Gyro Meat

Ingredients
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¹⁄₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground lamb

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325*F.

2. Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out into the center of a clean kitchen towel. Gather up the ends of the towel and squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed. Discard juice.

3. Return the onion to the food processor and add the garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt, and pepper and process until pureed. Add the lamb slowly, pulsing until all the lamb is incorporated and the consistency of fine paste.  Stop the processor as needed to scrape down sides of bowl.

4. Place the mixture into a loaf pan, making sure to press into the sides of the pan. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until the mixture reaches 165 to 170*F. Remove from the oven and drain off any fat. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 175*F.

5. Slice and serve on pita bread with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce, chopped red onion, tomatoes and feta cheese.

Comments
This recipe comes from the amazing Alton Brown.  I remember watching the episode some years back and it came to mind when I was trying to figure out something to do with my leftover Cucumber Yogurt Sauce from the previous week.  

The next time I make this, I think I’ll cook it a bit rarer, maybe aim for 160*F after baking.  I think that a lot of that delicious lamb flavor is in the fat and cooking it to 170*F renders too much of the fat.  

Leftovers were great in salad form.  I chopped up some pita bread and tossed it with the gyro meat, feta, and grape tomatoes.  Then I used the remaining Cucumber Yogurt Sauce as a dressing.  I will definitely be revisiting this recipe in the future.

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