Gyros

I recently returned from New York City, where I had probably the best Gyro, purchased right on the street corner, I've had in a long time. I've never tried making one for myself at home and every place I get one around here (Colorado), the taste of the sauce is different. Thus, some are better than others. What are some of your recipes or ways of making a delicious Gyro right at home? :-)

I have yet to actually make a gyro at home. I bought some pre-made gyro meat at Jungle Jim's (grocery store) and I have it in the freezer until I get ready to make gyros. I'm willing to bet you can easily find a sauce recipe online.

I usually make a sauce of plain yogurt (not the non fat stuff), cukes, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and greek season salt.

I take yogurt and let it drain (cheese cloth I've used paper towels once in a pinch) let it drain bout 4 hours or I go overnight add diced cucumbers
some itallian seasoning some lemon juice and garlic powder put it back in fridge for at least 4hrs.
as for the meat Alton Brown did a show on Gyro's I havent made the meat mix yet so I can't comment on it but it looked pretty tasty.
anyone that has read my posts knows I love Gyro's and Matza ball soup

hope this helped

quote:

Originally posted by CamSkaterUNC

I recently returned from New York City, where I had probably the best Gyro, purchased right on the street corner, I've had in a long time. I've never tried making one for myself at home and every place I get one around here (Colorado), the taste of the sauce is different. Thus, some are better than others. What are some of your recipes or ways of making a delicious Gyro right at home? :-)

Here's a Tzatziki Sauce recipe:

Tzatziki (Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce)

(Makes about 3 1/2 cups.)

3 cups Greek Yogurt (or regular plain yogurt, strained)
juice of one lemon (about 3 T)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 medium cucumbers, seeded and diced
about 1 T kosher salt for salting cucumbers
1 T finely chopped fresh dill (can substitute mint leaves for a slightly different version)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds. (If you use the small seedless or European cucumbers with few seeds, you can skip this step.) Dice cucumbers, then put in a colander, sprinkle on 1 T salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to draw out water. Drain well and wipe dry with paper towel.

In food processor with steel blade, add cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice, dill, and a few grinds of black pepper. Process until well blended, then stir this mixture into the 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 resting time is very important.)

This will keep for a few days or more in the refrigerator, but you will need to drain off any water and stir each time you use it.

The best gyros meat is made like they do at a Greek restaurant on an upright (vertical) spit... A big slab of gyros meat slowly turns in front of a heating element and has the strips of meat cut off by the chef with a long slicing knife gradually as the outermost meat browns.

To approximate this at home you can use a spit over a bed of coals on a barbque grill and cook slowly for 30 to 45 minutes. Rotating the spit and slicing thin slices off to make the sandwiches as it browns.

I must admit though, I usually just cook it in the oven at home.

Typically, gyro meat is at least 50% ground lamb and the rest beef. Meat with a fairly high fat content works best. The spices are usually garlic, onion, marjoram, rosemary, salt and black pepper.

When I make it sometimes I use 50/50 lamb and beef ... and sometimes all lamb. Here's the recipe I use for all lamb.

1 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup very finely chopped (or shredded) onion
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1/4 tea garlic powder
1/4 tea onion powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried ground marjoram
3/4 teaspoon dried ground rosemary
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix everything together and let sit in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours.
Blend in a food processor for about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. (When cooked, this will give it a more traditional gyro feel on your palate.)
To bake it, form in a meatloaf shape and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, at 325 degrees F. It should be just a bit dry.



Here's the recipe I use for Olga Bread to use for the sandwich if you want to make the pita bread yourself at home ...

Olga Bread
1 cup milk
1/4 cup water -- warm 110-115 degrees
1/4 cup honey
1 egg
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup margarine
3/4 teaspoon sugar

Scald milk. Place scalded milk in a large bowl with honey, margarine,
salt. Stir until margarine is melted. Let cool.
In a small bowl, combine: sugar, dry yeast and warm water. (proof the yeast).
Add 1-1/2 Cup flour to milk mixture, add egg, and mix well.
Add yeast mixture and 2-1/2 cups flour. Mix until dough is sticky. Knead on a floured board. Place dough in a bowl (oil it first) and cover. Let rise until double in size. Punch down dough and cut into 16 pieces. Form ball with each of the 16 pieces. Roll to 1/8th" thickness x 10" round.

In a large heavy skillet (medium hot) cook for 15 to 25 seconds, flip and cook the other side ... reserve the pitas until ready to build the gyros sandwiches.

When I'm ready to serve ...
I take a very small amount of the fat that I've drained off from the gyros pan and, in a heavy bottomed skillet (such as a griswold) I reheat the pita bread (whether homemade or store bought) in the fat until warmed through.

... then assemble on the bread the gyros meat, sweet onion, tomato and Tzatziki sauce as mentioned in a post above. (though when I make it, I add some chopped fresh mint leaves as well.)

There you have it.

Honestly, i have never had a good gyro in America, never made them my self but i miss the ones in Greece

I love a good gyro. You guys are making me hongry for one.