Lamb Donair Recipes

HOMEMADE DONAIRS (GYROS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Combine the ground beef or lamb, ground turkey, flour, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until very well combined.
• You want it to be a very uniform mixture, much more processed than for something like meatballs. You can even use a food processor if you like, but I usually just mash it well.
• Dump the meat mixture onto a broiler pan or rimmed cookie sheet, and form it into a long, wide loaf shape, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches tall.
• Place in the oven and bake for 55 minutes or until cooked through. The internal temperature should be 180 degrees F.
• While the meat is cooking, whisk together the mayo, milk, vinegar and sugar for the donair sauce and put it in the refrigerator until the meat is ready.
• Prepare the toppings for the donairs.
• When the meat is cooked, slice it into thin slices (a long serrated knife works best for this) and serve with the bread, toppings and sauces.

THE ORIGINAL DONAIR FROM THE EAST COAST OF CANADA

Steps:

• In a bowl, thoroughly mix together the ground beef, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Pack the spiced meat into a thick loaf shape, cover, and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the meat loaf onto a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour, flipping the loaf over halfway through cooking. Allow the meat loaf to cool so it holds together for slicing.
• Mix together the evaporated milk and white sugar in a bowl, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and then add the vinegar by teaspoons, mixing together after each addition, to taste. Refrigerate the sauce until serving.
• Slice the meat loaf into 1/4-inch thick slices, and brown the slices in a skillet over medium heat until both sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
• Sprinkle the pita bread rounds with a little water, and press each onto a heated skillet to warm up.
• To serve, place several slices of meat into a warmed pita bread, and spoon about 2 tablespoons of sauce over the meat. Roll the pita bread into a cone shape, wrap in aluminum foil to keep the sauce from dripping out, and serve.

NOVA SCOTIA STYLE DONAIR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease a large baking pan with sides.
• Place beef, lamb, flour, salt, oregano, dry mustard, 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chile pepper, paprika, and Italian seasoning in a bowl; knead all ingredients together with your hands until mixture is like a paste, about 10 minutes. Roll the meat mixture into a large loaf shape, and place into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove from oven; place meat on a drip rack until completely cool to allow juices and fat to drain. Refrigerate meat for 6 hours or overnight.
• Stir evaporated milk, sugar, and 2 teaspoons garlic powder together in a small bowl; gradually stir in vinegar just until mixture thickens.
• Slice donair meat into strips about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Fry meat strips in single-sandwich batches in a skillet over medium-high heat until meat begins to crisp at the edges; remove from pan. Quickly rub 1 pita round lightly with water; fry pita in same frying pan, turning once, just until warm, about 1 minute.
• Spread pita with about 1/2 tablespoons of sauce mixture, top with donair meat, and garnish with onion, tomato, and more sauce; repeat with remaining meat and pita.

DASH RIPROCK'S REAL HALIFAX DONAIR

Steps:

• DONIR MEAT: take all the spices mix them together well add the spices to the meat a little at a time,working the spices through the meat well when spices are all worked into the meat,pick the meat up and throw it down into a steel mixing bowl.
• Do this 20-30 times, kneading it after each time.
• When throwing the meat you need to throw it down with force.
• This gives the meat the proper texture, like you find at a donair shop. Once this is done cut the meat into 1 lb loafs; pat the meat like you would a hamburger, but make it into a loaf shape. Place the loaves on a broiler pan (if you don't have one a cookie sheet will do). Bake at 350°F for 1-1/4 hrs (turn them over at half the way through).
• Let the meat cool down before you cut it.
• Once it is cut up, you can fry it or not, depending if you like your donair meat crispy or not.
• DONAIR SAUCE: Open the can of milk pour it into a steel or glass bowl (not plastic--it won't set up properly in plastic). Pour the sugar & garlic powder in; mix this together well.
• Slowly add the vinegar and mix this together slowly. (If you mix the vinegar in too fast it won't thicken up properly).
• Once this is done cover and refrigerate.
• TO PREPARE DONAIRS: Heat the meat up in a frying pan till it is lightly crispy.
• Wet a pita bread and place it into a lightly oiled pan; cook it until it is soft on medium heat.
• Once this is done, take sauce & lightly coat the pita on one side.
• Place about 100g of meat and then pour more donair sauce over it.
• Place chopped onion & tomatoes on it.
• bon appitite!
• PS. The leftover meat can be kept in the freezer for future use. The sauce however will only last a couple of days once refrigerated.

HOMEMADE BBQ LAMB DONER KEBAB

Steps:

• Tip the mince, diced lamb, the spices, garlic, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tsp salt into a large food processor. Blitz to a paste - the mixture should resemble pâté. Lightly oil a sheet of foil and lay it on a chopping board. Tip the meat mix onto the foil, and tightly roll up into a large, roughly 10cm-wide sausage. Twist the ends shut so they're sealed well, then chill for a few hours, or until firm. Can be prepared up to a day ahead.
• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the foil-wrapped kebab in a roasting tin, then pour 100ml water around it. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins, turning occasionally, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the middle reads at least 65C. Remove from the tin and leave to cool, then transfer to the fridge and chill overnight.
• Light a barbecue or heat a gas barbecue to medium (see tip, below). When the flames have died down and the coals are ashen, unwrap the kebab and push two large skewers through the middle. Sit the kebab directly on the grill, and close the lid, if the barbecue has one. Cook until heated through and well browned, turning occasionally - this will take about 30 mins.
• Using a sharp knife, finely carve slices from the sides of the kebab. If you like, you can then return the rest of the kebab to the barbecue to brown further, or carve it all at once. Serve the meat on the flatbreads with the chillies, lettuce, tomatoes and onions in separate bowls for everyone to build their own wrap, plus the chips on the side.