Traditional Gyro Meat
“This Greek/Lebanese style meat loaf is sliced and served with pita bread, tzatziki, and tomatoes for a delicious gyro that is the closest I’ve come to emulating my favorite Mediterranean restaurant. The preparation time seems long, but most of it is resting time, so you can be doing other stuff! You can substitute pork or chicken for the ground lamb and beef if you prefer.”
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
* 1/2 onion, cut into chunks
* 1 pound ground lamb
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1 teaspoon ground dried rosemary
* 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
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DIRECTIONS
1. Place the onion in a food processor, and process until finely chopped. Scoop the onions onto the center of a towel, gather up the ends of the towel, and squeeze out the liquid from the onions. Place the onions into a mixing bowl along with the lamb and beef. Season with the garlic, oregano, cumin, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Mix well with your hands until well combined. Cover, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
3. Place the meat mixture into the food processor, and pulse for about a minute until finely chopped and the mixture feels tacky. Pack the meat mixture into a 7×4 inch loaf pan, making sure there are no air pockets. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place the loaf pan on the towel, inside the roasting pan, and place into the preheated oven. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.
4. Bake until the gyro meat is no longer pink in the center, and the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F (75 degrees C) on a meat thermometer, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pour off any accumulated fat, and allow to cool slightly before slicing thinly and serving.
