Gyro Sauce Recipes

20-MINUTE GREEK GYROS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine the ground lamb, beef, garlic, all spice powder, onions, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Shape the meat into 12 small patties. Alternately, you could just shape them into 4-5 larger ones. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the tzatziki sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for serving.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the patties for 3-4 minutes (smaller) and 6 minutes (larger) or until they are cooked to desired doneness.
• to serve: Warm the pita bread, layer with meat patties, sliced onions, tomatoes, and lettuce. Top with tzatziki sauce and serve immediately.

TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Use a box grater to manually grate the cucumbers or you can use a small food processor to finely chop the cucumbers as I do in this recipe. Toss the grated cucumbers with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Spoon the grated cucumber into a cheese cloth or a double thickness napkin and squeeze dry. (There will be a lot of liquid).
• In one large mixing bowl, place the garlic with remaining 1/2 tsp salt, white vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Mix to combine.
• Add the grated cucumber to the bowl with the garlic mixture. Stir in the yogurt, and a pinch of white or black pepper, and the fresh herbs (if using. I did not use fresh herbs in the video). Stir to combine well.
• Cover and refrigerate for a bit (anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple hours before serving). This will help thicken the sauce and give it the best texture, while allowing the flavors to meld.
• When ready to serve, stir the tzatziki sauce to refresh and transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Serve with your favorite veggies, pita chips or wedges (be sure to read the post for more ideas on how to use this sauce)!

EASY GROUND BEEF GYROS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Add the ground beef to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add the seasonings and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer over medium heat until the sauce has thickened around the meat, about 5 minutes.
• While the beef cooks, make the Tzatziki sauce. Start by squeezing the excessive liquid out of the grated cucumber, discarding the liquid. In a small bowl, mix the grated cucumber with the remaining ingredients.
• To assemble a gyro, layer a pita with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, and ground beef, then finish with tzatziki sauce, fresh dill and feta cheese.

TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Peel and finely dice the cucumber, or you can grate on the large holes of a box grater if preferred. Transfer to a bowl lined with a cheesecloth* and sprinkle cucumbers with 1/2 tsp salt and give them a light stir. Set aside for the cucumbers to release their juice while you prep the remaining ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, grated garlic cloves, chopped dill, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, or season to taste.
• Use the cheesecloth to squeeze out as much juice as you can from your chopped cucumber. You'll be surprised how much juice comes out. Discard the juice and add squeezed cucumber to your mixing bowl.
• Stir everything to combine and season to taste with more salt and pepper if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve. I love serving drizzled with a little more extra virgin olive oil.

LAMB GYRO WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE AND SPICY SOUR CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss the cubed lamb with the garlic, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and lemon juice. Coat the lamb completely. Let the lamb marinate for 30 minutes.
• Heat a large, deep skillet over high heat and drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season the lamb with 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the lamb to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides and cooked to medium-rare, about 4 minutes on each side.
• Heat the pita bread in a dry pan or in the microwave for just a few seconds until warm and pliable. On each piece of bread, lay a few pieces of lamb, some tomato slices, lettuce, feta and a spoonful of each sauce. Transfer to a serving platter, fold and enjoy!
• To make Tzatziki sauce:
• In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, mint, dill, lemon zest, and yogurt. Season with salt, to taste, and serve with the gyros.
• Yield: about 2 cups
• To make Spicy Sour Cream Sauce:
• In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, lemon, and sriracha sauce together until completely blended. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, and serve with the gyros.
• Yield: about 1 cup

TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE | GYRO SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel the cucumber and chop it roughly into two parts. If you use a regular cucumber, cut it lengthwise into half and scoop out the seeds. I left the seeds since I used an English cucumber. Grate each part using a box grater. Place the shredded cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt and leave it aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl, also add olive oil, minced garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good mix using a whisk or spoon. Refrigerate if required while the cucumber shreds are draining.
• After 15 minutes, bring the edges of the cheesecloth together and squeeze out as much of the water as possible out of the cucumber. Will yield about 7.5 oz approx or 1 cup packed shredded, drained cucumber.
• Transfer the drained, shredded cucumber to the yogurt mixture. Also, add the chopped dill, and mix everything well once again. Taste and adjust with more salt if required.
• Serve immediately or cover the bowl with a cling wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour for flavors to mingle. Transfer the tzatziki to a serving bowl, drizzle some more extra virgin olive oil, garnish with dill leaves. Serve with pita bread or pita chips or carrot sticks, sliced bell peppers. You may refrigerate tzatziki for up to 2 days. If it is stored longer, it might turn watery and lose the thick texture. Remember to cover the bowl while storing in the refrigerator.

GYRO MEAT RECIPE

Steps:

• Place onions, garlic into a large food processor and process until finely chopped but not liquefied.
• Add meat and all the seasonings and grind for another 3-5 minutes. Do not skip this step. If you do, it will be like ground beef with some weird seasonings in it. Grind it until it's a big, huge, sticky mess that you wonder how you will ever clean up.
• Since writing this recipe I've discovered a faster way to do this, which is to use your stand mixer with the paddle. Paddle the living daylights out of the meat with the spices until it's a sticky mess. This is a lot easier to clean up than a blender, and the end result is the same. So use whatever you have that works for you.
• Put into a foil pan, and smooth out the top, and bake at 350 for 60 mins, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 175-180
• Take it out of the oven and drain all the fat.
• Cover it with foil and then place something heavy on it to compress it. I put a cast iron skillet on top and then carefully placed 3 cans of beans on top of the skillet to compress it.
• Let it rest for 30 mins and then slice into thin slices.
• Gyros!

GREEK CHICKEN GYROS RECIPE WITH AUTHENTIC TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the Tzatziki SauceMake this Authentic Greek Tzatziki Sauce a few hours in advance or overnight.
• Marinate the Chicken
• Measure the marinade ingredients and put them into a 1 gallon zip top bag, close the bag and then massage the bag to mix well.
• Add the chicken tenders to the zip top bag, close the bag and then massage the bag so that each chicken tender is well covered by the marinade.
• Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it marinate for at least 3 hours. 12 hours works the best, but don't marinate it longer than 24 hours or your chicken will be too mushy.
• Warm the Pita Bread
• Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Just before you cook the chicken, place the pita breads on a baking sheet and place them in the oven to be warmed.
• Cook the Chicken
• You can cook the chicken on an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan. Brush the grill / grill pan with olive oil, then preheat using medium high heat.
• After the grill / grill pan is hot, remove the chicken from the marinade bag and place on the grill / grill pan.
• Cook the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes on each side (cooking time depends on the size of chicken tenders), until they are golden brown and thoroughly cooked with an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove the chicken from the grill / grill pan and place onto a cutting board. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Slice the chicken tenders and put on a serving plate.
• Assemble the Gyros
• Lay out a warmed pita bread.
• Place sliced chicken down the middle of the pita bread.
• Top the chicken with an ample amount of tzatziki sauce.
• Garnish the top of the tzatziki sauce with cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese and optionally parsley.
• Fold up the pita bread and enjoy!

GYRO MEAT WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Steps:

• Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.
• Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 minute. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.
• To cook in the oven as a meatloaf, proceed as follows:
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.
• To cook on a rotisserie, proceed as follows:
• Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place on top of 2 overlapping pieces of plastic wrap that are at least 18 inches long. Roll the mixture in the plastic wrap tightly, making sure to remove any air pockets. Once the meat is completely rolled in the wrap, twist the ends of the plastic wrap until the surface of the wrap is tight. Store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight, to allow the mixture to firm up.
• Preheat the grill to high.
• Place the meat onto the rotisserie skewer. Place a double-thick piece of aluminum foil folded into a tray directly under the meat to catch any drippings. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Turn off the heat and allow to continue to spin for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, chopped onion, tomatoes, and feta cheese.
• Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups

