Lamb Gyros with Pickled Cabbage is one of our favorite summer dinners. I start this dish by mixing up an aromatic ground lamb loaf mixture. Then, I bake the loaf, slice it thinly, and grill it. Finally, I serve the lamb stuffed in pita pockets …
Lamb Gyros with Cilantro Sauce are one of our favorite summer dinners. I start my gyros by mixing together ground lamb and spices. Then, I bake this mixture in a loaf pan. After letting the cooked lamb cool, I slice it thinly and grill it. …
Lamb Gyros with Cucumber Yogurt Spread are one of our favorite sandwiches. I start this sandwich by mixing together a lamb and herb mixture and baking it in a loaf pan. Next, I thinly slice the meat, and grill it along with the homemade pita. Then, I put the lamb in the pitas along with my creamy yogurt spread. Finally, I add sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. All in all, this is a delicious and flavorful meal.
The Equipment Needed
A Food Processor- This isn’t essential, but it’s really helpful for mincing up those onions.
A 9×5 Loaf Pan- Use this to bake your meat.
A Meat Thermometer- This is very helpful for checking to make sure your meat is fully cooked.
A Grill Pan- Use this or a skillet to grill both the meat and the pita.
The Ingredients Needed for Lamb Gyros with Cucumber Yogurt Spread
Ground Lamb- Try and find very finely ground lamb, if possible.
Garlic- I like to buy the prepeeled cloves and keep them in my freezer.
Cayenne Pepper- Adjust the amount according to how spicy you like your food. I used a whole teaspoon in my lamb, because we like a little spice. If you don’t like spicy foods, just leave out the cayenne.
Fresh Herbs- If you can’t find fresh herbs, just use a half teaspoon of each dried herb instead.
Yogurt- For best flavor, use whole milk yogurt.
Yeast- If you’re making the pita, use instant yeast. I’ve used both Fleischman’s and Red Star Platinum yeast.
Flour- For the pita, be sure and use bread flour.
How I Made my Gyros
First, I made my pita bread dough in the bread machine and then baked it in the oven.
Next, I mixed together the lamb mixture and baked it.
Then, while the lamb baked, I made the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.
Finally, I grilled the lamb and the pita and served everything.
If you like the gyros served at Greek restaurants, you need to try these delicious homemade Lamb Gyros with Cucumber Yogurt Spread.
Lamb Gyros with Cucumber Yogurt Spread
Lamb Gyros with Cucumber Yogurt Spread
Lamb pita sandwiches stuffed with Cucumber Yogurt Spread and fresh vegetables.
1cup eachgrape tomatoes, sliced red onion, sliced cucumber
For the Cucumber Yogurt Spread:
1tbsp.minced garlic
1cuppeeled English cucumber, shredded
1cupplain whole milk Greek yogurt
½tsp.kosher salt
1tsp. red wine vinegar
2tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper, so that it hangs over the sides of the pan.
In a food processor, finely chop the onions. Then, put them in a clean dish towel and wring out all the moisture. Put the onions in a large bowl along with the lamb, garlic, and all the herbs and spices. Stir until well combined.
Pack the meat mixture tightly into the pan, and bake for forty minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf measures 160 degrees. Cool on a wire rack and then in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
While the meat cools, make the Cucumber Yogurt Spread. Place the cucumber in a clean dish towel and squeeze out all the liquid. Place the cucumber in a bowl along with all the other ingredients and stir them together.
Slice the meat thinly, and grill it along with the pita on a oil greased grill pan.
Serve the meat on top of or inside of the bread, with the sliced vegetables and Cucumber Yogurt Spread.
Place all the ingredients in your bread machine, in the order recommended by your manufacturer. Process on the dough cycle.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle, about a quarter inch thick.
Bake on two parchment lined baking sheets, for about five minutes, or until they puff up. Cut each pita in half and use a knife, if needed, to help along the separation.
