Gyros

This past summer we raised Katahdin lambs on our farm. These were grass-fed lambs rotated through a pasture to ensure they were offered the best food and healthiest lifestyle in the open, Catskill Mountain fresh air.

We chose to raise lambs on pasture versus grain, because of the health benefits. Grass-fed lamb is higher in omega-3 fatty acids, which is an essential polyunsaturated fat our bodies need for cell function. We usually think of seafood as our source of omega-3 fatty acids, but grasses are also rich in these fats. When lambs graze on grasses the fats are incorporated into the lamb’s tissues. Grains, on the other hand, reduce these beneficial fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are known to lower heart disease and reduce the risk of stroke.

To celebrate our healthy lamb products, we are sharing a recipe well-known for being a Greek staple. Gyros, which means to “turn” in Greek, is typically cooked on a vertical spit.

Since we do not have a vertical broiler, we have perfected a method that captures the same savory flavors. It takes time — resting the meat between stages allows for a juicier end product — so start this either the morning you want to cook it, or sooner.

Recipe for Lamb Gyros

Gyro meat ingredients      

1 pound ground lamb

2 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon oregano

2 ounces leaf lard or 3 slices of bacon, diced

½ cup onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

Combine lamb, salt, pepper, and oregano in a medium bowl. Mix with your hands, cover, and refrigerate at least one hour. When working with the lamb, make sure to keep it and the leaf lard chilled at all times. If the fat melts, the mixture will not come together properly and the texture will be grainy. Add the remaining ingredients and the chilled lamb mixture to a food processor, and process until the texture is smooth.

Line a standard-size loaf pan (8.5 by 4.5 inches) with aluminum foil or parchment paper and press the lamb mixture firmly into the pan to remove air pockets. The thickness of the lamb mixture should be about one inch. Cover the mixture and chill for at least one hour.

The meat will be cooked in two separate stages, with the second stage needed to make the meat crispy.

In the first stage of cooking, bake the meat for an hour at 350°F. The temperature of the meat should be 150°F when finished. It can bake longer if the temperature is not at 150°F. Let the loaf rest and cool to room temperature.

Once the meat is cool, carefully remove it from the loaf pan. Slice the meat into quarter-inch strips. Each strip will be about 4.5 inches long, 1 inch wide, and a quarter-inch thick.

Lay the strips onto a wire rack and place in the oven, with a drip tray beneath the rack to collect the drippings. Set the oven to broil, and broil the strips for 2 minutes. Flip the strips over and repeat for another 2 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because they can go from brown and crispy to burnt quickly.

Tzatziki sauce

1 cup non-fat, plain, Greek yogurt

½ cup cucumber, peeled and minced

1-2 Tablespoon dried dill

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 clove of garlic, minced

Salt and white pepper for flavor

Mix all ingredients together. Chill for at least 30 minutes to develop the flavors.

To assemble

6 pieces of Pita bread

Gyro meat

Tzatziki sauce

Feta

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Red onion

When ready to assemble, wrap pitas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to soften. To each warmed pita, add tzatziki sauce and top with gyro meat, feta, lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion. Makes six gyros.

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