Table Scraps: Homemade Gyros

Gyros from a cart, with meat carved off of the meat log roasting in the back of the truck, are greasy awesomeness wrapped in tin foil. Probably the best I've had is from Rafiqi's truck around midtown, but I won't always be able to make the trek for some midtown street grub. Enter Alton Brown and all that is his geniusness, and we can attempt to make gyros in our very own home!

I've made this now twice, once using all ground lamb, and once using 1/2 lamb and 1/2 turkey or veal or some white meat I forget. Beef would also work well, but use whatever meat you like; less lamb if you don't like that gamey taste (although it doesn't taste that gamey at all even using all lamb).

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 hr 15 min
Rest time: 15-20 min
Servings: 5 gyros

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground lamb or other ground meat of choice
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp dried marjoram
1 Tbsp dried rosemary
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 flatbread pitas
1 tomato, chopped
Thinly sliced onions

Tzatziki sauce:
1 7-oz container Greek yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp dill
1 Tbsp lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment:
Food processor
Tea towel or cheese cloth
1 loaf pan
Larger oven-safe pan big enough to hold loaf pan
Brick or second loaf pan

If you don't have Greek yogurt, strain plain yogurt in a tea towel, gathering up the edges of the towel and suspending over a bowl for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Peel cucumbers, then cut in half lengthwise and take a small spoon and scrape out seeds. Dice cucumbers and add to food processor along with garlic, dill, and lemon. Process to desired consistency and mix into yogurt. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving so flavors can blend. Salt and pepper to taste.

Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a tea towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice. Return the onion to the food processor and add the lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until it is a fine paste, approximately 1 1/2-2 minutes. Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl. You will need to do this in ~1/2 pound batches, and be careful not to overheat your motor! Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. [Optional: Place in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to let flavors meld].

Process the meat/onion/spices until they reach a pate-like consistency

raw goodness!

Place the loaf pan into a water bath and bake for 60 to 75 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and place a brick wrapped in aluminum foil directly on the surface of the meat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, place a second loaf pan over the meat and weight down with heavy weights. This will squeeze out extra fat and reduce the voids in the meat 'loaf' to resemble more of a pate. Slice and serve on pita bread with tzatziki sauce and other condiments of choice, such as tomatoes, sliced onions, hot sauce, and/or feta cheese.