Closest Gyro Beef We Need to Cut Off Your Leg
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09/14/2008
I had a craving for gryos last week but have never attempted to make them at home. This recipe is really easy and very good. They tasted very similar to gyros I have had at greek restaurants. The prep is a little timely and I actually didn't have the time to let the meat sit in the refrigerator before putting it in the oven and I was impressed at the flavor the meat had. The only thing I did different is I added 1/2 tsp. allspice per another recipe and did not use thyme. Another recipe called for 1/2 tsp coriander but I didn't have it and will probably add that next time. My picky husband loved the meat and actually ate it leftover and he NEVER eats leftovers. I will definitely make this again. Thanks!
09/21/2008
Excellent! I made this recipe using a few modifications. I deleted the marjoram because I didnt' have any and I upped the garlic to 4 cloves. I know that it sounds like a lot, but I love garlic and it totally worked. I also upped the salt as well. Not sure exactly how much I used, but it was more than the recipe called for. Not much, but I actually wanted it to taste salty like the gyros that you'd get from a restaurant. One more thing I did was grill it on the barbeque outside. I started it wrapped in foil and after 20 mins ( I turned it to ensure even cooking during this time) I took the foil off and grilled it on the open grill. It was WONDERFUL! Not exactly like what you'd get at a gyro place, but pretty close. All of my friends couldn't believe that I made them at home. To answer the reviewer who wondered whether or not the food processor makes a difference, I have to say that it definitely does! Processing the meat till it's paste-like makes a HUGE difference! the texture is completely different than it would have been if I'd just left it as it was. I gave it 4 start because of the mods I made to it, but I really liked this recipe and I will definitely be making this again!
09/02/2008
This was excellent! Easy to make. Didn't change a thing about the recipe. Sliced it on an angle, very thin and it looked almost like we had just cut it off the "spit". Found a good recipe for pita bread also on another site so made that to go with it. Sure beats the store bought pita bread. Also used the easy cucumber sauce from this site. All in all it was a grrrreat meal.
03/22/2009
We thought this recipe was a little bland. I used a whole onion (since I hate having half an onion lying around) and doubled the garlic and thought it could use even more. I think the biggest problem of this recipe was the salt. 1/4t. for 2lbs of meat is not nearly enough. Healthier, yes, but not as tasty. I wanted to be a little conservative with the salt since I was serving it with Tzatziki (a little salty) and feta (quite salty), so I only doubled the amount. It could have used even more. Sure, you can add salt to the pieces later, but I think the flavor would be better if the meat was salted throughout. Next time, I think I'll try 1.5t. or 2t. I cooked it in an 8.5" loaf pan and it took about an hour. I also had to leave the mixture in the food processor for much longer to get a tacky texture, so if your processor is older or cheap like mine, you may have to do the same. All in all, I thought it did resemble gyro meat and would resemble it even more if you tossed the pieces on a grill before serving. It was moist, yet not greasy. I will make it again, but will try to spice it up a bit more.
07/31/2010
I have made this gyros meat several times and Love it! First time could not find ground lamb in grocery store so I used 1-lb ground pork with 1-lb ground beef. Subsequent times I used the ground lamb/beef combo when a local grocer started carrying ground lamb and it was fabulous. I followed the directions for ingredients, but I do the following things differently, when I take the loaf out of the oven, I drain off whatever grease, then place a cold loaf pan on top, inside the 2nd loaf pan I placed 2 small hand bar-bell wieghts ( I didnt have a brick) this compresses the meat even further as it cools. I then place the loaf into the freezer. I happen to have a cheap meat slicer and slice the loaf as thin strips. Making sandwiches, I take the strips of gyros, then fry them lightly oiled skillet (your oil of choice). I like doing it that way, seems to replicate the texture and also a nice warm meat in the sandwich. Have had nothing but compliments on this receipe! Thank you sooo much for sharing this!! 10-stars if I could give it that many!!
08/23/2008
I like to make this ahead of time and then grill the slices before serving.
10/13/2008
This was easy to make and also tastes very close to what I get at the restaurant. I upped the salt to a teaspoon, though, as I thought 1/4 tsp would have left the meat bland. Mine took longer to cook than the directions stated. I found that a paper towel was an excellent way to squeeze the water from the onions. The onions came right out and did not stick to the paper towel and then I only had to throw the paper towel away for easy clean-up. The next time I make this meat, I'll save the juice that bakes off and cover the meat with it in the fridge to keep it moist. Live and learn!
05/15/2009
We can't get decent Gyros here in the suburbs of Philadelphia since moving from NY, so I tried this recipe and found the flavors very very close to the real thing. The only change I made is I now add a little more salt. Also make sure to pan fry the slices for a minute or two per side to get a little browning going before putting on the pita. This for a more authentic "gyro joint" experience, as the real "from the spit" gyro meat has a little bit of a crust on it. Good stuff - kudos!!!
