If you know even the slightest thing about me, you know I am a darn sucker for a gyro sandwich. Whether it’s in line at 1am after too much wine in my much younger, more hip days or takeout from our favorite hole in the wall local gas station, I am a proud, obsessed supporter of that perfectly flavored, juices running down your arm, all wrapped up in a pita bundle of goodness. And fortunately, my hubs and kiddos are equally on board.

I mean what’s really better than seeing them slice that glorious, salty, savory meat off that spinning spit? It’s magical. I get all giddy just thinking about it. I’ve always wished that I could have my own spit at home…and someday when I have that giant industrial kitchen I’ve been dreaming about it just may happen. But for now, I’m left with no other option than to research the heck out of that there Interweb and find a way to make that melt-in-your-mouth meat sans the spit.

And thanks to good old Epicurious, my dreams have come true! This is an unbeatable method, guys, for achieving a truly authentic, perfectly textured and flavored meat. And the best part is that if you can make a meatloaf, you’ll rock the heck out of this recipe!

It’s perfect for weekdays…from here on out I’ll make the meat on Sunday’s, let it chill in the fridge overnight and then serve it all week long for quick, easy meals. . The chilling is key so that the flavors all develop and the texture becomes perfectly sliceable. After you make the meat and it has chilled, all that’s left to do is fry it up and pack it in a pita with all the goods. You can also pile it on a salad or serve it bowl-style with rice or quinoa. Winning, friends. Straight up winning!

Authentic Gyros (without the spit)

Note: you can very easily swap the lamb for ground beef here

Adapted from this recipe

Ingredients

For the Gyro Meat

1 Yellow Onion, grated

1 Pound Ground Lamb

1/2 Pound Ground Pork

2 Large Garlic Cloves, grated or pressed

2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Parsley

2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt

3/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 Teaspoon Ground Corriander

1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

2 Eggs

Olive Oil, for frying

For the Sandwiches

Pita Bread, slightly grilled or warmed

Rich Mans Salad, for topping *recipe here

Yogurt Sauce, for topping *recipe here

Directions

For the Gyro Meat

Preheat oven to 375 and grease an 8×8 glass baking dish with olive oil.

Grate the onion in a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir gently with your hands until combined. Add the meat mixture to the prepared baking dish and gently pack it in and smooth out the top with your hands. Bake for 50 minutes or until nicely browned on top and the edges are starting to come away from the pan. Remove, chill to room temperature and cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

When you’re ready to serve the gyros add about 1/4 Cup olive oil to a pan (i use cast iron) and heat over medium high heat. Remove the meat from the baking dish with a large spatula and slice it as thin as you are able with a serrated knife. Fry the slices in olive oil, adding more oil if necessary as you go, until deep golden brown, turning occasionally.

For the Sandwiches

Pile the meat in pita bread and top with Rich Mans Salad and Yogurt Sauce.