Greek-American Lamb Gyros Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__20100604-Gyros-primary-0ff1dbc34e5840f79cdf3c00565e2840.jpg)
Serious Eats
Greek-American gyros employ the same vertical rotisserie method of cooking as authentic Greek gyros, and both come served in rich, fluffy pita bread* with a yogurt-based sauce, tomatoes, and onions, but that's where the similarities end. Unlike Greek gyros, which are usually made with whole pieces of thinly-sliced marinated pork skewered in a large stack on the rotisserie before being cooked and shaved, Greek-American gyros are made with a large, sausage-like cone of seasoned minced lamb and beef.
*Not the thin type with the pocket...unless you are in Cyprus.
As great as the real deal is, in all honesty, I prefer the Greek-American style. When properly cooked, the thinly shaved pieces of meat offer a sublime mixture of textures. Crispy, salty edges, and moist, tender areas that have the same satisfyingly resilient texture that a good hot dog has
Recipe Facts
Ingredients
For the meat:
-
1 pound ground lamb (or ground 85% lean ground beef—see note)
-
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
-
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
2 tablespoons picked fresh oregano leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
-
1/2 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
-
1 clove garlic, sliced
-
3 ounces slab bacon (or about 5 slices sliced bacon), cut into 1-inch pieces
For the yogurt sauce:
-
3/4 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
-
1/4 cup mayonnaise
-
1 clove garlic
-
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
-
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or mint
To serve:
-
4 pieces soft, hand-pulled-style pita (not pocket pita)
-
Chopped fresh tomato
-
Finely sliced onion
-
Cubed peeled seeded cucumber
-
Hot sauce
Directions
-
Combine lamb, salt, pepper, and oregano in medium bowl. Mix with hands until homogeneous. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to over night. Meanwhile, place yogurt in fine-mesh strainer set over small bowl. Allow to drain in refrigerator for 1 hour. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Place cold lamb mixture in bowl of food processor with onion, garlic, and bacon. Process until smooth puree is formed, about 1 minute total, scraping down sides with rubber spatula as necessary.
-
Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. With moist hands, form meat mixture into rectangle about 1 1/2 inches high, 8-inches long, and 5-inches wide. Bake until center of loaf reads 155°F on an instant read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Allow loaf to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (or refrigerate for up to a week—see note).
-
Meanwhile, make sauce. Combine strained yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
-
Adjust broiler rack to highest position (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches from broiler element) and preheat broiler. Slice loaf crosswise into 1/8th to 1/4-inch strips (each strip should be about 5-inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide). Lay strips on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and broil until edges are brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil. Warm bread by placing on rimmed baking sheet and broiling until soft and pliant, about 45 seconds per side.
-
Spread 1/4 cup of sauce over each piece of bread. Divide meat evenly between sandwiches. Top as desired, wrap with foil, and serve.
This Recipe Appears In
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
881 | Calories |
43g | Fat |
74g | Carbs |
49g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 881 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 43g | 55% |
Saturated Fat 14g | 70% |
Cholesterol 139mg | 46% |
Sodium 1735mg | 75% |
Total Carbohydrate 74g | 27% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 17% |
Total Sugars 12g | |
Protein 49g | |
Vitamin C 23mg | 115% |
Calcium 244mg | 19% |
Iron 6mg | 33% |
Potassium 1158mg | 25% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |