All, Meat, Recipes
Homemade Gyros and Tzatziki
We used to think you either had to go to Greece or your local streetside Halal cart to access the perfect gyro–until we decided to make a version for ourselves.
Our version combines ground lamb and beef to maximum flavor, but you can always go for one. To get things extra-crispy, pan-fry to the meat before assembling each portion–they’ll taste just like the ones you crave.
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How to Make It
Ingredients
Gyro Meat
- ½ red onion, coarsely grated
- 3 garlic cloves, very finely grated
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb (454 g) ground lamb
- 1 lb (454 g) 80% lean ground beef
Tzatziki
- ½ English cucumber, peeled and deseeded
- 1 ¾ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of ½ a lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, very finely grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
To Serve
- 8 warm pitas (recipe here)
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-in loaf pan with foil or parchment with overhang on all sides.
- For the gyro meat, combine onion, garlic, salt, paprika, rosemary, oregano, cumin, and pepper in bowl of a stand mixer. Crumble in lamb and beef. Fit with paddle attachment, then mix on low to combine. Increase speed to medium and beat spiced meat-mixture until fluffy and sticking to sides of bowl, about 3 to 5 minutes. This method creates the signature, sliceable texture of gyro meat. Alternatively, the spiced meat-mixture can be mixed vigorously by hand, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Transfer spiced meat-mixture to prepared loaf pan. Press down to remove large air pockets. Bake until an instant thermometer reads 160°F in the thickest part, approximately 32 to 40 minutes.
- Remove to a rimmed baking sheet or dish. Cover top with another piece of foil, then weigh down with cans or other heavy items. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Then, transfer gyro meat to a cutting board leaving juices and fat behind in pan. Thinly slice.
- For the tzatziki, coarsely grate cucumber over a bowl. Add 1 tsp salt, then stir to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine yogurt, dill, oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and remaining ¾ tsp salt in another bowl.
- Squeeze as much water out of cucumber as possible. Then, add cucumber to yogurt mixture. Stir to combine. Season with pepper and more salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To serve, spread tzatziki onto pitas. Top with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and gyro slices.
How to Store It
This batch of tzatziki is slightly more than you’ll need to top the gyros, but any leftovers will keep well refrigerated up to 5 days.
To make gyros ahead, assemble and bake the spiced meat-mixture, then fully cool in the loaf pan. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days ahead. Thinly slice while cold, then pan-fry the slices until warmed through and browned, about 1 minute per side.
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