This gyro meat recipe can be prepared using 1 of 3 different cooking methods and has easy step-by-step instructions on how to make gyro meat. Make the best gyro sandwiches or gyro pizza at home and any day of the week.
Jump to:
- What is gyro meat:
- Gyro Meat Ingredients needed:
- Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients:
- How to make Gyro Meat - Sous Vide Instructions
- How to make Gyro Meat - Oven Instructions
- How to make Gyro Rotisserie Instructions
- How to make the Tzatziki sauce:
- Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
- Gyro Meat Recipe
- How to make the Tzatziki sauce:
- 👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
- Comments
What is gyro meat:
- Authentic gyro meat recipe using ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.
- Use all ground lamb or make a 50/50 split of lamb and ground beef.
- Make the meat ahead and easily reheat the gyro meat for a delicious, quick meal.
Gyro Meat Ingredients needed:
- Onion -finely chopped or shredded, excess liquid drained away
- ground lamb - but my family likes 50% lamb and 50% ground beef
- garlic - finely minced, roasted garlic or garlic confit.
- marjoram - dried
- rosemary - dried and ground
- salt - kosher
- black pepper - ground
Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt - plain
- ½ cucumber - peeled, seeded, finely chopped, salted and drained
- Pinch kosher salt - for the cucumber
- 2 cloves garlic - finely minced, roasted garlic or garlic confit.
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 4-5 mint leaves - finely minced
**Tzatziki recipe instructions below
Additional gyro sandwich ingredients:
- Pita Bread
- Tzatziki sauce - see ingredients above
- Cucumber - sliced and seeded
- Tomatoes - sliced
- Red onion - sliced thin
- Feta - crumbled
How to make Gyro Meat - Sous Vide Instructions
- First, process the onion in a food processor, high power blender or 10 to 15 seconds or grate the onion.
- Place the grated onion into a paper towel-lined colander and press until almost all of the onion juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Place all of the gyro meat ingredients into a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 4 minutes. The meat will be well blended and almost gummy.
- Press the gyro meat blend into a vac and seal the bag, removing all the air from the bag.
- Set the sous vide to 150 F.
- Place the sous vide bag in the water and cook for 2 hours.
- Remove the meat from the sous vide and when ready to serve, discard the juices from the bag.
- To serve, sear the gyro meat on a hot skillet, giving it a bit of color.
- Slice thinly and serve with gyro sandwich accompaniments.
How to make Gyro Meat - Oven Instructions
- First, process the onion in a food processor, high power blender or 10 to 15 seconds or grate the onion.
- Place the grated onion into a paper towel-lined colander and press until almost all of the onion juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Place all of the gyro meat ingredients into a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 4 minutes. The meat will be well blended and almost gummy.
- Place the mixture into a loaf pan, press the meat into the sides of the pan, flattening the meat to a loaf.
- Place the loaf pan into a water bath, a rimmed pan filled with enough water to come up ½" up the side of the loaf pan.
- Bake at 325 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.
How to make Gyro Rotisserie Instructions
- First, process the onion in a food processor, high power blender or 10 to 15 seconds or grate the onion.
- Place the grated onion into a paper towel-lined colander and press until almost all of the onion juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Place all of the gyro meat ingredients into a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 4 minutes. The meat will be well blended and almost gummy.
- Form the meat mixture into a cylinder shape and place on a double thickness 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.
- Once fully chilled, slide the meat onto the rotisserie skewer and secure it.
- 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.
ingredients and techniques adapted from Alton Brown's Gyro Meat recipe
How to make the Tzatziki sauce:
- Remove the seeds from the cucumber and finely dice the cucumber. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Drain away the excess liquid.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. By combining these ingredients together, the garlic is broken up and more easily distributed through the sauce.
- Add in the cucumber and Greek yogurt, Stir to combine.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Makes 1 cup
Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
Do I have to use ground lamb in this recipe?
Traditionally ground lamb is used for gyro meat. The unique flavor of lamb is indicative of the flavors of gyros meat. But if you like, you can do a 50/50 split of lamb and beef. It just won't be as traditional.
Why is the onion chopped so finely for this recipe?
The reason the onion is chopped so finely in a blender, food processor or even grated on a box grater is so that it can be more easily blended into the gyro meat. When slicing the meat the slice should be homogenous is texture. 
How to reheat gyro meat
I heat the meat in a pan with a little splash of water to help create some steam as not to dry the thin strips of meat out. I know some people are fans of microwaving the meat at 50% power until heated through.
Can gyro meat be frozen?
Yes! gyro meat can easily be frozen. I recommend pre slicing your meat before freezing.
Gyro Meat Recipe
This gyro meat recipe can be prepared using 1 of 3 different cooking methods and has easy step-by-step instructions on how to make gyro meat.
