Lamb · Greek
Lamb Gyros with Homemade Tzatziki
You don't need a vertical rotisserie to make great gyros at home. Thinly slice organic, grass-fed boneless leg of lamb, marinate it with garlic, oregano and lemon, and sear it in a very hot pan until the edges crisp. Wrapped in warm pita with tzatziki, tomato and onion, it's Greek street food at its best.
- Prep25 min
- Cook15 min
- Total40 min
- Servings4
Ingredients
- 800 g boneless leg of lamb, sliced very thin $560
- Optional: swap half the lamb for thinly sliced pork loin for an Athens-style mixed gyro $345
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin
- Juice of 1 lemon and 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
- Tzatziki: 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cucumber grated and squeezed, 1 garlic clove, 1 tbsp chopped dill, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice
- 4-6 pita breads
- Sliced tomato, red onion, fresh parsley and French fries (optional)
Instructions
- Freeze the lamb for 30 minutes so it's easier to slice thinly across the grain.
- Toss the slices with the garlic, spices, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Marinate 1-4 hours in the fridge.
- Make the tzatziki: mix all the ingredients, season with salt and refrigerate.
- Heat a large cast-iron pan until smoking. Cook the lamb in small batches, 1-2 minutes per side, until browned and crisp at the edges.
- Warm the pitas in the same pan.
- Fill each pita with lamb, tzatziki, tomato, onion and parsley. Add a few fries inside, Athens-style, if you like. Roll up and serve.
Tips
- Don't crowd the pan: the meat should sear, not steam.
- Leftover roast leg of lamb, sliced and crisped in a pan, also makes excellent gyros.
