Homemade Gyro Meat

Homemade gyro meat is easier than you think. This tender, perfectly seasoned gyro meat recipe makes low carb dinners a snap!

 

I am pretty certain I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like Mediterranean food. All those fresh flavors and aromatic seasonings seems to have universal appeal. And as long as you skip the pasta and rice, it’s easy to enjoy them on a low carb diet.

I have a delicious recipe for Greek Sheet Pan Chicken, and Keto Greek Shrimp is very popular too. And you don’t hear any complaints in my house when I make a big batch of this homemade gyro meat!

I don’t even remember when we started making this recipe, but it’s been at least 10 years. My husband was purchasing gyro strips from somewhere, and I wasn’t impressed by the quality. So I suggested we try our hand at making it at home.

Here we are, years later, and I am finally sharing the recipe with you!

Why this recipe is so awesome

When we first attempted it ourselves, we consulted a number of others. But we found that many of them didn’t have quite as much seasoning as we liked. We also found them over-complicated, and worked on simplifying the process.

This gyro meat recipe takes a handful of ingredients and it doesn’t require any special equipment like a food processor. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT enjoy trying to clean a processor bowl and blade after grinding meat.

Instead, you simply work the meat mixture with your hands to give it the right texture. Then you shape into a loaf and bake it until done.

It’s a great meal prep recipe, as you can make the meatloaf ahead and refrigerate or freeze until you need it. You can freeze it whole, or in slices for easy meals.

Ingredients you need

• Ground meat: This recipe uses both ground lamb and ground beef. You can also make it with just one or other other. You can also make it with some ground pork.
• Onion: Grated onion helps disperse the flavor better, and allows you to use less so you can keep the carbs low.
• Garlic: Do yourself a favor and use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
• Seasonings: Dried marjoram, rosemary, cumin, and salt

1. Add the ground meat to a large bowl. Grate the onion on the large holes of a grater right into the bowl. Add the garlic, marjoram, cumin, salt, and pepper.
2. Use your hands to work the ingredients together, squeezing the meat together really well. Form into a long flat loaf, about 4 by 10 inches and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake at 325ºF for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center of the loaf reaches 160ºF on an instant read thermometer. Let cool completely.
4. Use a sharp knife to slice the loaf into thin slices, no thicker than 1/4 inch.
5. Add a small amount of oil to a pan over medium high heat and sear the slices quickly on each side, about 1 minute.

Expert tips

Let the loaf cool completely before slicing, as it will hold together better. You can even refrigerate it for a while to make it easier.

Grated onion works well in a recipe like this, so that you don’t get bits of onion in the gyro strips. It also helps the flavor disperse throughout the meat.

Really use your hands to squeeze the meat so that it becomes cohesive. That will make your loaf hold together better and gives you the classic dense consistency.

You don’t have to pan fry the slices, but it does give it a nice brownness. It also helps reheat the gyro meat before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

We love to make these Keto Gyro Bowls for quick and healthy meals.

1. Heat up a little cauliflower rice and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place in a bowl with some chopped lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
3. Top with gyro meat slices, feta, and olives.
4. Drizzle with a little Creamy Feta Dressing.