Note From Sarah
There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
HELPFUL KITCHEN TOOLS
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 1 Onion ((finely chopped or shredded and juice squeezed out))
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 tablespoon rosemary (dried and ground)
- 2 teaspoons Salt (kosher)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
How to make Gyro Meat - Sous Vide Instructions
- First, process the onion in a food processor, high power blender or 10 to 15 seconds or grate the onion.1 Onion
- Place the grated onion into a paper towel-lined colander and press until almost all of the onion juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Place all of the gyro meat ingredients into a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment.2 pounds ground lamb, 1 Onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon dried marjoram, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 2 teaspoons Salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 4 minutes. The meat will be well blended and almost gummy.
- Press the gyro meat blend into a vac and seal the bag, removing all the air from the bag.
- Set the sous vide to 150 F. Place the sous vide bag in the water and cook for 2 hours.
- Remove the meat from the sous vide and when ready to serve, discard the juices from the bag.
- To serve, sear the gyro meat on a hot skillet, giving it a bit of color. Slice thinly and serve with gyro sandwich accompaniments.
How to make Gyro Meat - Oven Instructions
- First, process the onion in a food processor, high power blender or 10 to 15 seconds or grate the onion.
- Place the grated onion into a paper towel-lined colander and press until almost all of the onion juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Place all of the gyro meat ingredients into a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 4 minutes. The meat will be well blended and almost gummy.
- Place the mixture into a loaf pan, press the meat into the sides of the pan, flattening the meat to a loaf.
- Place the loaf pan into a water bath, a rimmed pan filled with enough water to come up ½" up the side of the loaf pan.
- Bake at 325 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.
How to make Gyro Meat - Rotisserie Instructions
- First, process the onion in a food processor, high power blender or 10 to 15 seconds or grate the onion.
- Place the grated onion into a paper towel-lined colander and press until almost all of the onion juice is removed. Discard juice.
- Place all of the gyro meat ingredients into a mixer fixed with the paddle attachment.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for 4 minutes. The meat will be well blended and almost gummy.
- Form the meat mixture into a cylinder shape and place on a double thickness 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.
- Once fully chilled, slide the meat onto the rotisserie skewer and secure it.
- 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.
Notes
How to make the Tzatziki sauce:
- Remove the seeds from the cucumber and finely dice the cucumber. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Drain away the excess liquid.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. By combining these ingredients together, the garlic is broken up and more easily distributed through the sauce.
- Add in the cucumber and Greek yogurt, Stir to combine.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Calories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 25gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 866mgPotassium: 375mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 28IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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👩🏻🍳 Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Sarah Mock
Once is has cooled completely, you can freeze it in the same bag. Great question Angela.
Angela B
Could I freeze this in the same bag that I used to cook with the sous vide? Or do I need to drain the meat before freezing?
Bobby Smith
Authentic gyros are made with pork.
Everything Enchanting
Love this recipe! I have never tried making it at home. Now, I can't wait to try give it a try, everything looks so good
Anosa Malanga
I have never made my own gyro and I would love to try making one! Thanks for the recipe and I hope I can successfully make it.
StarTraci
This looks so yummy. I love gyros but I have never tried to make it. I pinned this and now feel like I might try!
Kita Bryant
I have always wanted to try cooking sous vide. This is the perfect recipe to try that with.
Kathy
I have always wanted to try a gyro. I haven't had the chance to yet. I know they look so amazing too. I need to make some soon.
Ruth I
Looks delicious and healthy. I haven't tried Gyro before but my family loves them. Guess I am making this for them this weekend.
Heather D
This is pretty cool. I have a sous vide and had no idea you could do this! I just bought this lamb to make meat pies, too.
Lynndee
I have not tried preparing gyro. We always just buy from this restaurant that makes delicious gyro. I'd like to try your recipe.
Catalina
We tried Gyros in Greece some years ago and we loved it. It would be awesome to make it at home!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
I'm so glad you posted this. I keep seeing ads for Gyro and would rather make it myself. You never know what's in the bought stuff. It sounds really tasty x
Nikki Wayne
The gyro meat looks so satisfying! And the sauce looks mouth watering as well!
Terri A Steffes
I cannot wait to share this with my husband. We had a place we loved to go for gyros but we moved and haven't found an equivalent place. So, I think I will try to make our own.
Tasheena
I wish I had everything on hand to make this for my family.
Lisa Martin
I love this recipe! I haven't attempted Lamb before, but I can't wait to try this!
Marysa
I didn't know about the process behind gyro meat. Very interesting to learn about how to make it.
Sarah Mock
thanks heather! I hope you love them as much as we do.
Sarah Mock
This is a great recipe to keep in your weekly meal plan rotation.
Sarah Mock
mine too! he takes them for lunch and heats them up in the microwave at work.
Sarah Mock
Same here! That is why we make them at home.
Sarah Mock
it is easier than you think! Just be sure to blend the meat more than you think you should.
Heather
I am totally craving a gyro now! These look amazing. Can't wait to make this for my family.
Heather
It's been so long since we've had a gyro. I have to make this for my kids, they will go nuts!
Tara Pittman
My husband loves gyros. I will have to try this recipe as I know he will love it.
Krystle
Good gyros are so hard to fine around here, your recipe looks perfect.
Amber Myers
My stomach just growled. I have never tried to make my own gyro meat, but I should! We'd love it.