05/14/2009
Really really good. My fiance and I had been craving gyros and love to cook and try new things, so we decided to give it a shot. Only thing we think we'd change is more garlic and more salt. Other than that-- excellent! We ate it ALL!
08/04/2012
This recipe is the real deal! So flavorful and moist. My first time making gyro meat. The smell and taste are dead on. I used a 7x13 shallow glass dish so that the pieces would be more like what you get at restaurants (see photos). I did much of the recipe as stated but did add an extra lb of beef and an extra half batch of spices to make more at once and I was worried about it being to "lamby". Turned out fantastic!! This amount was PERFECT for the 7x11 pan. I let mine cool overnight in fridge and then cut it into thin slices using an electric carving knife. The slices came out perfect. I have added 2 photos - one is while I was cutting (you can see the loaf and some slices), the other photo is when I had them crisping up on the flat top. I will make this over and over! Thank you so much for this recipe.
12/07/2008
This ended up tasting very much like the gyros I used to eat in Cicero/Chicago. Since lamb isn't available in my area, I used venison and beef, it came out drier than it would with lamb, but the taste was excellent. I doubled the recipe and I also did not use a food processor, I mixed mine by hand. I followed the cooking directions but will try something different next time.
11/20/2011
Coming from the Detroit area and missing Greektown, I've been searching for a good gyro, but I can't find one. So I figured I'd make my own. This was a great recipe, which I modified a bit by combining with Alton Brown's version to create what I'm looking for. - . Taste: 9 out of 10; Texture: 9 out of 10 ; . - . Modifications: 1 whole medium onion; All Lamb; No Oregano (might try a bit next time); 1 tablespoon dried marjoram; 1 tablespoon ground dried rosemary; 1/4 teaspoon Thyme; 1/8 teaspoon Cumin; 2 teaspoons salt; . - . The end result didn't suffer from some of the problems others are reporting (dry, loose texture, etc). - . Recommendations: After letting the meat rest (10-15 minutes), Slice the Gyros meat and place it under a HOT broiler to get the meat nicely browned/caramelized. You won't regret it! . - . Save the drippings from cooking. This can be sprinkled over the meat while broiling. I used to gauge a good Gyro by how much it made you stink after eating it—literally, could you smell it coming out of your skin?. That's Greektown Gyros! This modified recipe was excellent, but it needs a small kick from one of the ingredients to take it over the top. Just a bit more tinkering and I think it will be there.
05/09/2011
This was fantastic but I made several alterations : 1) I used 1 lb lamb and 1 lb buffalo (the buffalo is leaner than hamburger and the lamb is fatty enough to compensate), 2) we added lots of extra seasoning and 3) we baked it in an 8/8 pan with an X cut on top, this brought the cooking time down to 30 mins and made slicing thin long pieces much easier 4) we pan fried the slices to get a rich browned flavor DELICIOUS!
03/20/2009
I followed the recipe. All I have to say is this ended up being a really weird way of making a meatloaf. After taking it out I tasted it. Tried cucumber sauce on it and it did not taste like gyro meat. I took some catch up and brown sugar and threw it back in the oven. Luckily I like meat loaf. Now I have to go buy a Gyro to feel better.
04/26/2011
I grew up next to a Greek restaurant and this is the closest to what I knew to be authentic. WONDERFUL combo on spices. I added a smidge extra salt. The cumin and rosemary meld to give it that smokey/flowery flavor that many Gyro recipes are lacking. I did add One pound of ground pork and it came out better than without. Many traditional Gyro recipes use pork so I thought I would try it. Awesome idea, adds bulk and the fat emulsifies the rest of the meat and spices into the desired paste consistency you need. We put ours on Naan bread w/ lettuce, tomatoe, feta, onion and tzaziki sauce. My family cannot get enough of this..I've made prob 6 loaves in the past month. So good I had to go reheat me one while writing this review lol Oh and it makes really easy, fast leftovers. Sear in a pan for a min and assemble...Viola !! Thanks for the deeelish dish !!
12/09/2010
This is the 3rd time that I've made this recipe, and I keep reminding myself that I need to double, or triple, to freeze some for later, b/c truthfully, it is a little time consuming to prepare. Of course, I add a 5th step by either grilling the gyro slices or browning them in EVOO in the skillet prior to serving them. The only thing that I've ever changed is subbing ground turkey for beef, and up'ing the salt; otherwise, same ingredients, same directions, same outstanding results. We eat ours over baby greens w/ feta, tzatziki, olives, red onions, tomatoes, and cucumber slices, w/ warm pitas on the side. /drool/ Keeps me from having to drive 15 miles to the nearest Greek joint for gyros! Thanks Dread Pirate, and p.s. love your profile pic!
