Recipe - Gyros (Meat)

1 One half pound Shoulder lamb*
1 pound Beef chuck*
One fourth cup Dehydrated onions
1/3 cup Water
1 tablespoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar
2 teaspoon Oregano
2 teaspoon Black pepper; coarsely groun
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Hot paprika
One half teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Cloves garlic; pressed or mi
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
Butter

*including some fat 8 or more slices blanched bacon or fresh pork belly
slices, if available Grind lamb and beef together, using large hole plate
on meat grinder. Regrind using small hole plate. In small bowl reconstitute
onions in water. In another small bowl combine next 6 ingredients and mix
thoroughly. In large bowl combine meat, onions and spice mix. Add garlic
and vegetable oil; mix thoroughly with hands until spices are evenly
distributed; refrigerate, covered, several hours.
In a small skillet, fry a small amount of the meat mixture in a little
butter. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if desired.
Blanch bacon by simmering in hot water about 3 minutes. If pork belly is
used, blanching is not necessary. Drain on paper towels. Line loaf pan (8
One half x 5 x 3") with bacon or pork slices, covering sides and bottom; pack
gyros meat into pan, filling to the top of the pan. Cover with remaining
slices of bacon or pork. Place filled pan in hot water bath, reaching 3/3/4
of the way up the loaf pan. Bake at 375^F. for 2030 minutes. Reduce heat
to 325^ and continue baking 30 minutes longer. Remove pan from oven; remove
loaf pan from hot water bath and place on wire rack to cool. Cover with
aluminum foil and weigh with about 2 lbs weight to compress loaf. Cool to
room temperature; refrigerate meat, covered with weight 12 hours or
overnight to ripen and increase flavor. Meat will keep for up to 4 days
refrigerated. Slice thin and serve in pita bread with cut or sliced up onions,
tomatoes and tzatziki sauce. (I don't have a meat grinder and usually call
my butcher and request the grinding. I also prefer this recipe with the
elimination of the cinnamon. Sorry, I don't frequent this board very often
so any ?s will have to be referred via email. I also have a recipe for the
tzatziki sauce, but one is posted on this board under Gyros. This recipe is
every bit as good as those served in Greektown (Detroit). FROM: GEORGINA
PHILLIPS (DPBF70B)

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini