Gyro Loaf Recipes

TRADITIONAL GYROS

Steps:

• Place onion in a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Transfer onion to a piece of cheese cloth and squeeze out the liquid. Place onion in a large bowl.
• Mix lamb, beef, garlic, oregano, cumin, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and salt with the onion using your hands until well mixed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors blend, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place meat mixture in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and tacky, about 1 minute. Pack meat mixture into a 7x4-inch loaf pan, ensuring there are no air pockets. Place loaf pan into a roasting pan and pour enough boiling water around the loaf pan to reach halfway up the sides.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 45 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Pour off any accumulated fat and cool slightly.
• Thinly slice the gyro meat mixture.
• Spread 1 tablespoon hummus onto each pita bread; top each with gyro meat mixture, lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta cheese, and tzatziki sauce.

MEAT LOAF GYROS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. , Press into an ungreased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160° drain. , Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut into thin slices. Place the meat loaf, onion and tomato into pita halves; drizzle with yogurt.

TRADITIONAL GYRO MEAT

Steps:

• Place the onion in a food processor, and process until finely chopped. Scoop the onions onto the center of a towel, gather up the ends of the towel, and squeeze out the liquid from the onions. Place the onions into a mixing bowl along with the lamb and beef. Season with the garlic, oregano, cumin, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Mix well with your hands until well combined. Cover, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place the meat mixture into the food processor, and pulse for about a minute until finely chopped and the mixture feels tacky. Pack the meat mixture into a 7x4 inch loaf pan, making sure there are no air pockets. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place the loaf pan on the towel, inside the roasting pan, and place into the preheated oven. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.
• Bake until the gyro meat is no longer pink in the center, and the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) on a meat thermometer, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pour off any accumulated fat, and allow to cool slightly before slicing thinly and serving.

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 MEAT WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.
• Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.
• To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.
• To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:
• Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.
• Preheat the grill to high.
• Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
• 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 gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups

ALTON BROWN'S GYRO MEAT RECIPE

Steps:

• Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel.
• Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.
• Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb (and beef if using), garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.
• TO COOK IN OVEN as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan.
• Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F.
• Remove from the oven and drain off any fat.
• Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F.
• Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.
• TO COOK ON ROTISSERIE proceed as follows:
• Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long.
• Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets.
• Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.
• Preheat the grill to high.
• Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings.
• Cook on high for 15 minutes.
• Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F.
• Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees.
• Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
• Tzatziki Sauce Directions:
• 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 gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week. Yield: 1 1/2 cups sauce.

GYRO LOAF WITH TSATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix loaf ingredients together and shape into a freeform loaf in a baking pan.
• Bake at 375°F for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Once loaf has cooled to room temperature or has chilled in the refrigerator, slice it as thin as possible (maximum of 1/4 inch).
• Serve it warm or at room temperature.
• Can be served in pitas, flatbreads or tortillas with lettuce, tomato, black olives, feta cheese and Tsatziki Sauce or as a main course with a Greek salad, pasta salad or potato salad.

GYRO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• For the gyro meatloaf: Gather the minced onions in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as possible. In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion, beef, lamb, milk, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, fennel, coriander, egg and some salt and pepper and mix together. Fry up a small test batch; taste for salt and pepper, and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Transfer the meatloaf mixture to a food processor and process it to the consistency of a paste. Tightly pack it into a loaf pan, making sure there are no cracks or air pockets. Bake until cooked through, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into thin slices.
• For the tzatziki sauce: Grate or mince the cucumber and add it to a bowl along with the yogurt, dill, lemon juice, mint, olive oil, coriander and cumin. Whisk to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the lemon vinaigrette: In a blender, combine the lemon juice, oregano, thyme and mustard. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream to emulsify.
• For the salad: Toss the lettuce, red onions and tomatoes with about 4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
• Heat the 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Briefly warm up the pitas in the pan, giving them just long enough on each side to get hot but not crispy. In the same pan, sear the slices of gyro on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
• Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of tzatziki sauce onto each pita. Top with some slices of meatloaf and finish with some of the salad. Roll the pitas up tightly and wrap them in foil or secure them with a toothpick. Serve.