01/15/2009
Pretty decent. Spices are a bit strong, but certainly still okay. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be, and made a great substitute for eating out. Only slightly more involved than making a meatloaf, really. Also, I subbed dehydrated onion flakes and grilled the slices before serving.
09/05/2009
This recipe was decent, but needs a little tweaking. The amount of salt called for makes it VERY bland - I doubled it and it still wasn't enough. I would use 1 tsp next time. I ended up salting the outside before grilling and it made all the difference in bringing out the flavor of the other spices. I also think I will skip the step of squeezing the liquid out of the onions next time since most of the flavor is in the juices. If you aren't going to leave the juices in, there isn't much point in using the onion at all, and that probably contributed to the blandness. Also agree that grilling the meat before serving is a must. It also cut more cleanly after being in the fridge overnight, so I would make this a day ahead next time. Overall a good recipe, just needs a few adjustments.
06/29/2011
We loved this. I used 1/2 lamb & 1/2 ground venison. Also, I cheated. I replaced the dried spices with a total of 3T greek seasoning (which has all that stuff in it) plus more salt. Used paper towel to drain onion, then combined & baked as directed. After cooling, I sliced thinly then browned slices in a skillet to serve. Looks & tastes just like the gyro places we frequent and my friends are super jealous that I can make my own! Thanks so much!!
08/09/2011
Remembered that SNL skit, "Hub's Gyros" today and immediately craved these. This is WONDERFUL and DIVINE meat! Like others, we left out the marjoram, as our local Kroger didn't have it and used an extra clove of garlic and 1 tsp kosher salt. **The most important part of this recipe is to food process/blend up the meat.** It gives it a texture that is tender and to die for and makes a perfect loaf. Do NOT skip this vital step. We used the blender, small amounts of meat at a time and it came out outstanding. We also did let it sit in the fridge for about 2 hrs (was only going to do one hour, but forgot about it) and the sauce (see other recipe for Tzatziki Sauce) chilled in the fridge while the meat cooked. This meal couldn't have been timed out any better. It was super easy (we are in our early 20s) and I will definitely, definitely make this again. Once it began cooking, the smell that filled the house was exactly what I was craving. I got so high off this meal and we only ate one a piece. Very, very filling. We ate the meat with the tzatziki sauce, fresh tomato, sauteed onions on Kangaroo pita flatbread. I am so happy we have leftovers. I will be eating this again tomorrow. **make sure to process the meat to get the texture!!**
09/14/2009
This recipe tasted like gyro meat from my favorite restaurant. I modified the method a bit based on what I have available to use in my kitchen. I grated the onion rather than processing it, and didn't strain them at all. Unfortunately, it's extremely hard to find lamb where I am located, so I used a pound each of ground pork and ground turkey, which seems counterintuitive, but ended up tasting very good. Instead of letting it sit and baking it as instructed in this recipe, I actually shaped the meat into 2 meatloaves and put them in my slow cooker on high for 3 hours. The result was marvelous. Yummy on flatbread with tzatziki. I did up the salt to a teaspoon, and it actually could have used a little bit more, maybe 1.5 teaspoons. I will use this recipe again.
09/07/2008
This was good. I had to cook the meat for about 30 minutes longer than what was stated- and I am not sure why. For the last 10 minutes I increased the temp to 345. After slicing, I fried the meat in a skillet until browned so it was more like the restaurant version. The flavor was really good. Goes great with Greek Tzatziki from this site.
04/12/2010
My husband and I have no need to visit a restaurant for gyros any longer! This was really good, but I did make some changes. I used a whole onion and just threw in about 3 cloves of garlic. I also used greek seasoning instead of the individual spices. The spin in the food processors really makes the difference in the texture. It was also better when it sat overnight and was then sliced thinly and pan-fried for a minute or so on each side. It is a bit dry, yes, but with plenty of tzatziki sauce (I use my personal recipe), and chopped tomatoes and onions, it was fantastic! Next time I'll try with homemade flatbread, too.
02/27/2012
I would have given this five stars, but I didn't have any lamb, so because of MY substitution, I didn't feel that it was right to do so....that having been said, this is an excellent recipe for gyros!! I made it as directed (minus the lamb) but instead of putting it into a loaf pan, I used my cookie scooper to make them into small balls, cooked them in a non-stick ceramic pan on med-high, flattenening them with a pancake turner and a measuring cup - I used the pyrex measuring cup to help flatten the patties into almost lacy-like 'things' not a pattie, not a slice, but the family loves them like this! It is a little more time consuming than making the loaf, but two of my children and my husband don't like the loaf slices (could be because they don't like meatloaf??) So, to keep peace, this is how I cook them. I make a tzatziki sauce with yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and dried mint leaves, slice an onion and tomatoes, cut some pita and move out ot the way!! This makes a LOT of patties, so lunch for the next day is already made - that is if the leftovers don't disappear during the night.....
