The Genius Way To Make Thin Gyro-Style Meat Without A Rotisserie

Gyro-style meat is a widely popular food for many who crave its thin-sliced texture and complex spices. While the best cuts of meat to use for gyros are usually lamb leg, beef top round, or chicken breast, they're usually spit-roasted on a large, vertical rotisserie by dedicated vendors. However, thanks to a genius method from @‌mezemike on Instagram, you can make gyro-style meat at home without a rotisserie, using ground meats and readily available kitchen tools.  

To make an authentic gyro-style meat at home, start with a pound of ground lamb and beef, or just use one or the other, and preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the meat with onions, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and spices, such as paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper, or use a spice blend appropriate to the style of recipe you're using the meat. Pulse the onions in a food processor to make them fine and thoroughly mix the meat and other ingredients until it's smooth, so it can easily be rolled with parchment paper. Cook the meat in the oven for about 30 minutes. For gyro-style meat, the strips should be firm, so drain the meat about halfway through cooking so it doesn't turn out soggy. To crisp the meat up further, unroll the parchment paper and cook it until it has the desired consistency.   

Spiced meat served gyro-style developed within a variety of cultures, which celebrity chef David Chang discovered on a culinary adventure in a city spanning two continents. Greek gyros use milder seasonings in the meat mixture, such as rosemary, oregano, and thyme. Serve the gyro meat in pita bread, which is hollow inside, and fill it with lettuce, onions, and tomatoes, topping it with a drizzle of tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce has numerous creative uses and is made with Greek yogurt blended with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and grated cucumber. 

Turkish doner kebabs use a spicier seasoning mix that adds a little heat. To make the kebab, place the meat in a piece of Turkish pide bread, which is similar to a pita, but thicker, and holds the fillings like a taco. Add tomatoes, lettuce, and onions, and then top it with Turkish garlic sauce, which has a base of yogurt and mayonnaise, with added garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings.  

The thinly sliced meat is perfect for shawarma, though the meat contains Middle Eastern spices that, in addition to those used for doner kebabs, may include cinnamon, cloves, and turmeric. Shawarma meat is placed in a piece of pita bread and topped with vegetables — similar to kebabs and gyros — then drizzled with tahini sauce, which is made with sesame paste, garlic, and lemon juice. Using this homemade version of gyro-style meat allows you to craft these dishes in your own unique way.