4.5 from 417 votes
Lamb Gyros Recipe
A recipe for making lamb gyro meat at home. It's easy and tastes like some of my favorite take-out places!
Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Calories: 607 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American , Turkish
Ingredients
For the Gyro Meat:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- ½ yellow onion cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 clove garlic sliced
- 3 ounces slab bacon or 5 slices sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
To Serve:
- Pocketless pita bread
- Tzatziki sauce
- tomato coarsely chopped
- yellow onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Make the Gyro Meat: In a medium bowl, combine the ground lamb, salt, pepper and oregano leaves with your hands, mixing until all of the seasonings have been evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the lamb mixture in the bowl of a food processor and add the onion, garlic and bacon. Process until a smooth puree is formed, 30 seconds to 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. With moistened hands, shape the lamb mixture into a rectangle about 8 inches long and 5 inches wide. Bake until the center of the loaf reaches 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack to the highest position (1½ to 2 inches below broiler element) and preheat broiler. Slice the loaf of lamb meat crosswise into very thin pieces (they should be about ⅛-inch thick; no more than ¼-inch thick). Lay the strips on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and broil until edges are browned and crispy, 2 to 4 minutes. (I did this in two batches, as I couldn't fit all of the sliced meat on one baking sheet.) Be sure to keep an eye on it, as the broiler works quickly!
- Serve the Gyros: Warm up the bread either in the microwave (30 seconds), on the stovetop or in the oven. Top each with ¼ cup of tzatziki sauce, chopped tomatoes, sliced onions and gyro meat. Wrap with foil and serve.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Nutritional values are based on one serving
- (Recipe adapted from Serious Eats)
Nutrition Information
Calories
607kcal
(30%)
Carbohydrates
40g
(13%)
Protein
28g
(56%)
Fat
36g
(55%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Cholesterol
97mg
(32%)
Sodium
1507mg
(63%)
Potassium
598mg
(17%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
575IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
11.7mg
(13%)
Calcium
130mg
(13%)
Iron
3.8mg
(21%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4to 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 607
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 607kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Cholesterol | 97mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 1507mg | 63% |
| Potassium | 598mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 575IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 11.7mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 130mg | 13% |
| Iron | 3.8mg | 21% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.