08/06/2009
I tried this recipe with my son while he was home from college. He'd become an aficionado of gyros and was looking for a way to make the meat himself. We agree with others that cooling the loaf, slicing it thinly, and pan frying it brings out the true taste we wanted. My hubby couldn't tell they weren't real! Thank you The Dread Pirate Paramour!
01/01/2011
Not exactly like the gyro from a restaurant but I'll take it - since we don't have any gyro joints where we live! to cook it, we lined a roasting pan with a kitchen towel in an inch of water and put the loaf in it. then fried it in a pan to make it a little drier.
06/01/2012
I have tried cooking this recipe at the temp and time suggested and the meat is no where close to being done. Also, I am not impressed by the flavor profile nor texture - it is nothing like restaurant gyros I have had. I used the measurements for all ingredients as given in the recipe.
01/22/2010
I have made this a few times now. The first time I followed directions exactly and found the flavors just a bit too intense and also too greasy. I liked combination of spices and didn't want to mess with it so instead I used 1 pound of ground lamb, 1 pound of ground turkey and 1/2 pound of ground chuck. This extra 1/2 pound of meat resolved my issue with the intensity of the spice mixture and substituting the ground turkey and leaner ground chuck reduce the fact to almost nothing. Excellent recipe. Amendment: I was making this a few days ago and my pyrex dish cracked and the water bath leaked and killed my oven. So was faced with this raw loaf of stuff. I took the wet towel and placed it inside my oval 5 qt crock pot and placed the loaf pan on top of it. I covered the loaf pan with foil and set the crockpot on high for several hours. It cooked perfectly.
08/03/2010
This is not how gyro is made. Being Turkish I think we make a mean gyro!!! I used some of the ingredients but not all. Along with the ground meats you are supposed to layer it with a very thin layer of beefsteak and lots of oregano! I added most of the spices into the yogurt sauce that accompanies this and also served it with peppy's pita bread from this site.
02/17/2012
Excellent recipe! After baking we drain and put a foil covered brick on the loaf for about 30 min. then slice, fry and serve. This is very close to Alton Brown's version. PS, If you can't find ground lamb, see your butcher would double grind your beef and mix with ground pork.
12/16/2011
very dry and crumbly, not as flavorful as I would like. I think I'll stick to the gyro place in town.
04/15/2014
This dish is among the best flavored gyro meat I've tasted. However the texture was off and nearly impossible to slice thin. After I sliced from the cooked loaf, I browned the slices in a pan with EVOO. This made a more familiar texture. Everyone enjoyed this dish!
05/13/2009
I made it as shown except at the end of the cooking, I put a weight on the top of the gyros to make it flat and squeeze more of the fat out of it. It also made it more rectangular in nature instead of humped like meatloaf. I had some problems mixing the meat in my blender. I had to do it in small batches so that it would not overheat my blender. This made the prep more time consuming, but the meat had a very good consistency. My three year old ate it right up. He thought it was a new kind of hamburger.... I think next time that it would be better grilled or sauteed in a little oil.
10/23/2011
For those who wish the consistency was less meat-loafy try pressing the meat once out of the oven and resting in the refrigerator. One can use cedar planks that will fit the inside of the form, wrap in plastic, set on top of the cooked meat and set a heavy object on top. Be aware that this will push some grease over the top so have something underneath to catch the over flow. Leave overnight in the fridge. This is will compact the meat and make it nice and tight. This is a traditional technique for making pate/terrines.
06/09/2010
I've been craving really good beef Gyros since I moved from Detroit, MI. (Greek Town - oh my yumminess!) The closest thing we have down here in the Desert of CA is the mall place which is a 45 min drive, so I decided to give this recipe a try. Boy was I surprised. It was really really good. The flavor is almost spot on. I did add a lot more salt - maybe 2tsp, and to be honest I think it could have done with some more. I also processed all the meat and refrigerated it overnight so the flavors could combine. I didnt have a meatloaf pan so I just shaped it and put it on the rack inside my roasting pan and covered it with foil. Kudos to DPP for a recipe that is as close to the restaurant as one can get. Probably a quite bit more healthy at that.
