Bring the flavors of the Mediterranean and those iconic Greek sandwiches home to your kitchen. These homemade beef and lamb gyros are teaming with flavor; garlic, onions, and herbs. Extra virgin olive oil adds an impressive unctuous quality to the tzatziki, a tasty yogurt and cucumber condiment.
Gyro meat is very similar to a meatloaf, just compressed and more finely blended. Ground beef and lamb are further blended, along with oodles of garlic, into a much finer ground, almost paste-like. That mixture is then baked and compressed while resting to create that tell-tale texture, look, and consistency. The meat is then stuffed inside a toasted pita along with Greek-salad veggies, feta cheese crumbles, and the homemade olive oil tzatziki sauce.
Beef and Lamb Gyros with EVOO Tzatziki Sauce
Course: MainCuisine: GreekDifficulty: Easy4 – 6
servings20
minutes1
hourThe homemade tzatziki sauce can be made a day or two in advance of you assembling these tasty gyros. The combination of medium to robust intensity olive oil really brings out all the flavors, not only of the sauce but of the meat, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, French fry, and feta filling.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil Tzatziki Sauce:
1/4cupcucumber, minced
1eachgarlic clove, peeled and minced
1tablespoonlemon juice
1teaspoondried dill
1/2teaspoonsalt
pinchblack pepper
1/4cup medium to robust intensity extra virgin olive oil
3/4cupfull-fat Greek yogurt
- Beef and Lamb Gyro Meat:
1cupyellow onion, peeled
6eachgarlic cloves, peeled
2teaspoonsdried rosemary
2teaspoonsdried oregano
2teaspoonssalt
1lbground lamb
1lbground beef
- Gyro Essentials and Fillings:
4 – 6eachpitas or naan, warmed
2cups French fries, cooked according to the instructions on the package
1cupcucumbers, sliced or cut into wedges
1cuptomatoes, diced or cut into wedges
1/4cupred onion, peeled and minced
2 – 4tablespoonsfeta cheese crumbles
drizzlered wine vinegar
drizzlemedium to robust intensity extra virgin olive oil
pinchdried oregano
Directions
- Place cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, and stir to combine. Add the olive oil and yogurt to the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble the gyros.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place onion, garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor, blend into a smooth paste. Add the ground beef and lamb to the food processor (working in batches if necessary) and blend into a fine paste, simultaneously combining with the seasoning.
- Line an 8x8’’ casserole dish with parchment paper, transfer the meat mixture to the pan, and evenly press into the bottom and sides. Place in the oven and bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the pan from the oven, drain any pan drippings, and place either a heavy skillet or weights on top of the meat, to compress the mixture. Set aside to rest and compress at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour. When you’re ready to assemble the gyros, slice the meat into thin strips.
- To assemble the gyros, place warmed pitas on a clean work surface. Fill the centers with tzatziki, gyro meat, French fries, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and feta cheese. Drizzle with red wine vinegar and sprinkle with dried oregano before serving.
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