Greek Gyro Meat Recipe

I LOVE this gyro meat recipe! I developed it because I love Greek salads with gyro meat but whenever I order this in a restaurant, I wonder if the meat has fillers and extra carbs in it. So I decided to make my own. It took a few tries to get the flavor and spices right, but I think the result is as good as any restaurant offers. There are some unusual ingredients in this, but for the flavor, it's worth it to have them on hand. You can get the Tone's spices at Sam's club or on Amazon. You will also need a 9x5 loaf pan.

Homemade Gyro Meat Recipe

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
5 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons Tone's granulated garlic
2-3 teaspoons sea salt (taste)*
4 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Tones garlic rosemary spice blend~
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground rosemary
½ teaspoon summer savory
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon beef bouillon paste
1 pound ground lamb
1 pound ground beef

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the onion and garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped. Then puree until smooth.
Add all of the spices and bouillon paste. Pulse to combine, scraping down bowl as needed.
Add lamb and beef and pulse until the mixture is pasty. Scrape down the sides of the bowl in between pulses.
Place the mixture in a 9x5 loaf pan, and press to compact it.*
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Once done, allow the pan to cool at room temperature completely. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before removing from the pan. This will keep the juices in the meat.
Remove the loaf from the pan onto a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice it across into quarter inch slices. (At this point the gyro slices can be placed in a freezer safe bag and frozen for future use.)
Before eating, fry the slices in a skillet until the edges are brown.
Serve this gyro meat recipe on spring salad greens, with thinly sliced onions, chopped tomatoes and feta cheese, and top with homemade tzatziki sauce (recipe below). Yum!

*To taste for flavor, pinch off small amount and put on microwave safe plate. Microwave for about 30 seconds, and taste. Add salt or other spices as needed.

~I use this Tones mixture because it includes red pepper flakes and some lemon zest.

Nutrition: Recipe makes about a 40 ounce loaf

Total recipe: 2,647 calories, 199 grams of fat, 45 grams of carb (spices have carbs!) 11 grams of fiber, 35 grams net carb, and 162 grams of protein.

1 ounce: 68 calories, 5 grams fat, 1 gram of carb, 4 grams protein.

Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

1 large cucumber, peeled, trimmed and grated
1 and 1/2 cups thick Greek yogurt (ie., Cabot brand)
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1.5 teaspoon of salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried dill

Directions:

Place the grated cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle with some salt. Set aside to release excess liquid.
In the meantime, combine the yogurt, sour cream, garlic, and spices in another bowl and mix well. Taste and adjusts seasonings to your preference.
Drain and squeeze the cucumber with your hands or in a clean kitchen towel and discard the liquid it releases.
Add the drained, shredded cucumber to the dip and stir to mix well.

Nutrition: makes about 3 cups

Total: 633 calories, 41 grams fat, 30 grams carb, 3 grams fiber, 27 grams net carb, 37 grams protein.

1 ounce: 26 calories, 2 grams fat, 1 carb, 2 g protein.

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