Gyros
Submitted by azucena17
Homemade gyros with ground lamb, allspice, coriander, and savory threaded on skewers with bacon and broiled crispy. Served build-your-own style in pita with yogurt and tomatoes.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
25 minREADY
12 hrsBuilding gyro meat at home on skewers gives you something you can’t get from a takeout shop: custom spicing and freshly broiled crust. Ground lamb gets kneaded with crushed toasted bread, allspice, coriander, garlic, grated onion, and fresh savory until the mixture is spiced and cohesive enough to hold its shape on a skewer.
The bacon layered between the lamb patties isn’t random. As it renders under the broiler’s heat, it bastes the lamb continuously from the inside, keeping every layer juicy while the exterior develops a charred, crusty shell. The whole skewer needs to refrigerate overnight so the meat firms up enough to hold together during cooking.
Set everything out family-style and let people build their own: warm pita pockets, sliced tomatoes dressed with vinegar and oil, chopped parsley, and plain yogurt. Twenty-five minutes of turning every five minutes and dinner is served.
Kitchen Tips
- Grate the onion rather than dicing it. Grated onion distributes evenly and releases juice that helps bind the meat
- Knead the lamb mixture thoroughly until it holds its shape. This is not a loose meatball situation
- Overnight refrigeration is a must. The flavors need time to meld and the meat needs to firm up on the skewers
- Cook under moderate heat, not high. Intense heat chars the outside before the center cooks through
Variations
- Blend half lamb and half ground beef for a milder, less gamey flavor
- Add cumin and smoked paprika for a Turkish doner-style spice profile
- Stir grated cucumber and garlic into the yogurt for a quick tzatziki
Ingredients
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb with the bread, allspice, coriander, garlic, onion, savory, and salt and pepper, and knead thoroughly.
The mixture should be spicy, though not too herby, and hold its shape.
Break into 5 sections, each as large as a navel orange, then break each section into 6 balls.
Knead and flatten slightly to a thickness of about ¾ inch.
Cut the bacon slices into widths equal to these balls, keeping the slices of bacon between them.
Slip a cane skewer through the centers and roll gently with the palms to smooth the edges.
(There will be 5 or 6 skewers, depending on their length). Cover and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to cook, set on a broiler tray or grill and cook under moderate heat, turning every 5 minutes.
(The bacon will baste the meat).
The surface will be crusty and the inside cooked within 25 minutes.
To serve: Put out the pita bread, meat, tomatoes seasoned with the vinegar and oil, parsley and yogurt in separate dishes.
Guests may open pocket bread and stuff them with meat and seasonings.
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