Gyros Quick and Easy (Donair / Donar)

photo by C. Taylor


- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 21
- Serves:
-
8
ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef (feel free to add ground lamb or pork to the mix)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1⁄2 large onion, finely minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs
-
For the pita
- Greek pita breads (can use pita pockets if in a pinch)
- olive oil, for brushing
- water, for dipping
-
Toppings (optional)
- tomatoes (optional)
- onion (optional)
- tzatziki (made with yogurt, not sour cream) (optional)
- aioli (or donair sauce) (optional)
- harissa (optional)
- lettuce (optional)
- French fries (optional)
- Coleslaw (optional)
directions
- Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and knead for about 10 minute Take the meat and slam it onto the counter (or in the bowl) about 20 times.
- Form the meat into strips that are flat and about 4 inches long by 2 inches wide. Cook on high for just a few minutes on each side, making sure to cook the meat through.
- Meanwhile for the pitas, take a pita and dip it in water quickly and then spray or brush with a little olive oil. Place in a pan over medium high heat, till each side has been toasted and heated through.
- For assembly, take a toasted pita and place about 3 or 4 strips of meat and then top with desired toppings. Wrap bottom portion with a bit of parchment paper or aluminum foil to make eating easier.
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Reviews
-
Although the spices were right, this gyro meat was completely ruined by her call for 3 tablespoons of salt. I don't know how salty you must like your food, but this made the meat so salty my family and I couldn't even eat it. I normally taste my things as I'm cooking, but I obviously couldn't do that with raw meat when I was seasoning it. It was a mistake on my part to trust a recipe so thoroughly, but when you're making a meal of 5 dishes at the same time, these things aren't always at the front of your mind. Perhaps it's an author error (let's hope) and it's meant to be TEAspoons? Additionally, the strips did not turn out to be "strips" at all. The meat was completely crumbly and fell apart. I was not able to keep the meat formed into any kind of resemblance of a gyro strip. I recognize that making your own gyro meat isn't the easiest of tasks, so perhaps I'll try another recipe for them. Or I'll search out some market with them pre-made.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
I live in a beautiful seaside town in Massachusetts with my husband, 2 daughters and 2 cats. When not experimenting in the kitchen, I'm writing steampunk romance (Not sure what that is? Check out my website!). Recently agented, I hope to see my books in print soon. Can't wait!
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Amelia (2 y.o. here) enjoying a cider donut after apple picking.
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Maeve (4 y. o. here)
I love cooking and can't resist trying to figure out what ingredients went into a good meal. I'm not really one for measuring, and usually just make things up as I go along. My brain tends to shut down at the sight of too many ingredients in a recipe (must be A.D.D. or something) so that's something I'm trying to work on. Most of my recipes are quick and easy to make, since I'm usually trying to get dinner out in a hurry. My family is Greek and my husband is Irish, but also lived in Spain for several years, so my cooking tends to reflect those cultures, but in general we're fairly adventurous.
Feel free to zmail me!
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