Gyro Meat

[homebrew & bbq]

I don't know if this is the right place for this, but here goes....

My wife and I both enjoy gyro sandwiches when we have a chance to have one. Unfortunately, the nearest place that serves them is 100 miles away. This summer we saw episode on the food network that showed how to make your own gyro meat from scratch (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci..._30420,00.html). We've tried the recipe and like it, so we've made it a couple of times now. Since lamb is sort of pricey, we've even tried using a 50/50 mix of 80/20 ground beef and ground turkey and that seemed to work just fine.

So the question is... Has anyone tried smoking gyro meat? If so, how did it turn out?

 

[walking dude]

i saw the same episode......A.B. i believe........love that guy.......

but as you said.......lamb is pricey...........tho no clue why........hopefully someone will come along and help you out



d8de

 

[fatback joe]

I have not smoked gyro meat specifically, but have smoked lamb with good results. Just go light on the smoke and use a mild wood (I used apple) and you should be fine.

On edit - if you do lamb, keep the heat high, no benefit to low heat on this one IMO.

 

[wilson]

A few years ago when i was in Germany I had lunch at a little Greek Cafe. They had 2 types of Gyro meats: One smoked which they served with a Habenero Sauce (Freaking Hot, but wonderful) and One regular style served with the tzatziki sauce.
So bottom line is yes. If you are cooking it on a rotisserie on an outdoor grill like A.B. did on the Food Network, I would just add some wood chips in a foilpack or put some in a wood chip box. One word of caution go light on the smoke. Apple wood should go good with lamb or if you can find it Grape wood.
Good Luck,
They would not give me the recipe for the Habanero Sauce. It had a thick Mash consistency, It had some fruit/vegitiable mixed in maybe carrots, the color of the sauce was brownish with tons of Habenro seeds in it

.
Ron

 

[moltenone]

yummmmm,gyro's are our friends.
A.B's recipe works fine.


Mark

 

[flattop]

Oh my stomach is growling now. I have made that recipe of AB's a few times. Guess it wasn't a true "smoke" but had the meat on the rotiserri and some would chips in the smoker box on top of the grill.

Turns out great with just a hint of smoke.

 

[homebrew & bbq]

Thanks for the input. I'm not sure how soon I'll have a chance to try this out, but at least I have some idea of how to approach it. You guys are GREAT!!

 

[wilson]

I'm just glad I could help. I've learned a lot since I joined a few weeks ago. I was just trying to give back a little. When you do get the chance to make GYRO's again let us know how they came out.
Ron

 

[deejaydebi]

Gyros have come up a few times and it seems smoked with a sauce is the way to go. I haven't tried it yet, we have greek pizza houses that makes them and I've never been a big fan of lamb. If you do a search you may find other ideas as well.

 

[pescadero]

I have never tried to make Gyro's. But, I love them. Unfortunately I am in the same situation as HomeBrew. No Gyro's around locally. It is also a 100 mile drive for me to get one, so only get them when I am in the 'big city'. Either Portland or Eugene.

I have raised lamb though, for many years. Usually get 2 or three in early spring. Keep them until fall and then butcher. Since mine are always youngsters, there is never any strength to them. Never any 'mutton' taste or smell, as there sometimes is on older animals. Just to defend against that possibility, however, I always trim every bit of fat I can find.

If I want the meat for the main ingredient in some dish, I cook 'low & slow' to make sure all remainimg fat gets rendered out. The fat is usually the culprit for the 'mutton' taste. I treat it almost like 'pulled pork', when trying to achieve this situation.

If I am working with chops or steaks, I will run smoke against them, but then cook them on the grill or under the broiler. Here I treat them much like a pork shoulder steak. I cook at a higher temp and faster, searing the meat and locking in the juices.

I even grind the trimmings and use them straight to make lamb burger. Or sometimes mixed with a good ground beef, to make up a hybrid lamb/beef burger. This hybrid is the combination I used in my recent post about 'smoked meatloaf'.

I personally think that lamb takes very kindly to smoke and is really worth trying, for those of you who have not given it a shot.

Skip

 

[squeezy]

Most Habanero sauces use carrots to give consistency and mellow the harsh flavor. I made some last year and yes it was hot!

 

[Deer Meat]

Boy it has been a whilke since I had a gyro, a smoked gyro sounds even better.

 

[scooterjam]

Man I wish I had seen this recipe prior to this weekend.   Haha.    I emulsified my meat mixture, and steamed it.   It was pretty damn good.  However, I would have rather cooked it in my rotissiere oven instead of steaming.    Looked like we both obtained about the same texture, but his way was much easier.  Took almost 4 hours to steam that dam thing.  I don't know if I'd like smoked meat for Gyro's.....thats one thing I'm unsure of, personal tastes I suppose

 

[jerseyhunter]

I use this recipe often on my rotisserie outside, but I do have netting from the sausage maker which makes it easier it kep together and even gives it lins with 1/4"spacing for easier cutting wthout having to use the slicer. Will be making a loaf or two come fall. Freezes well also.