08/05/2011
Wow, this was sooo good! I'm really glad I found this recipe. I never imagined I could make a gyro as good as a Greek restaurant and this really turned out great. I did add more salt to the meat, though because that is what our taste is accustomed, but the spices were spot on. To complete the meal I made a good tzaziki dressing and homemade pitas (easy with my bread maker) and served with lettuce and tomato. What a great meal! I've made this twice so far and it will be a regular in our kitchen.
07/06/2011
As the recipe is, I found the seasonings were a little bit overpowering, and it needed more salt & pepper. But, it's a great base - next time I know what to add, and what to hold back on.
03/14/2011
1st attempt at gyro meat, turned out perfect. Went well with Tzatziki Sauce and mixed green salad w/ thinly sliced onion, tomato and olives.
11/24/2011
Sorry this recipe is not at all spicy enough, really really bland, a HUGE disappointment, even with 8 times the salt, no flavor. I'd double all the spice or just skip the whole mess!
03/29/2011
Tasted ok. What I liked was that it did have the flavor of a gyro. What I didn't care for was the texture. Since it had no breadcrumbs, I didn't think it would be *that* meatloaf-ish, but it was. I also pan fried the pieces (as some reviewers suggested) but it didn't do it for me. I don't think I'll make this another time, but if I did, I would use a smaller amount of lamb meat - probably .5 lbs and 1.5 beef - because I felt like the lamb was a bit strong. Also, I thought it could have used more salt. But that could have been because I used sea salt.
01/06/2010
This was ok. Did as some suggested and cooled the meat and then sliced and pan fried. We did drain the meat, which ended up drying it out. If I make again, I would do the same, but not drain. Flavor was tasty!
03/10/2011
The seasonings for this were dead on, the meat combination wasn't. I did the lamb and ground beef combo, the lamb taste covered some of the seasoning taste and the hamburger taste. But I do think if I used 3 pounds of hamburger rather then 1 pound that it would fix the problem. Gyro meat does not have the over whelming lamb taste to it, if anyones had lamb it's a strong meat. Might be fine if you were to use just hamburger since most non authentic gyro places do use thin slices of beef instead. Just wanted to let people no that the meat combo doesn't work, the lamb takes over the taste of everything.
06/14/2011
This recipe was not to my liking.
07/05/2011
Came out good. Took someones advise after cutting thin slices putting on skillet and browning before putting in gyro
02/24/2010
This is awesome! Very easy too! Originally from outside of Detroit, home of Authentic Greek Town,my husband took one bite of this meat and said he never had to eat at a Greek restaurant again! He said it tasted the same as the restaurant only fresher. It was one of the best compliments on my cooking I've gotten! Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!!!!
04/12/2011
I THOUGHT THIS RECIPE WAS WONDERFUL. I WILL BE MAKING THESE ALL THE TIME.
05/10/2011
This was off the hook! Im a big gyro fan and hate paying an arm and a leg for it. I added extra garlic and salt per other reviews, and subbed onion powder for onion for the kiddos. I also did not process the meat. Flavor was spot on...even my 9 and 15 year old were highly impressed. Served it with tzatziki from this site, and a greek salad. Thanks so much for sharing!
11/21/2011
This is very close to what you get in restuarants. I used only lamb; add some cardamon and left out the thyme. Also gound the spiced meat and formed it into a log shape wrapped tightly in plastic wrap & put in fridge for 3 hours. Then I put it on a kabob skewer laid it across a pan, tented with foil, baked it slowly . Perfect!
08/15/2009
Wow! My husband and I love gyros, but I've always been more than a little intimidated by the big hunk of meat on a spigot and have never thought of making it at home myself. Well, last night I did and it turned out wonderful! After the two hour resting period and one hour cook time, we were too hungry to let the meat cool and pan fry (we will do this to our leftovers for dinner tomorrow), but the taste was still almost exactly what we were hoping for. I did double the salt (as others suggested) and added another pinch to the slices before serving to make it taste more restaurant-y. I will definitely make these again! Thanks, DPP!
11/10/2012
Made this for a greek dinner party for tonight with friends. I got Leg of Lamb and ground it up to use with the ground beef. As another reader suggested I used greek seasoning mix. (there were several to choose from but I only got the one with No MSG) Other then that and adding a little more salt and some garlic power, I followed all of the directions and It was FANTASTIC. Got excellent reviews from all the other families at the dinner.
04/20/2011
This is EXACTLY what I was looking for!! I made Peppy's Pita and Tzatziki Sauce II from this site. Kinda a lot of work for a gyro, but it was SO worth it! I let the leftovers cool overnight in the fridge and portioned out meat and pitas into freezer bags for future meals. DEFINITELY will make again! Thank you for the amazing recipe!!
