Donair Sauce


This is the tried and tested original Halifax Donair Sauce, originally created in Halifax by Peter Gamoulakos. I can taste no difference from what I remember growing up in Halifax, NS. The addition of Onion Powder is solely my own and I like the flavor of that as the onion flavor works really well with items the sauce is used for.
There is some debate about whether evaporated or sweetened condensed milk should be used. A 1978 article from the Chronicle Herald states that sweetened condensed milk is the main ingredient, whereas Halifax Magazine, in an interview with Leo Gamoulakos, reports that the original sauce had 5 ingredients: evaporated milk, sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, and parsley. I gather that most shops nowadays use evaporated milk, but there are shops that use condensed or a mix of both.
Below is the store-bought version ingredient listing. I am not crazy about these and you will taste a difference between homemade and store-bought for sure. I forget which one now. But one of them was really bad. Tasted chemical like.
Donair Sauce Ingredients
The original sauce had 5 ingredients: evaporated milk, sugar, vinegar, garlic powder, and parsley. Commercial kinds, has added water and Starch to increase volume and stability.
Mr. Donair INGREDIENTS
WATER, SUGAR, EVAPORATED MILK, POWDERED MILK, VINEGAR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, GARLIC POWDER, SODIUM BENZOATE.
Bonte INGREDIENTS
Water, sugar, whey powder, modified corn starch, canola oil, garlic powder, citric acid, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate, polysorbate 60, titanium dioxide. Contains: Milk
In any event, I suspect that the original sauce was tzatziki. But it wasn’t well accepted at the time. So this was created to appeal to the taste buds of the people of Halifax. This became the famous Halifax Donair Sauce we love and recognize today. You can make this at home easily and it’s the real thing.
How Long does Donair Sauce Keep
I have kept this for over a month. In general, you will see it go to a yellow color before it goes bad, sort of smelling off. It Lasts a very long time. Keep it covered and refrigerated. I’ve always used it up eventually so use your best judgment, however it does last unusually long.
A Clear Liquid will accumulate at the bottom. You can move the sauce to the side and drain this clear liquid and give it another mix. It’s Still Good.
Donair Sauce Uses
There are plenty of other uses, some of which are listed below.

Donairs
Softened Lebanese Pita Bread with Halifax Donair Meat & Sauce. Topped off with Diced Onions & Tomatoes.

Garlic Fingers
Pizza Dough Brushed with Garlic Butter and topped with a Mozzarella & Provolone Cheese Blend. Often with bacon Bits on top.

Donair Platter / Poutine
Fries with Donair Meat & Sauce, topped with a Mozzarella & Provolone Cheese Blend. Optionally with Diced Onions & Tomatoes.

Donair Oven Sub
Oven Sub stuffed with Donair Meat & Sauce, topped with a Mozzarella & Provolone Cheese blend with Diced Onions & Tomatoes.

Donair Pizza
Pizza Dough sauced with Donair Sauce and topped with Donair meat, Diced Onions & Tomatoes with a Mozzarella & Provolone Cheese blend. Add more donair sauce on top.

Twisty Breadsticks
Served as a dipping sauce for Twisty Bread.

Donair Chip Dip
Hot Dip fresh out the oven for dipping your Chips.

Donair Salad
Donair Salad with a Dressing made with some Donair Sauce.

Halifax Donair Sauce
Equipment
- Mixer or Whisk
- Bowl with Lid
Ingredients
- 1 can Evaporated Milk
- 3/4 – 1 can Sugar - – or about 1 Cup of Sugar
- 2 Tbl Vinegar
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
Instructions
- Empty the milk into a bowl and using the same can fill 3/4 with sugar and place that into the bowl. Add Garlic & Onion Powder
- With a mixer whisk the bowl until the milk turns a whiter color and all sugar is dissolved.
- For about 12 turns with the whisk, slowly add 2 Tbl Vinegar.
- Cover and refrigerate at least for 1 hour, overnight is best.
Notes
- Iced CappEnjoy a Creamy Cold Refreshing Iced Capp at home any time. It’s a Coffee on Ice with additional ingredients to get those unique Flavors. I am still messing around with the ratios. But find this to be pretty close to Tim Hortons Iced Capp. Tim…
- Pasta PitasPasta Pitas are just something else! Brushed with Garlic Butter & sauced with Pasta Meat Sauce. Topped with torn Provolone Cheese for a Deliciously Greasy Treat. Oven baked, garnished and served. These are a very convenient snack right after making some Pasta Sauce using the…
- Pasta SauceRagu style Pasta Sauce simmered for 2 hours or more to develop the concentrated flavors for your favorite Pasta dishes. Made from Tomatoes & Juice, Soffritto, Tomato Paste, with a nice blend of Herbs & Spices and a lot of Basil. Resulting in a Delicious…