How to Make Gyro Meat

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 30, 2020 References

Gyros are a traditional Greek dish, consisting of minced meat (typically containing lamb), pita bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and tzatziki sauce. It is usually used on a rotisserie, but not everyone owns one. This does not mean that you can't enjoy a gyro from the comfort of your kitchen. There are several ways of making gyro meat at home without the use of a rotisserie. They may not be the most traditional methods, but you will still end up with something just as delicious!

Ingredients

Quick Gyro Meat^{[1]
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l pound (450 grams) lean ground lamb
1 to 2 cloves garlic, mined
1½ teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon pepper

Serves 6 to 8

Gyro Meat^{[2]
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2 pounds (900 grams) ground lamb
1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Serves 6 to 8

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Quick Gyro Meat

1
Place 1 pound (450 grams) of lean ground lamb into a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, you can also use ½ pound (225 grams) of lean ground lamb and ½ pound (225 grams) of lean ground beef.^{[3]
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Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, onion powder, salt and pepper. If you are using beef, you might want to reduce the amount of pepper to ½ teaspoon.^{[4]
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3
Stir the ingredients together using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Keep stirring and folding until everything is evenly blended together. You can use your hands to do this as well, as long as you don't mind the texture of the meat.
4
Form the meat into ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) thick patties. Roll the meat into small balls first, then gently flatten them with the palm of your hand until they are ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) thick.^{[6]
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- You will have enough meat to make about 12 small patties or 4 to 5 larger ones.^{[7]
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5
Broil or fry the patties until they are no longer pink inside. There are two ways you can cook the meat patties, and it all depends on your personal preference. Broiling will give you dryer patties, while frying will give you oilier ones. Whichever method you choose, make sure that there is no pink left inside the patties when you are done.
- To broil the patties: preheat your broiler first, then place the patties onto a baking sheet. Broil them for 8 to 10 minutes.^{[8]
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- To fry the patties: heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry smaller patties for 3 to 4 minutes turning once. Fry larger ones for 6 minutes, turning once.^{[9]
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6
Cut the patties into thin slices, if desired, and serve them. Gyro meat is typically served with pita bread, some fresh vegetables (such as lettuce, onions, and tomatoes) and tzatziki sauce.^{[10]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Gyro Meat

1
Mix the ground lamb with the salt in a large bowl, then let it sit for 30 minutes in the fridge. Be sure to cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap to prevent the lamb from drying out.
- Alternatively, you can also use 1 pound (450 grams) of ground lamb and 1 pound (450 grams) of ground beef.^{[11]
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2
Blend the onion and garlic in a food processor. Chop the onion and mince the garlic first, then put them into a food processor. Pulse them for 10 to 15 seconds.
3
Squeeze the juices out of the onion and garlic mixture. Turn the onion and garlic out onto a tea towel. Squeeze the towel around them until the juices come out. Discard the juices, and set the onion and garlic aside.
4
Blend the lamb in the food processor until it turns into a fine paste. Use a rubber spatula to scrape any unmixed lamb down the walls of the food processor, down towards the blades. For best results, blend the lamb in small batches.
- If you are using both lamb and beef, blend them together at the same time.
5
Mix the lamb, onion, garlic, and other spices together in a large bowl. Take the lamb out of the fridge, and add the onion-garlic mixture. Next, add the marjoram, rosemary, and pepper. Stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or by hand until everything is evenly combined.
6
Cover the meat mixture with a sheet of plastic wrap, then store it in the fridge for several hours so that the flavors can infuse. This step is not mandatory, but you will get better-tasting gyros if you do it. It would be best if you left the meat in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours, but if you are in a hurry, an hour or 2 will do.ref>http://allrecipes.com/recipe/173420/traditional-gyro-meat/</ref>
7
Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Make sure that the baking rack is in the center.
8
Pack the meat mixture into a loaf pan. The best size to work with would be around 4 by 7 inches (10.16 by 17.78 centimeters).^{[12]
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Research source} Make sure that the meat fills out the corners and that there are no air bubbles. If you need to, tap the loaf pan against the counter.
9
Place the loaf pan into a larger roasting pan filled with boiling water. The water needs to come half-way up the sides of your loaf pan. If you are using a 4 by7-inch (10.16 by 17.78 centimeters) loaf pan, then the water needs to be 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) deep.^{[13]
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10
Bake it for 60 to 75 minutes. Place the entire roasting pan, with the loaf pan inside of it, into the oven. Bake the loaf until it is no longer pink inside, about 60 to 75 minutes. It is ready when the meat reaches 165 to 170°F (74 to 77°C). You can check this by sticking a meat thermometer into the loaf.^{[14]
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Remove the loaf pan from the oven, pour off any excess fat, and set it onto a cooling rack.^{[15]
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Research source} If you'd like, you can place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil into the meat, and let it sit there for 15 to 20 minutes; the meat will continue to cook, and the internal temperature will raise up to 175°F (80°C).
- The brick will help add texture to the meat as well as compress it further.
12
Take the meat out of the loaf pan, slice it thinly, and serve it. Gyro meat is typically served with pita bread, tzatziki sauce, onion, lettuce, and sliced tomato.