Homemade Greek Gyros (Kebabs)
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
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Servings
8
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Calories
372 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Greek
Homemade Greek Gyros (Kebabs)
Description
The recipe starts by finely processing onion and squeezing out excess juice before mixing with ground beef and lamb, garlic, and dried herbs including marjoram and rosemary. Salt and freshly ground black pepper complete the seasoning. This mixture is formed into a loaf placed in a water bath and baked slowly at 325°F until the internal temperature reaches 170°F, ensuring the meat is cooked gently and evenly.
Resting the meat with foil helps retain juices before thinly slicing with an electric knife, which mimics the texture of rotisserie gyro meat. The recipe suggests adding a Greek dressing of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, and oregano to tomatoes as a serving option to enhance flavors. The sliced gyro meat is served with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and sweet onion, making a complete Greek-style gyro meal suitable for home preparation.
Variations allow using all lamb or all beef according to preference, and the loaf format provides an approachable way to replicate gyro meat without a rotisserie.
Ingredients
- 1 onion (medium, roughly chopped)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb lamb ground
- 2 cloves garlic (large, roughly chopped)
- 1 Tbsp marjoram (dried)
- 1 Tbsp rosemary (dried, or a small sprig of fresh, taken off the main stem)
- 2 tsp salt (Kosher or sea salt)
- ½ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
To Serve:
- 1 cup tzatziki sauce (printable recipe card below)
- 8 leaves lettuce (butter or romaine)
- 16 lices tomato
- 8 lices sweet onion
Instructions
- Run the onion in a food processor for about 15 seconds. Place the onion in the center of a kitchen towel and squeeze out the juice and return the onion pulp to the food processor. Discard the juice.
- Add the meat, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to the onion, and process. Do so until it looks like a fine paste, about a minute. Place the mixture in a loaf pan and press evenly.
- Bake in a water bath (place loaf pan inside another pan filled with water) at 325°F (165°C) for about an hour and 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F (77°C) when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Remove from the oven, drain the liquid, and place the loaf pan on a trivet or oven mitt. Cover the meat with aluminum foil for about 15 minutes.
- Place meat on a cutting board and slice as thinly as possible with an electric knife (using anything else would be much more difficult.)
- I added the following step myself as I think it mimics the rotisserie a bit more. Add a few slices to a nonstick frying pan (very little or no oil) and heat gently until the meat browns a little.
- In another pan, heat the pita bread.
- Finally, place the meat on one half of the pita, topped with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and sweet onion slices.
- Serve Homemade Greek gyros with rice pilaf, or fries, and a Greek salad!
Notes
- You may add a simple Greek dressing of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, and oregano to tomatoes to enhance their flavor.
- Either all lamb or all beef can be used depending on your preference or dietary restrictions.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 372 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 gyro | |
| Calories | 372kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 87mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 806mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 466mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 617IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 82mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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