When I first started trying to make gyro loaf, I did it like meatloaf like a lot of people do. I found the loaves hard to thinly slice and try to keep them from breaking. Then I found a recipe from one of the super-pros...it was J Kenji Lopez-Alt, or Alton Brown...or one of those "problem solver" type chefs. It employs the food processor like Chris in SoCal shared.
This adds pan frying the slices to somewhat replicate "off the spit" shaved slices of the originals. DRKsmoking's old post covers how it used to be...and still is in some authentic places but I think many of the Greek Restaurants are mailing it in these days and buying the sliced gyro meat from suppliers like Sysco.
I stepped all over the seasonings as I tend to do. This is where my current recipe was just refined to:
Gyro meat Revised 2024
*This recipe produces a tight, dense loaf that replicates the gyro meat from the restaurants
2 pounds 80-20 ground lamb, or beef
4 teaspoons kosher salt (use less for the salt sensitive)
1 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons each dried oregano, marjoram and rosemary
2 tablespoons dried chives
1 teaspoon each onion and garlic granules
½ teaspoon MSG
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup minced onion (green onions are good but any onion will work fine)
4 teaspoons lemon juice
Mix everything together with hands (I use rubber gloves) then put into food processor.
Process until it’s a tacky mess
Press into a loaf pan (I like to use a smallish 4x8” loaf pan so the loaf/slices is/are wider)
Rest in fridge overnight
Bake at 325° in a water bath (I use a 9x13 pyrex and pour nearly boiling water preferably as high as the meat is in the pan or as close as possible while still being able to slide the rack out of the oven while not spilling the hot water. This is a very delicate thing, if your rack is "catchy" and doesn't slide smoothly you have to go real slow or the water will start sloshing)
Bake until about 175° (30-40 minutes) then carefully lift the loaf pan out of the water. Allow to cool completely.
Slice to about 1/8-3/16” thick across the short way of the loaf. My slicer does a pretty good job. This makes slices about 1-1/2x4”.
Sperate in to about 4oz portions and store if not eating right away (I vac seal two-serving packs for the wife and I and freeze)
Brown the slices in an oiled skillet/griddle (I use pork fat usually) and put on a “keep warm” platter or pan, covered with foil in the oven or a toaster oven to hold warm if needed till serving. Low temp, 200° or lower.
*This helps replicate the “shaved off the spit” flavor and texture. Don’t over-fry though, it will dry the meat out.
*This seasoning ratio can also be used for lamb burgers, but my note is its too salty as-is, if using blue cheese on the burger. This is a strongly seasoned recipe so the meat stands out in a gyro sandwich.
*Skip the food processor if making burgers. Form and cook burgers normally.