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Lamb Gyros
Serves 6 Prep 20 min Cook 1 hr 10 min Total 1 hr 30 min Type Meal Origin Greek

Lamb Gyros

Greek street-food wrap: thinly sliced lamb shawarma-style, served in a pita with tomato, onion, tzatziki and a few chips. Restaurant gyros come off a vertical spit; the home version uses ground lamb pressed into a loaf and sliced thin after cooking.

Serves 6 Prep 20 minutes Cook 1 hour 10 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Lamb mince blends with onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and a bit of breadcrumb into a stiff paste. Packed into a loaf tin and roasted. Once cool enough to slice, the loaf is sliced very thin and pan-crisped to mimic shawarma. Pita, tzatziki, salad.

Ingredients

Gyros loaf

  • 800 g lamb mince
  • 1 onion (small, very finely grated, juice squeezed out)
  • 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 30 g fine breadcrumbs

To pan-crisp

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

To serve

  • 6 pita breads (warmed)
  • Tzatziki
  • 1 red onion (small, very finely sliced)
  • 2 tomatoes (sliced)
  • A small handful of fresh oregano (or parsley)
  • Optional: 200 g hot chips

Method

Stage 1 - Mix the lamb

  1. Heat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan).
  2. Combine all loaf ingredients in a bowl. Knead and beat for 5-6 minutes (this is what binds the loaf so it slices cleanly later).

Stage 2 - Bake

  1. Pack tightly into a 1 kg loaf tin (about 23 x 13 cm).
  2. Place the tin in a deep roasting tray; pour boiling water into the outer tray (water bath; keeps the loaf moist).
  3. Bake for 1 hour, until firm and an instant-read probe registers 75°C.
  4. Cool 30 minutes (warm but firm enough to slice cleanly).

Stage 3 - Slice and crisp

  1. Turn the loaf out of the tin. Slice as thinly as you can manage with a sharp knife.
  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat.
  3. Pan-crisp the slices in batches for 1-2 minutes a side until deep brown and crisp at the edges.

Stage 4 - Build wraps

  1. Warm the pitas. Smear with tzatziki.
  2. Pile crisp gyros into the centre.
  3. Top with sliced onion, tomato, fresh herbs and a few chips if using.
  4. Roll up tightly; eat.

Notes

  • Grated onion, juice squeezed: Keeps the loaf firm. Chopped onion makes wet patches; grated and drained gives flavour without water.
  • Beat the mince: 5 minutes of working it gives the springy, sliceable texture. Unworked mince crumbles.
  • Slice thin: The thinner the slice, the crispier the pan-crisp. A serrated knife helps.

Storage

  • Whole loaf keeps 4 days refrigerated; slice and crisp as needed.
  • Freezes well as a whole loaf 3 months; defrost overnight before slicing.

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Greek Lamb Burger

Greek Lamb Burger

This burger borrows from the souvlaki and bifteki tradition of mainland Greece, where minced lamb or a lamb-beef mix is seasoned with dried oregano, garlic and a slug of red wine vinegar, then grilled over charcoal until the outside is dark and the inside still blushes pink. Crumbling feta directly into the mince is a home-cook trick: as the cheese melts it leaves salty, creamy seams through the patty rather than sitting flat on top. The result is much more interesting than a beef burger dressed up with Mediterranean toppings. The supporting cast is straightforward and traditional: a quick tzatziki of strained yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and dill; a sharp tomato and cucumber relish loosened with olive oil; and either toasted pita or a soft brioche bun, depending on whether you want this to lean Greek street food or backyard barbecue. Lamb is forgiving on the grill because its fat is so flavourful, but it can taste muttony if overcooked, so aim for an internal temperature around 60 to 63 degrees. Difficulty is low. The only thing to watch is keeping the mince loose: if you pack the patty tightly it goes dense and rubbery, so handle it just enough to hold together. Serve with a glass of something cold and resinous.

Greek 37 minutes Serves4