Homemade Gyros are by far one of my favorite foods to make. In fact, Gyros are easily one of my most favorite foods of all time. That said, I don't have a giant spit to cook all the delicious layers of meat on. So, I had to make this Gyro Meat Recipe without a rotisserie.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
When there isn't an excellent Greek restaurant or gyro stand nearby, you're in luck!
You can still feed that craving for that well-seasoned, satisfying meat and fresh veggies all wrapped up in a warm pita. Just follow this simple Gyro Recipe, and you'll be able to have gyros for a week.
And don't forget, an incredible gyro isn't complete without Tzatziki Gyro Sauce!
Ingredients
The ingredients for these gyros are perfect. They have the ideal flavor you expect from any of the best gyro stands.
Meat: I use a mixture of Lamb and Beef or Pork and Beef for this recipe. I have a few family members who aren't all that crazy about the flavor of lamb. I am crazy about it, however. So, I typically make two batches, one for my wife and kids and one for myself.
Vegetables: The only vegetables you'll need for these homemade gyros are red onion and garlic.
Seasonings and Spices: This is where these gyros genuinely shine. Grab some Ground Marjoram, Dried Rosemary, Dried Oregano, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, and Ground Cumin. Combine them, and you've got a perfect Gyro Seasoning mix.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Begin by preheating the oven to 350°f, then add the ground meat to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2: Add all of the herbs, spices, onion, and garlic to the stand mixer.
Step 3: Fix the stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix the meat and gyro seasonings until a minced meat texture has formed.
Step 4: Spoon the minced meat into an oiled, non-stick loaf pan and press it down as tightly as possible.
Bake the Gyro Meat for about an Hour or until the center of the loaf reads 180°f.
Remove the loaf of gyro meat from the pan, discard the grease, and Wrap the loaf in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Press and rest the Gyro loaf using a cast iron skillet and weight. (See Expert Tips)
Expert Tips
- If you need something heavy to weigh down the meat, I place an extra large cast iron skillet on top of the loaf with a 5lb dumbbell, which works perfectly.
- Don't be afraid of really mixing the meat for these gyros. You want that paste-like consistency when you press it into the loaf pan. That's what will provide the consistency and texture of a traditional gyro.
- I recommend chopping the onions as fine as possible, and this salsa master chopper is the best way to achieve that.
- When you're ready to serve your Gyros, slice about 2-3 pieces for each gyro. Heat a cast Iron Skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Place the slices in the skillet to lightly fry each side for 2-3 minutes. Place the hot slices on a warm pita with tzatziki sauce, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and red onions.
Recipe FAQs
A gyro is made of meat, typically lamb, beef, pork, or chicken, with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce served on a warm pita.
Gyro meat is typically lamb, beef, pork, chicken, or a combination traditionally cooked on a spit and then sliced off in thin, tender sheets with crispy edges.
Gyro meat is often a mix of two proteins and is highly seasoned to provide extra flavor. Beyond that, it is cooked slowly on a spit to make it very tender on the inside from the fats rendering down and through the meat. Plus, you get an incredible crisp on the outside layers.
No. Many gyros are also made of chicken, beef, and pork. Some are a combination—for example, lamb and pork or pork and beef.
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📖 Recipe
Gyro Meat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef 93/7
- 1 lb Ground Lamb or Pork
- ½ Red Onion - finely diced
- 3 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
- 2 tsp. Ground Marjoram
- 2 tsp. Dried Rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
- 1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f.
- Using a handheld food processor or a knife, dice the onions very finely.
- Add the meat, all the seasonings, onion, and garlic to a stand mixer fixed with the wire whisk attachment.
- Whisk the gyro mixture until a paste-like consistency has formed.
- Spray the inside of a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray, and spoon the mixture into the loaf pan, firmly pressing and packing the meat into the pan.
- Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for one hour, or until the internal temperature reads 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove the loaf from the pan, discard any remaining grease, and wrap the gyro meat in heavy-duty foil.
- Place a cast iron skillet or any heavy dish on top of the loaf. Place a weight or large canned goods into the pan and allow the loaf to be pressed down for at least 30 minutes.
- Once ready to serve, heat a cast Iron Skillet with a bit of olive oil over medium heat.
- Slice 2-3 thin slices of meat per gyro from the loaf and place them in the skillet.
- Lightly brown both sides, about 2 minutes a side.
- Spread tzatziki sauce onto the center of a pita, lay the gyro meat on top of the sauce, then sliced tomato, red onion, and shredded lettuce.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you need something heavy to weigh down the meat, I place an extra large cast iron skillet on top of the loaf with a 5lb dumbbell, which works perfectly.
- Don't be afraid of really mixing the meat for these gyros. You want that paste-like consistency when you press it into the loaf pan. That's what will provide the consistency and texture of a traditional gyro.
- I recommend chopping the onions as fine as possible, and this salsa master chopper is the best way to achieve that.
- When you're ready to serve your Gyros, slice about 2-3 pieces for each gyro. Heat a cast Iron Skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Place the slices in the skillet to lightly fry each side for 2-3 minutes. Place the hot slices on a warm pita with tzatziki sauce, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and red onions.
Rob H says
Way....way....way too much Rosemary. It is very overpowering. I even did only have the amount called for due to a picky kid and it was still too much. Also, cooked it until internal temp was 190 (about 50 min) and it was totally dried out.
Jeremy Klae says
I am very sorry to hear that your experience with this recipe was not good. I personally love rosemary and have never found it to be overpowering in this recipe, but everyone is different. In regard tot he meat being dry, I am not sure what may have happened there. BUt Of course I appreciate your feedback and hope you will still be open to trying some of my other recipes.