11/03/2011
Very good, mine tasted 80-90% like the real thing. I did what people suggested and pan sear each piece of meat prior to making each gyro. If I do again I will make 4x the amount of meat and slice/freeze it, as it is a little time consuming. But worth it!
06/20/2010
It is almost impossible to find ground lamb in my area, so I had to settle for lamb chops. I cut the meat from the bones, and ground it up in the food processor before continuing with the recipe, and this worked well. Followed the recipe except used plain table salt instead of sea salt. The big key to final texture is processing really well in step 3. I couldn't tell you whether it was truly "traditional" or not, but it was really really good, and have made it several times for my family. Thanks for the great addition to my recipe box!
10/04/2014
So delicious! The aroma out of the oven reminded me of the Greek restaurants we miss so much! Make sure you salt to your own taste is my only suggestions. Make fresh taziki sauce and good pita bread too of course.
11/23/2011
This worked fantastic! I suffered through with my little 2 cup food processor, but it cooked up like a dream and was super easy to slice and had great flavor! I did use 1t of salt and my grocery didn't have any ground lamb so just used all beef. YUM.
07/03/2010
this was fabulous! the whole family loved it including my 5 yr. old who asked for 2nds. The only thing i did different was to add the extra salt (per other reviewers) and to form the meat onto skewers and i grilled it. I would use a leaner ground beef next time, the recipe didn't specify so i got the 80/20, i will try a 90/10 next time. excellent seasoning blend!
02/05/2010
This was really good. It still isn't quite the same a going to a Greek deli but the spices were SPOT on!
06/17/2009
The flavor is pretty much spot-on. The texture of mine wasn't what I expected though. I think I need to follow some of the other tips and process it a little longer, and perhaps pack it tighter in the pan. Also, the 1 hour cook time does seem to fall a little short, but that's why they make meat thermometers. My son and husband also suggested the pan-frying or grilling after slicing...to make it more authentic. I think with a some tweaking in my techiques, it would be a 5-star!
04/23/2010
Killer recipe and keeps well for later use... just slice and fry. Great for lunches throughout the week.
06/02/2013
Didn't use marjoram, rosemary or thyme and instead added allspice and coriander to the recipe. Very similar flavors to what we eat here in Europe. I shaped the ground meat mixture into oblong shapes and bbq'd them instead of cooking on a loaf pan. Saves much time and mess. Served with thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta, sliced tomatoes and tzatziki sauce on flat bread.
02/27/2011
I made this tonight for dinner. My son and husband both liked it, although my picky husband said that he thought it tasted like meatloaf on pita bread (haaa... I will keep trying with him.) My son and I thought it tased like the gyros we buy here in the bay area. Did use an electric knife to slice it really thin and browned the slices in a skillet with a very little bit of olive oil. I brushed the pita bread with a very light coat of olive oil before I heated them in another skillet. We ate with red onion, lettuce and tomato. I used a recipe from this web site for tzaziki. Great dinner. Oh, I doubled the recipe so that I could freeze one loaf for another dinner.
06/13/2010
My wife and I have been craving gyros lately and have been thinking about how good the ones we used to get at The International Festival held in Lorain, Ohio(my hometown) every year. So when I came across this recipe I knew I had to try it. Came out just like the festival. The only thing I did different was to up the salt to 2 tsp and since I don't have a food processor, I mixed all ingredients and passed them thru my meat grinder 3 times on the fine blade. Very tasty. Neighbors even came over and ate with us because they smelled the potatoes I had cooking on the grill. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
09/30/2008
Awesome!!! I can't wait to make this for our Sunday family dinner (I married Greek.) I took the suggestion to grill slices after baking--next time I think I will just chill and grill. Also I'll add more salt but that is just me--I love this recipe thanks (and also I love your picture--great!)
10/12/2010
I will definitely add more onions and salt the next time, and also some garlic seasoning.
05/01/2010
didn't change a thing in the recipe, very good! i rolled the meat around skewers and bbq'd it, came out great so i'll make this again! make sure you chill the mix well after processing it or it'll be a nightmare to shape!
09/17/2011
This is excellent and the whole family loved it! Will make again and again.
11/19/2011
Made this exactly as written, except we only let it sit in the fridge for about an hour. We forgot that it needed to sit and started making this at dinner time, so we couldn't really wait the full two hours. Served it on flat bread with tomatoes, onions and tzazki sauce...was wonderful! Really hit the spot!
04/22/2011
Nice blend of flavors; however, it needed more salt.
06/06/2010
Very good recipe! A bit time consuming but well worth the effort. Found that your hands will smell with the spices for days after making so if you don't want stinky hands wear gloves. Another way to get rid of the smell is to wipe your hands with lemon juice! The best trick to these is to slice the meat as thin as you can and fry up with some olive oil. Also, use 1 tsp of salt like other reviews. Don't worry, the meat can handle it.
