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Traditional Gyros

Recipe by Evelyn Marcella Rivera

Make a Greek gyro sandwich at home with this recipe. A boldly spiced blend of ground lamb and beef is baked into a tight loaf in a water bath, sliced thin, and piled into warm pita with hummus, feta, fresh vegetables, and tzatziki.

  • Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield12 sandwiches 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

Gyro Meat

  • 1 small onion (cut into chunks)
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

For Assembly

  • 12 tbsp hummus
  • 12 rounds pita bread
  • 1 small head lettuce (shredded)
  • 1 large tomato (sliced)
  • 1 large red onion (sliced)
  • 6 oz crumbled feta cheese
  • 24 tbsp tzatziki sauce

Instructions

  1. Prep the Onion: Place the onion in a food processor and finely chop. Transfer to a piece of cheesecloth and squeeze out the liquid, then place the onion in a large bowl.
  2. Mix and Chill: Add the lamb, beef, garlic, oregano, cumin, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt to the onion. Mix with your hands until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the flavors blend, about 2 hours.
  3. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
  4. Process and Pack: Place the meat mixture in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and tacky, about 1 minute. Pack the meat into a 7×4-inch loaf pan with no air pockets. Set the loaf pan inside a roasting pan and pour boiling water around it to reach halfway up the sides for a water bath.
  5. Bake: Bake until no longer pink in the center, 45 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165°F (74°C). Pour off any accumulated fat and cool slightly.
  6. Slice: Thinly slice the cooked gyro meat loaf. For extra-crisp edges, sear the slices in a hot skillet for a minute or two per side.
  7. Assemble: Spread 1 tablespoon hummus onto each pita. Top each with gyro meat slices, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta, and 2 tablespoons tzatziki sauce to complete each sandwich.

Notes

Squeezing the liquid from the onion and processing the meat until tacky are what give the loaf its sliceable, gyro-like texture. The water bath keeps it from drying out. The baked meat loaf keeps refrigerated for several days and freezes well whole or sliced; reheat slices in a hot skillet rather than the microwave so they crisp. Warm the pitas before assembling, and keep toppings separate until serving.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Greek

Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/traditional-gyros/