American Gyros � Mystery Meat Demystified

If you�re from Greece, you�re probably pretty confused right now, and wondering why I�m calling this gyros. There, pork and chicken are used, in non-ground form, and as the meat turns slowly over a fire, the cooked, caramelized surface is shaved off into thin slices. 

It�s amazing stuff, but believe it or not, I prefer this Americanized �mystery meat� approach, which uses ground lamb and/or beef. The spices are similar, but the texture is totally different, and for me, more interesting. I can eat fresh, identifiable meat anytime, so when I�m in the mood for gyros, I want the stuff you can only get from certain street vendors. Of course, since the meat is ground, you�re taking their word for which specific animals made the ultimate sacrifice, which is why this stuff became affectionately known as �mystery meat.�

This style is perfect for making ahead of time. Once it�s chilled, and sliced, all you need to do is brown it in a pan, and find some flatbread to roll it up in. Preferably, that would be homemade Lebanese mountain bread, which I will attempt to show you in the near future. In the meantime, your favorite pita will do, just as long as you don�t forget to make some tzatziki. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 portions:

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon freshly minced rosemary

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste (you can cook a small piece to test)

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons bread crumb

- Cook at 350 F. for 45 minutes, or until an internal temp of 160 F.
-- Note: to make the pickled red onions, simply slice them about 1/8-inch thick, and cover with red wine vinegar for a few hours, or overnight. They will turn into the beautifully colored garnish seen herein.