04/26/2010
I used the spices from this recipe, reducing the thyme to a scant 1/2 tsp, and the flavors were great, very reminiscent of gyros. Marjoram was the only spice I didn't have, so I used a little extra oregano, and used fresh where I could. Instead of the meatloaf I made 6 thin hamburger patties, and we ate them instead pita pockets with fresh tatziki sauce, also fro this site. Definitely a keeper recipe!
08/26/2009
Good flavor. I press the meat firmly into the pan before cooking. After cooking I let the meat rest refrigerator for 1 day then slice the meat into 1/8" thin strips with an electric knife.
02/05/2012
I looked everywhere for ground lamb, but came up empty. I ended up using two lbs of ground chuck. While the flavor was great and did in fact remind me of gyro meat, the ground chuck just had the wrong texture. It was like meatloaf with gyro flavor. I'd like to try it again with lamb, hopefully it would give it the right texture.
08/27/2013
This wasn't even close. The meat tasted and felt like a dried meatloaf with no flavoring. I followed the recipe exactly - I even bought expensive ground lamb. I wasted my money. I used it for gyros, but even the other flavors in the pita didn't help. Gyros are a family favorite and I thought this recipe might be one that would let us make them at home. We'll stick to restaurant gyros from now on - it's cheaper, easier and tastes a whole lot better.
06/29/2011
This recipe produced the best gyros we have ever tasted. Better than any restaurant! It is a little bit of effort but SO worth it.
10/06/2013
This was a great recipe for American gyro meat. Make sure you use all of the spices otherwise you won't get the correct gyro flavor. It'd be like making spaghetti sauce with no oregano. My wife does not eat lamb so the beef/lamb combo was out. I risked it all and used 1 pound of turkey and 1 pound of pork. It turned out great, but be warned, gyro spices are the same used in breakfast sausage. Since I used turkey/pork I basically made breakfast sausage sliced like gyro meat. I also did not hand mix and let sit then for 2 hours and then process it in the food processor. I just tossed everything in the food processor, processed it, stuck it in the pan and then let the pan sit in the fridge for two hours so that when I went to cook it everything was already cleaned up. When it was time to cook I followed the instructions of placing it on a towel in a bigger pan with water. This is required to keep the temperature on the outside of the gyro pan not more than 210 degress. If you want more of an authentic gyro meat you need to put in chunks of fat and some meat cubes after you process the meat in the food processor and then fry the slices after you cut them.
12/21/2010
The picture was so gorgeous I had to try these. Couldn't find lamb here anywhere, so I decided to try just using beef. Turned out great anyway! I don't like cumin so I skipped that. I also didn't regrind and process the meat before i cooked it. I will do that next time so that it hopefully will slice better. I put in a little bit of Italian style bread crumbs because all the commercial recipes use it. It was just great. tasted just like every great gyro always tastes. Thanks for a great recipe.
06/19/2011
This was wonderful and low carb! I made it as listed except I doubled the salt as stated in other reviews and it was perfect. I processed it all and pressed it into an 8x8 baking dish and then let it rest in the fridge for 2 hours, it came together quicker this way. Then I baked it on convection setting for 30 minutes and it was done and very easy to slice into strips. Froze half after slicing for a quick dinner later. One loaf is 6-8 dinner sized servings, perfect to portion and freeze. I will be making this gyro loaf a couple times a month now, SO GOOD!
04/11/2009
I felt this tasted like dried out meatloaf and the amount of cumin made it taste like a mexican dish. Followed it to the letter except using pork instead of lamb...have a ton of leftovers I don't know what I will do with.
08/29/2012
It was ok. Bland.
04/09/2010
The flavor is just like local gyro here in Pittsburgh...the Only change I added a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce as suggested... thanks for a good one.
10/08/2008
Eh I had problems with this recipe. I followed it exactly but in the end it resembled meatloaf, not gyro meat. I put it in the food processor and let it do its thing but it kept wading up into balls and not chopping...I dunno why I had problems with this...it was good...but not gyros :(
01/25/2015
Awesome taste. Added lots more salt and cut rosemary down to 1/2 tsp. Would make again in a heartbeat
11/26/2013
Changed a few things after reading ALL the reviews. 2lbs lean meat and 4tsp salt was too much. I used 2 tsp Italian seasoning 2tsp of Oregano 2tbsp garlic, no onion. I didn't use a food processor...don't have one. I pressed the meat in to a square pan VERY firmly. Baked it for 45 min. After cooling completely I was able to slice it fairly thin. Far less hassle, despite it being too salty, it was very good. I paired it off with the sweet sauce and it was as good as take out.
