Gyros

I love lamb. It's delicious and flavorful and lends itself to some great flavors. I will admit that lamb is not for everyone (read: my husband) because it has such a distinct flavor, but one of my favorite applications of said meat is gyros.

Recently, I decided I was going to make them myself because I was seriously craving some lamby goodness. I found some recipes from a few places online and sort of made my own. I also made my own tzatziki sauce to go with it. I think that was my favorite part! Here's the result!

I even wrapped the whole things in foil like you get it at the little greek joints! It was so good that I think I might have to try it again, only I'll make it with beef so Matt will eat it!

Gyro Meat (Think of it more like a meatloaf)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary chopped as fine as you can get it
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil (if needed)

1. Chop the onions into chunks and blend them up in a food processor or blender until they are almost a paste. Then put the onion into a tea towel and wring out the excess moisture
2. Add the onion to the meat and spices and mix well with your hand, trying not to squish the meat. Mix in the egg and the bread crumbs (If you think your mixture is a little too dry, add some olive oil. If the mixture is too wet, add more bread crumbs).
3. Form the meat into a flat log (about an inch and a half thick) on a greased baking sheet (It needs to had sides) and place it into a preheated 325 degree oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes.
4. Then turn the broiler on and move the rack to the top so the loaf gets crispy on top, about 5 minutes. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.

Tzatziki Sauce

• 2 - 6 oz containers of nonfat greek yogurt
• 1 english cucumber
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 teaspoons minced fresh dill

1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard the seed mush. Cut the cucumber into small pieces
2. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. (So, I think these are about the right measurements, but I'm not really sure. Tweak the amount of acidity (lemon juice and vinegar) with the creaminess (yogurt and sour cream) first, and then add the rest of your flavoring ingredients. I like mine really dilly, but if dill isn't your thing, try mint instead!)

Gryos

• Use indian naan from the grocery store for your wrap. It's softer than a pita and won't crack when you try to roll it.
• Take the tzatziki sauce and place a layer along the diameter of the naan longwise. Layer strips of your lamb on top of it. Add lettuce, tomatoes and feta.
• Roll the gryo, making one end a little smaller and wrap in foil to enjoy!

Alright, so I know it looks like a lot of work to get this ready, but it isn't I promise! Make your tzatziki sauce while your meat is cooking and let it sit in the fridge to let the flavors mingle. The longest part was waiting for the meat to fully cook because I was guessing on how long it would take. Let me tell you, the end result was outta this world! You should definitely try it!