Gyro Meatloaf in Crockpot

Gyros are on of my favorite sandwiches. I realized that like pretty much everything else I love to eat, I should be able to find it on the internet. Imagine my surprise when I found out you could cook it like a meatloaf and not on a spit! True gyros should supposedly be made with lamb and beef, but I've seen everything from turkey and pork added as well. I'm going to try it as a meatloaf in the crockpot and then freeze it pre-sliced with pita bread and then make tzatziki sauce to take wit me to work. FYI: I have not made this recipe yet.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 3

Ingredients

• GYRO MEAT

• 1  lb ground lamb (any combination will work as long as you use 50$ lamb for authentic recipe) or 1  lb ground pork (any combination will work as long as you use 50% lamb for authentic recipe) or 1  lb ground turkey (any combination will work as long as you use 50% lamb for authentic recipe)
• 1⁄2 cup  very finely chopped onions or 1⁄2 cup  shredded onion
• 2  teaspoons  fresh minced garlic
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  dried  ground marjoram or 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  dried ground rosemary or 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  teaspoon paprika (optional)

• TZATZIKI SAUCE

• 1  small cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped and drained
• 1  cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 3  minced garlic cloves
• 2  tablespoons  chopped of fresh mint, finely minced (optional) or 5  mint leaves (optional)
• 2  teaspoons red wine vinegar (optional)
•  pita bread (optional) or  flour tortillas (optional) or  corn tortilla (optional)
•  lettuce, shredded (optional)
•  tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Mix all meat together with spices (no lemon) and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Blend in a food processor to smooth texture and shape into a spit.
2. GRILL:
3. (Optional) Squeeze lemon juice over meat. Form into an oblong loaf around a spit. Slow cook over a grill fro around 30-45 minutes. Cook far from the coals or gas burner, and ratate slowly.
4. OVEN:
5. Alternatively, shape as a loaf and bake in the oven. (Optional) Squeeze lemon juice over loaf. Bake meatloaf for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, at 325ºF. It should be a bit dry.
6. CROCKPOT:
7. Alternatively, to cook in a crockpot, mix together all ingredients except onion and garlic. After blending and forming, place onions and garlic surrounding shaped spiced meat in a crockpot. (Optionally) Squeeze lemon juice over loaf and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 hours. Remove meat carefully (will be very flimsy from crockpot).
8. TZATZIKI SAUCE:
9. Place the yogurt in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Place the chopped cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for the gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
10. SERVE:
11. Gyro meat thinly sliced over pita bread with Tzatziki Sauce and veggies.