HOMEMADE GREEK GYROS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE (KEBABS*)

Steps:

• Run the onion in a food processor for about 15 seconds. Place the onion in the center of a kitchen towel and squeeze out the juice and return to the food processor.
• Add the meat, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to the onion, and process. Do so until it looks like a fine paste, about a minute. Place the mixture in a loaf pan and press evenly.
• Bake in a water bath (place loaf pan inside another pan filled with water) at 325°F (165°C) for about an hour or more until temperature reaches 165-170°F (75°C.)
• Remove from the oven, drain fat, and place on a cooling rack.
• Cover meat with aluminum foil and a heavy weight (Alton suggests a brick) for about 15 minutes until internal temperature is 175°F (79°C) (I found the times are not quite accurate, and I didn't know if the brick actually had an effect, but I think the important part is getting the meat to the correct temperature.)
• Place meat on a cutting board and slice as thinly as possible with an electric knife (using anything else would be much more difficult.)
• I added the following step myself as I think it mimics the rotisserie a bit more. Add a few slices to a nonstick frying pan (very little or no oil) and heat gently until the meat browns a little.
• In another pan, heat the pita bread.
• Finally, place the meat on one half of the pita, topped with tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion. You could also put a little Greek dressing on the tomatoes too (extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, oregano.)
• Serve Homemade Greek Gyros with rice pilaf or a Greek salad, and enjoy!

AUTHENTIC GREEK TZATZIKI (GYRO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Grate the cucumber and optionally sprinkle with salt (this will help extract the excess liquid). Set aside for 10 minutes.I say that the salt is optional because the cucumber juice that you squeeze from the cucumber is delightful as a drink - but maybe not so much if it's salty!
• Place the rested cucumber into a nut milk back or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.Alternatively, you can salt the cucumbers and leave them in a colander to naturally drain with the help of gravity (this will provide the best texture of the cucumber). However, this will take a far longer resting time (like overnight!), so I usually avoid it.
• Finely chop the dill and grate or mince the garlic. If you need help peeling garlic, I've tried and tested several methods previously.
• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
• For the best flavor, allow the Greek sauce to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours but even better overnight. This will give the flavors a chance to properly meld together and tastes better than directly after making it.
• Before serving, give it one last taste and adjust any of the ingredients if needed (more salt, acidity, etc. Then drizzle with a bit of additional olive oil, and enjoy!
• Store: If you've carefully drained the cucumber, then leftover tzatziki sauce will last, covered, in the refrigerator for between 3-4 days.

GYRO MEAT RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil.
• Put 1 sweet yellow onion in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the onion is pureed.
• Put the pureed onion in a paper towel and bring together the corners. Squeeze out any excess water from the onion.
• Return the onion to the food processor along with the rest of the ingredients (1 lb ground beef, 1 lb ground lamb, 2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp marjoram, 1/2 tsp dry rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper). Pulse until everything is fully combined.
• Put the mixture in an 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 loaf pan and press down. Fill a separate 9x13 pan with the boiling water.
• Put the loaf pan with the meat on the middle rack of the preheated oven and put the 9x13 pan on the bottom rack. Bake for about 60 minutes until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove the loaf pan from the oven and pour off the excess grease.
• Put the loaf pan on a cooling rack, cover it with aluminum foil, then place something heavy on top of the pan (you can use a foil-covered brick for best results. I used 3 cans and then placed a cast iron skillet on top.)
• Let the gyro meat rest for about 30 minutes until cooled and dense.
• Remove the meat from the loaf pan. Use a serrated knife to cut the gyro meat into slices.
• Heat the 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the gyro slices to the pan and fry until the meat is browned on both sides.
• Assemble in a warm pita with meat, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and tzatziki sauce. Enjoy!