Gyro Meat Recipe
Servings: 4 people

1 pound ground lamb or 85% lean ground beef
2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 onion cut into 1-inch chunks
1 clove garlic sliced
3 ounces bacon cut into 1-inch pieces

To a medium bowl add lamb, salt, pepper, oregano and cumin. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 300˚F.

Add onion and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to mince; scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Add lamb mixture and bacon pieces; process to a smooth puree, scraping down sides as necessary.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer meat mixture to center. Wet hands and form meat into a rectangle, approximately 8-inches long, 5-inches wide and 1 1/2-inches high.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 155˚F. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Adjust oven rack to highest position and preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil.

Transfer loaf to a cutting board and carefully slice crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices.

Arrange slices on prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room between each one. Broil 2 minutes, until slices are hot and edges are crispy. Remove from oven and tent with foil.

Serving Suggestion: Warm pita bread and spread with a thick layer of tzatziki sauce, pile on gyro meat slices and top with thinly sliced onion and chopped tomato.

An easy way to warm pita bread is to broil it on a baking sheet for about 30-45 seconds per side.


Notes
Some readers have found this recipe too salty (others think it's just right). If you tend to like less salty foods, I recommend making this recipe the first time with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt instead of 2. You can always add more seasoning before serving.

Note that nutrition information does not include pita or toppings.


Nutrition
Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1372mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg