Five Food Finds about Gyros:

• A gyro is a dish of meat roasted on a vertical spit. It is usually served as a sandwich, also called a gyros, with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce, wrapped in pita bread.

• To make gyros, pieces of meat are placed on a tall vertical spit, which turns in front of a source of heat, usually an electric broiler.

• If the meat is not fatty enough, strips of fat are added so that the roasting meat remains always moist and crisp.

• The rate of roasting can be adjusted by varying the strength of the heat and the distance between the heat and the meat, allowing the cook to adjust to varying rates of consumption.

• The outside of the meat is sliced vertically in thin, crisp shavings when done. It is generally served in an oiled, lightly grilled piece of pita, rolled up with various salads and sauces.

Homemade Gyros (for Tom Hanks)

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Prep                  Cook                    Total
20 min               1 hr               1 hr 20 min
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INGREDIENTS

• Gyro meat:
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 medium onion (finely minced or grated)
• 3 cloves garlic (finely minced or grated)
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Tzatziki sauce:
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup cucumber (grated and drained)
• 1 garlic clove (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon dill (chopped)
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• To serve:
• flatbread or pita bread
• lettuce
• red onion
• tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

1. For the gyro meat:

2. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor or mixer, until the mixture is pasty and sticky. Grease a loaf pan with olive oil, and press the mixture into the pan. Make sure you make everything tight and compact. Bake for about 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 175F. Let it rest before slicing.

3. For the tzatziki:

4. Combine all the ingredients and let sit in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight.

5. Serve in a flatbread with lettuce, tomato, thinly sliced red onions and sauce!