This delicious homemade gyro meat with creamy tzatziki sauce is an easy, flavorful dinner inspired by Alton Brown. It’s a quick and satisfying meal that’s perfect for weeknights and made with simple, everyday ingredients. Serve it in warm pita with your favorite toppings for a tasty twist on takeout—no rotisserie needed!
Recipe Ingredients:
Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Tzatziki Sauce
- 16 ounces plain yogurt
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
- Pinch kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced
How To Make Gyro Meat With Tzatziki Sauce?
- Prep the onion for the gyro meat: Add the chopped onion to a food processor and pulse for 10–15 seconds until finely minced. Tip the onion into a clean tea towel, wrap it up, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard the liquid and return the onion to the food processor.
- Blend the meat mixture: Add the ground lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the onion. Process for about 1 minute, until you have a thick, smooth paste. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Oven method (for a meatloaf-style gyro): Preheat your oven to 160°C / 325°F. Pack the meat mixture into a loaf tin, pressing it firmly into the corners. Set the loaf tin into a larger roasting tray and pour in hot water to create a water bath. Bake for 60–75 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 74–77°C / 165–170°F. Drain off excess fat and set the tin on a wire rack.
- Press and finish: For the best texture, place a foil-wrapped brick or other heavy object on top of the meat and let it sit for 15–20 minutes until it reaches 79°C / 175°F internally. This step helps compress the meat into that signature gyro texture. Then slice thinly for serving.
- Rotisserie method (for an authentic finish): Shape the meat into a tight loaf and wrap it in plastic wrap, rolling to eliminate air pockets. Twist the ends to seal, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Cook on the grill: Preheat your grill to high. Slide the firmed-up meat loaf onto a rotisserie skewer. Place a double layer of foil underneath to catch drippings. Grill on high for 15 minutes, then reduce to medium and cook for another 20–30 minutes until the meat reaches 74°C / 165°F. Turn off the heat and let it continue spinning for 10–15 minutes, until the internal temp reaches 79°C / 175°F. Slice and serve.
- Make the tzatziki sauce: Line a sieve or bowl with a clean tea towel, spoon in the yogurt, and let it drain in the fridge for 2 hours to thicken.
- Prep the cucumber: Wrap the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess liquid. This keeps the sauce from going watery.
- Mix it all together: In a bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep chilled in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Recipe Tips:
- Squeeze out the onion juice well : This keeps the meat from being too wet and helps it hold together better. Don’t skip this step!
- Blend the meat into a smooth paste : Processing the mixture into a fine paste gives the gyro its classic dense, sliceable texture.
- Chill the meat before cooking : Letting the shaped meat rest in the fridge makes it firmer and easier to slice cleanly after cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer : Cooking to the right internal temperature (165–175°F / 74–79°C) ensures the meat is fully cooked and juicy.
- Strain the yogurt and cucumber for tzatziki : Removing excess water gives you a thick, creamy sauce that won’t turn runny.
How To Store Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover gyro meat and tzatziki sauce cool to room temperature. Store the meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the tzatziki in a separate sealed container for the same time.
- Freeze: Let the cooked gyro meat cool completely, then wrap it tightly or store it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 234
- Total Fat: 15.0g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 4mg
- Potassium: 197mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 23g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.5g
- Sugars: 13g
- Protein: 4.8g
Check out More Recipes:
Alton Brown Gyro Meat With Tzatziki Sauce
Description
This delicious homemade gyro meat with creamy tzatziki sauce is an easy, flavorful dinner inspired by Alton Brown. It’s a quick and satisfying meal that’s perfect for weeknights and made with simple, everyday ingredients. Serve it in warm pita with your favorite toppings for a tasty twist on takeout—no rotisserie needed!
Ingredients
Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki Sauce
Instructions
- Prep the onion for the gyro meat: Add the chopped onion to a food processor and pulse for 10–15 seconds until finely minced. Tip the onion into a clean tea towel, wrap it up, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard the liquid and return the onion to the food processor.
- Blend the meat mixture: Add the ground lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the onion. Process for about 1 minute, until you have a thick, smooth paste. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Oven method (for a meatloaf-style gyro): Preheat your oven to 160°C / 325°F. Pack the meat mixture into a loaf tin, pressing it firmly into the corners. Set the loaf tin into a larger roasting tray and pour in hot water to create a water bath. Bake for 60–75 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 74–77°C / 165–170°F. Drain off excess fat and set the tin on a wire rack.
- Press and finish: For the best texture, place a foil-wrapped brick or other heavy object on top of the meat and let it sit for 15–20 minutes until it reaches 79°C / 175°F internally. This step helps compress the meat into that signature gyro texture. Then slice thinly for serving.
- Rotisserie method (for an authentic finish): Shape the meat into a tight loaf and wrap it in plastic wrap, rolling to eliminate air pockets. Twist the ends to seal, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Cook on the grill: Preheat your grill to high. Slide the firmed-up meat loaf onto a rotisserie skewer. Place a double layer of foil underneath to catch drippings. Grill on high for 15 minutes, then reduce to medium and cook for another 20–30 minutes until the meat reaches 74°C / 165°F. Turn off the heat and let it continue spinning for 10–15 minutes, until the internal temp reaches 79°C / 175°F. Slice and serve.
- Make the tzatziki sauce: Line a sieve or bowl with a clean tea towel, spoon in the yogurt, and let it drain in the fridge for 2 hours to thicken.
- Prep the cucumber: Wrap the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze out any excess liquid. This keeps the sauce from going watery.
- Mix it all together: In a bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep chilled in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Squeeze out the onion juice well : This keeps the meat from being too wet and helps it hold together better. Don’t skip this step!
- Blend the meat into a smooth paste : Processing the mixture into a fine paste gives the gyro its classic dense, sliceable texture.
- Chill the meat before cooking : Letting the shaped meat rest in the fridge makes it firmer and easier to slice cleanly after cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer : Cooking to the right internal temperature (165–175°F / 74–79°C) ensures the meat is fully cooked and juicy.
- Strain the yogurt and cucumber for tzatziki : Removing excess water gives you a thick, creamy sauce that won’t turn runny.
Alton Brown Gyro Meat With Tzatziki Sauce
