Greek Gyro Meatloaf With Cucumber Yogurt Sauce Recipes

FAVORITE MEAT LOAF GYROS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the egg, garlic, oregano, kosher salt and pepper. Crumble lamb and beef over mixture; mix well. , Pat into an ungreased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours., For sauce, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving. , Brush pita breads with 1 tablespoon oil; heat on a lightly greased griddle for 1 minute on each side. Keep warm. Cut meat loaf into very thin slices. In a large skillet, fry meat loaf in remaining oil in batches until crisp. , On each pita bread, layer the tomato, onion and meat loaf slices; top with some tzatziki sauce. Carefully fold pitas in half. Serve with remaining sauce.

GYRO MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Place oven rack in lower-middle position and heat to 350°.
• Lightly spray bottom and sides of a loaf pan with vegetable oil spray and set aside.
• Break up ground lamb and beef into a large bowl and add bread crumbs, parsley, egg, egg white, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper; using clean hands, combine the mixture well, then lightly press meat mixture together, lift it out of the bowl and place in prepared pan.
• Using a small spatula, pull mixture up and away from the sides of the pan and smooth out the top.
• Bake 60 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 150°; cool to room temperature, remove from pan and wrap in plastic wrap, then into foil; refrigerate until serving time.
• Before serving, slice the chilled meatload and cook in a nonstick frying pan until crisp; serve in pita rounds (which you can warm and brown in the same pan as the meat) with tzatziki sauce**there are many excellent tzatziki sauces listed here on Zaar so I didn't add my own, do a search and choose what looks best to you.

TZATZIKI SAUCE-- GREEK CUCUMBER/YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel cucumbers and dice. Put them in a colander and sprinkle with the tablespoon of salt (draws water out). Cover with a plate and sit something heavy on top. Let sit for 30 minute Drain well and wipe dry with a paper towel.
• In food processor or blender, add cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill and/or mint, and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until well blended, then stir into yogurt. Taste before adding any extra salt, then salt if needed. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend.
• This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.
• ** If you can't find the thicker Greek Yogurt Cheese, you can use regular, plain yogurt that is either full fat or low fat. To thicken, spoon yogurt into cheese cloth that has been quadrupled. Draw the corners of the cloth up and tie together. Suspend above a bowl for 2 hours so that water can drip out. The consistency of the yogurt should be like that of sour cream.
• You can skip this draining process, if you want, but you will have a moderately messier, runnier result.

GYRO MEAT LOAF WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble lamb over mixture and mix well. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish., Bake, uncovered, 55-60 minutes or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with tzatziki sauce. Freeze option: Securely wrap and freeze cooled meat loaf in plastic wrap and foil. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Unwrap meat loaf; reheat on a greased shallow baking pan in a preheated 350° oven until a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

GREEK MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• In large bowl, mix all ingredients just until well combined but not overmixed.
• In 13x9 metal baking pan, shape meat mixture into 9x5 inch loaf.
• Bake meat loaf 1 hour approx, drain fat half way through cooking, if needed.
• Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

GYRO MEATLOAF IN CROCKPOT

Steps:

• Mix all meat together with spices (no lemon) and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Blend in a food processor to smooth texture and shape into a spit.
• GRILL:.
• (Optional) Squeeze lemon juice over meat. Form into an oblong loaf around a spit. Slow cook over a grill fro around 30-45 minutes. Cook far from the coals or gas burner, and ratate slowly.
• OVEN:.
• Alternatively, shape as a loaf and bake in the oven. (Optional) Squeeze lemon juice over loaf. Bake meatloaf for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, at 325ºF. It should be a bit dry.
• CROCKPOT:.
• Alternatively, to cook in a crockpot, mix together all ingredients except onion and garlic. After blending and forming, place onions and garlic surrounding shaped spiced meat in a crockpot. (Optionally) Squeeze lemon juice over loaf and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 hours. Remove meat carefully (will be very flimsy from crockpot).
• TZATZIKI SAUCE:.
• Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for the gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
• SERVE:.
• Gyro meat thinly sliced over pita bread with Tzatziki Sauce and veggies.

GREEK CHICKEN MEATLOAF WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• MEATOAF.
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Heat skillet over med-high heat, add oil.
• Sauté onion, peppers celery to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes to release flavor.
• Set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, stir together chicken and next 8 ingredients plus sauté veggies.
• Mix until just combined; too much mixing toughens meat.
• Spray a 9" loaf pan with cooking spray.
• Spread mixture into the pan, making sure that there are no air spaces in mixture.
• Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in center register 165F degrees.
• Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
• SAUCE.
• Mix all ingredients and chill at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Makes 1 cup.
• GYROS.
• Using favorite pita round, cut in half and cut for pita pocket, if needed. Slather lots of sauce inside pita. Slice meatloaf or cut into 1" cubes. Insert about 1/4 cup meatloaf, lettuce, sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumber (optional) -- ENJOY!

GREEK CUCUMBER YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine and refrigerate overnight for flavors to mix. Cucumber will leak liquid, so if it appears dry at first, it is expected.
• Provides per serving: 63 calories, 0 g saturated fat, 1 g monounsaturated fat, 0 g polyunsaturated fat, 4 g of carbohydrate, 0 g of fiber, 8 g of protein, and 36 milligrams of sodium.