved thin for donair platters. Serve with warm pita, diced tomatoes, onions, and sweet garlicky donair sauce.

Why crews like it: Donair is a Canadian hall legend—messy, satisfying, and impossible to eat quietly. Shaved meat platters let crews build wraps fast or plate it open-face when tones drop mid-meal.

540Cal

38gProtein

36gCarbs

28gFat

Ingredients

4.4 lb ground beef
7/8 lb ground lamb
1.8 tbsp garlic powder
1.8 tbsp onion powder
7/8 tbsp ground oregano
7/8 tbsp paprika
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 cloves garlic cloves
10.7 rounds pita bread
3 whole tomatoes
1 whole white onion

Instructions

Season the meat: Mix beef, lamb if using, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper until sticky and uniform.
Form the cones: Press seasoned meat around metal skewers or dowels set in loaf pans, packing tight into cone shapes about 6 inches tall.
Roast until browned: Roast at 350°F, rotating pans, until exterior is deeply browned and internal temp hits 165°F, about 50–60 minutes. Target oven/smoker temperature: 350°F.
Make donair sauce: Whisk condensed milk, vinegar, and garlic until smooth and tangy. Thin with a tablespoon of water if too thick.
Shave and serve: Rest cones 10 minutes, shave meat thin with a sharp knife, and pile on platters with warmed pita, tomatoes, onions, and sauce at the line.

Tonight's spread

Shaved donair meat with pita, tomatoes, onions, and sweet sauce.
Garlic fingers or fries on the side for the full Halifax-style spread.

Hall tips

A little baking soda in the mix helps bind—just a quarter teaspoon for the batch.
Offer lettuce for crew who want crunch without turning it into a generic wrap bar.
Save rendered fat from the pan to crisp pita edges on the griddle.

Meal prep

Form meat cones the night before on skewers set in loaf pans for stability. Donair sauce keeps 5 days refrigerated. Hold shaved meat at 165°F with a light broth mist.

Leftovers

Reheat shaved meat in a skillet with sauce for quick donair bowls over rice—not the same as a burrito bowl, just honest leftovers.
Stuff into sub rolls for donair cheesesteaks on the next shift.

Loaf pans
Metal skewers
Roasting pans
Sharp knife
Mixing bowls