To replicate that, my goal should be to increase the ratio of crisp-bits-to-soft-bits. One of my earliest memories as a New York kid in the 1980s was when the Greek-owned pizza shop down the street first put up a poster featuring an attractive woman eating a Kronos-brand gyros sandwich. If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment. When properly cooked, the thinly shaved pieces of meat offer a sublime mixture of textures. So for optimum juiciness, it's best to cook the gyro meat at a relatively low-temperature (say 300°F), and just until it reaches 165-degrees internally. Cut the gyro meat into thin strands. Has anyone else noticed that when it comes to sausages, oftentimes, the large nationwide brands have significantly better texture than the ones that come from small-scale artisan-butchers? In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, grated red onion, and all herbs and spices. Now for some things, like hamburgers, for instance, this is a bad thing. [Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt], This way to Grecian delight: Here's the recipe! When pureeing, if all goes well—your solid pieces of fat will get chopped up into tiny pieces that are then suspended within the matrix formed by the protein in the meat—even after it's cooked. While tzatziki—a garlicky yogurt and cucumber based-sauce—might be the topping for traditional Greek gyros, Greek-American establishments tend to favor a sauce made with a creamy mixture of yogurt, mayo, garlic ,and parsley. Follow this recipe and make a few extra batches for those busy weeknights. Whipping it with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer worked better, but I found the optimum texture was to use Alton Brown's method: completely puree the meat in a food processor until it achieves a paste-like consistency. Slice the loaf of cooked gyro meat crosswise into thin strips and place … When the craving hits, there's nothing to do but to get your hands on a gyro! I couldn't get the image out of my head. Lay the naan on a plate, slather some tzatziki sauce or whatever cream-based sauce you like on the naan, add your broiled gyro slices, diced tomato, and onion slices, and you are ready to enjoy!! The only difference is that I salted the meat on the left two hours before pureeing it in the food processor. As for seasoning, a 2% addition of salt (the standard amount for a sausage) was necessary, along with a little kick of black pepper. For thinner roasts, cook for 15 minutes per pound, for larger roasts, 25 minutes per pound, or until the pop-up timer pops or a digital … The best cooking method for the most tender cut of meat around. You can make gyros at home by processing ground meat in a food processor to make it even more finely ground (more like a paste), then press it into a meatloaf shape and bake. It's not pretty while you're working with it, but the end results are outstanding. I couldn't get the image out of my head. Of course, just like coke tastes better out of an aluminum can, a gyro taste better when you wrap it in foil and eat it with your hands. Since I love lamb, I saw no reason not to make my own gyros our of 100% lamb meat. the Greek-American style. Keep your meat well-chilled while working with it. Greek-American gyros employ the same vertical rotisserie method of cooking as authentic Greek gyros, and both come served in rich, fluffy pita bread* with a yogurt-based sauce, tomatoes, and onions, but that's where the similarities end. I couldn't get the image out of my head. Nov 6, 2011 - One of my earliest memories as a New York kid in the 1980s was when the Greek-owned pizza shop down the street first put up a poster featuring an attractive woman eating a Kronos-brand gyros sandwich. Icky. Next, put your oven on "broil" and move your rack to the top. Slice the lamb thinly, removing any fatty bits. Enjoy authentic tasting, homemade Gyro meat with this easy recipe! So to sum, the four steps for perfect sausage: The Kronos website indicates that the classic Greek-American gyro meat is made with a mixture of 85% beef and 15% lamb. Slice the gyro meat and broil it for 2 minutes. I know it looks more like a meatloaf but trust me, once it's broiled you'll be amazed at how much it tastes like the real deal! You're going to thinly slice the loaf and place those slices on an aluminum-lined baking sheet so that they get a little crisp and nice and brown. Remove lamb from plastic packaging, leaving netting on. As for fat content, I wanted to bump mine up a bit, and adding a few slices of bacon to the lamb mixture was the way to do it. Don't overcook it Since then, I've been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to rigorously s… It's a strong testament to the fact that just like skiing, fishing, or making love, the craft of charcuterie has much more to do with technique than the quality of your starting goods. This easy gyro recipe is a delicious and filling lunch idea! Kenji's next project is a children’s book called Every Night is Pizza Night, to be released in 2020, followed by another big cookbook in 2021. As gross as the contents of the cup below look, this is actually all stuff that I want to stay inside the meat. I was able to make a hot gyros lunch for myself and my wife (who hates tomatoes and cucumber but love lamb) yesterday in under ten minutes start to finish. Here’s how to make the best juicy and tender Greek-Style Lamb Gyro Meat: First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and set out a 9X5 inch loaf pan lined with foil. Melt at least 2 teaspoons of ghee or olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Preheat oven to 315 degrees. Finely slice one red onion (with a mandolin* if … You could begin with the greatest meat in the world, but if it's not salted and mixed properly, your sausage will end up crumbly, dry, and/or mealy. I couldn't get the image out of my head. The following two mixtures were made with the exact same ingredients. Or it was the juicy, alluring strips of pressed-and-formed crispy salty meat combined with that come-hither dollop of creamy yogurt sauce all seductively wrapped in the soft golden pita. The second problem, of course, is that despite watching hours of infomercials for the Ronco Showtime Rotisserie, I never bucked up with my four easy payments of $39.95. Upon baking, it released a torrent of juices, along with a mass of pale brown, congealed, jelly-like proteins. Make this classic restaurant-style gyro meat at home. You can make it on your frying pan or the grill in just 10 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of the pan juices to the sliced lamb. Just to completely drive the point home, I tried cooking one loaf with absolutely no salt added to it. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so that the flavors have a chance to blend well. It was also relatively dry. The Greek-American version is more like thinly sliced meatloaf made with beef and lamb. How to Make Lamb Gyros at Home . Learn more on our Terms of Use page. The best thing about it, is that you don’t need a vertical rotisserie to make gyros at home. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy. Crisp, juicy gyros. Bake the loaf for 35-40 minutes or until it reaches 160 degrees. Turn your broiler on to high and move the rack to the top shelf of your oven. Originally published August 20, 2012. There are two problems with gyros at home. The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science (based on his Serious Eats column of the same name) is a New York Times best-seller, recipient of a James Beard Award, and was named Cookbook of the Year in 2015 by the International Association of Culinary Professionals. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The results are so vastly different from the real deal that my brain had to work overtime trying to convince my mouth that it was eating gyros. Once baked, let it rest for 10 minutes. What this means is that in a good restaurant sandwich, your sandwich has a very high percentage of crispy bits, and you certainly don't get any of the completely soft inner parts. Homemade Greek gyros are not impossible to make at home, as I had originally thought. They should be warm and pliant so that you can use them as pitas. Bake until the gyro meat is no longer pink in the center, and the internal temperature registers 165 … Texture is not the only thing that the meat protein matrix enhances—it also helps to trap in both moisture and fat, resulting in a juicier, tastier sausage. While your lamb is broiling, pop your naan (flatbread) into the microwave and cook them for 15-30 seconds. 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