09/20/2010
I am not from Greece, but I visited there once. The meat they use in the gyros there is rather dissimilar to what we get here in the US; basically simple, flame broiled pork. Also they put french fries on their gyros. All that has nothing to do with this recipe, which was delicious and tasted just like US restaurant gyro meat. I followed the recipe just as described and it was worth the effort.
09/20/2010
I made exactly as listed. The taste was good, however I could not slice it, it just crumbled. I will try again without the moist towel and water in oven.
10/31/2010
really good. tastes just like the greek restaurant down the road. After I sliced the meat, I placed it in a hot skillet and kind of fried it a little to give it a crisper texture. Will make again!!! I also used 2lbs. ground lamb vs. the beef/lamb combo.
07/23/2012
Just ate this and goodness, it is pretty darn close to what you can buy from a vendor! I made the meat mixture as stated, but DID NOT blend in a blender, and the meat "loaf" was fine after baking. I let the loaf sit for 2-3 hours, then baked at 325 for just over an hour (until the internal temp jived with the meat thermometer at 77 degrees F). Baked in a water bath (pan underneath my small loaf pan had hot water in it--this was per another recipe and seemed to keep the loaf from getting a hard crust). Refrigerated the baked loaf overnight. Sliced into thin slices and heated the meat up in a frying pan with 1 tsp. of canola oil, browing the meat. Served with grilled pita bread (did this in a separate frying pan), tzaziki sauce, and a mixture of chopped lettuce, red onion, tomato chunks, and chopped cucumber slices. Sprinkled a little spice blend on top of the prepared gyro (1 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp. sage). Added some feta, then rolled the gyro up! So YUMMY!!! The tzaziki sauce I used is from the Easy Chicken Gyro recipe on this site (by KarenCanCook), which was awesome!
12/16/2010
This recipe works well. My only comment would be the amount of salt listed is way to low! I would at least double it... Just my $0.02
09/27/2014
This recipe is awesome, I love it! I am going to use it every time my family craves the back home taste for gyros. Thanks for sharing!
08/17/2014
This recipe is perfect. A nice way to make gyros at home and not use the "not so good" processed gyro strips.
11/12/2014
This is the real deal, if you ever want to make your own gyros. Well worth the time. I used my meat grinder attachment on a Kitchen Aide instead of a food processor. Worked great!
10/10/2014
It wasn't perfect (a little dry), but I give it 5 stars anyway because it was the closest I've ever come to traditional gyro meat at home. Very tasty, and the seasoning is spot on.
03/01/2011
Very good I love this recipe the first time I over cooked it but ,I learned from it so second time it was perfect.thanks.
03/30/2015
I can't give it 5 stars because I changed it! I wanted to make it a little healthier, so I used ground chicken breast and added an egg. I also just blended everything together in the food processor after the onions were squeezed dry and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours. I baked it in the water bath, and was so excited that it came out just like a chicken gyro from my local Greek place. The meat was not dry at all, which I was concerned about using chicken. It had a great flavor and my husband loved it too. A real winner!
09/02/2011
Fresh is best! For those who thought this recipe was bland, use fresh ingredients and use garlic, salt and pepper to taste and you wont be disappointed. I recommend using Greek yogurt topping with tomatoes and pitas as well! The only thing I changed about this recipe is that I formed my loaf into 2 smaller loafs that were formed around skewers and cooked over a pan to catch the grease on the grill, (traditional Greek-style) turned out awesome!
08/01/2014
Absolutely amazing, this was my first try at gyros and it turned out identical to, if not better than, the ones I've had from food trucks. I'll be making this a lot more often to satisfying the cravings.
11/22/2010
This was wonderful!!!The only thing I did different was to refrigerate the cooked loaf overnight, then slice it thin and griddle the slices. Delicioso!!!!
12/07/2013
The water bath keeps it moist ,I altered it (garlic garlic garlic and garlic salt ) but the the recipe is flawless cheers .
09/11/2015
I didn't change anything except for the salt and it was a terrible result. I was super excited and very patient. It was smelling so wonderful throughout the blending and preparation. Meat was dry as a bone. Even after not draining and frying in extra oil. It had a terrible texture as well. I hate meatloaf and would honestly rather eat meatloaf than a failed gyro that tastes like a failed meatloaf. I am usually not this critical but I am not a reviewer that made a bunch of changes and then complained that something went wrong. I followed the directions to the T and I do know what a real Gyro tastes like and would have been happy with a close home version. The seasoning was close, not 100%, but Close. Sadly though that was not enough to get past the horrible texture. This was a waste of time, effort and expensive meat. So very sad but I truly will not be risking my food budget to try this again.
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Source: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/173420/traditional-gyro-meat/
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