Gyro Recipe
Make Gyro Recipe in just 1h 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Meat & Marinade
Tzatziki
Assemble & Garnish
Method
Meat & Marinade
- 1
Prepare onion
Peel and finely grate the onion (or process it in a food processor). Transfer grated onion to a sieve or fine strainer and press out as much liquid as possible. Reserve the liquid for the tzatziki if desired.
- 2
Combine meat and seasonings
In a large bowl, add ground lamb, ground beef, the pressed grated onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined but do not overwork; mix until just homogeneous.
- 3
Chill the meat
Shape the mixture into a loose log or flatten into a shallow loaf, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight). Chilling firms the mixture and improves slicing/grilling texture.
- 4
Slice or break down
If you want thin gyro-style slices, thinly slice the chilled loaf across the grain. Alternatively, break the loaf into large crumbles for pan-cooking.
- 5
Cook the meat
Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. If using slices, cook in batches, 2–3 minutes per side until well-browned and cooked through (internal temperature 71°C/160°F). If using crumbles, spread into the skillet and cook, stirring and pressing occasionally, until browned and crisp in places, about 8–10 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to avoid burning.
- 6
Keep warm
Transfer cooked meat to a plate and loosely tent with foil to keep warm while you prepare the tzatziki and warm the bread.
Tzatziki
- 7
Prepare cucumber
Grate the seeded cucumber and place it in a clean kitchen towel or fine mesh sieve. Squeeze or press out as much moisture as possible (this prevents a watery tzatziki).
- 8
Mix tzatziki
In a medium bowl combine the Greek yogurt, drained grated cucumber, minced garlic, chopped fresh dill, lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. For best flavor, cover and chill for 20–30 minutes to let flavors meld.
Assemble & Garnish
- 9
Warm the pitas
Warm pita bread for 30–60 seconds per side in a dry skillet over medium heat or wrap in foil and heat in a 180°C/350°F oven for 5–7 minutes.
- 10
Assemble gyros
Place each warmed pita on a plate. Spoon 3–4 tbs of tzatziki down the center of each pita. Top with a generous portion of cooked gyro meat, sliced tomato, red onion, and shredded lettuce if using. Sprinkle with crumbled feta if desired and drizzle with a little olive oil. Squeeze a lemon wedge over the filling to taste.
- 11
Serve
Fold or roll the pita to enclose the filling and serve immediately while warm. Leftover meat keeps tightly covered in the refrigerator for 2–3 days; reheat in a skillet to crisp before assembling.