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kosta_karapinotis

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For this recipe, you will need: 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 pounds ground meat (lamb, pork, beef or a mixture), 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper. Gather these ingredients and have a great gyro night at home with your family and friends!

Processes onion in a food processor, add the garlic and pulse for ten seconds. Add the meat, oregano, salt, and pepper and pulse until all the ingredients are combined. Form the mixture into a the shape of a loaf. I like to make min in the oven, but if you have a rotisserie machine then by all means go ahead and make it there! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the gyro mixture and place in the center of the oven. Bake until cooked all the way through. This should take 40-45 minutes depending on the oven.

Add your favorite toppings and place the meat on a pita with tzatziki and you have a great tasting gyro!

Homemade-Gyro-Meat-720x478.jpg
 
For this recipe, you will need: 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 pounds ground meat (lamb, pork, beef or a mixture), 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper. Gather these ingredients and have a great gyro night at home with your family and friends!

Processes onion in a food processor, add the garlic and pulse for ten seconds. Add the meat, oregano, salt, and pepper and pulse until all the ingredients are combined. Form the mixture into a the shape of a loaf. I like to make min in the oven, but if you have a rotisserie machine then by all means go ahead and make it there! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the gyro mixture and place in the center of the oven. Bake until cooked all the way through. This should take 40-45 minutes depending on the oven.

Add your favorite toppings and place the meat on a pita with tzatziki and you have a great tasting gyro!

View attachment 764
Kosta, that sounds really good & I am going to try it. I am a little confused though, as I have always eaten gyros (pork or chicken), which are usually thin slivers of the meat, not mince. Will this cut like gyros meat?
 
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Kosta, that sounds really good & I am going to try it. I am a little confused though, as I have always eaten gyros (pork or chicken), which are usually thin slivers of the meat, not mince. Will this cut like gyros meat?
It sounds like it will be more like the gyro meat that you get in the fast food places. I've made gyro at home like this and the texture is not the exact same but the flavour is there!
 
For this recipe, you will need: 1 onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 pounds ground meat (lamb, pork, beef or a mixture), 1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper. Gather these ingredients and have a great gyro night at home with your family and friends!

Processes onion in a food processor, add the garlic and pulse for ten seconds. Add the meat, oregano, salt, and pepper and pulse until all the ingredients are combined. Form the mixture into a the shape of a loaf. I like to make min in the oven, but if you have a rotisserie machine then by all means go ahead and make it there! Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the gyro mixture and place in the center of the oven. Bake until cooked all the way through. This should take 40-45 minutes depending on the oven.

Add your favorite toppings and place the meat on a pita with tzatziki and you have a great tasting gyro!

View attachment 764
 
I do mine in the slow cooker. works great!
 
This looks great! When doing gyros like this, the texture isn't quite the same as the store bought stuff, but the flavor is there. Also, I like to do it at home so I can control the amount of salt and the sources of meat that go in.
 

Do you make your pastitsio with a thick or thin layer of krema?

I've always preferred my pastitsio with a nice, thick layer of béchamel on top. To me, that's one of the best parts of the dish! I love when the krema is rich, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into the pastitsio.

The problem is that I've been having trouble getting my krema just right. Sometimes it comes out too thin, and other times the texture isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I've tried adjusting the amount of flour and milk, but I still haven't found the perfect balance.

I'm curious how everyone else makes theirs. Do you prefer a thick layer of béchamel or just enough to cover the pasta? Does your family add eggs or cheese to the mixture?

I'd especially love to hear any tips for making a thick, smooth krema that sets beautifully when baked!

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

What is the secret to making really good Greek lemon potatoes?

I've been making Greek lemon potatoes for years, and it's one of those dishes I make completely by feel. I don't measure anything, and I never really thought about how I make them because it's all second nature to me.

Recently, I tried teaching someone how to make them. Everything seemed straightforward while we were cooking together, but when they went home and tried making them on their own, all kinds of things went wrong! The potatoes weren't cooking evenly, the texture wasn't quite right, and the lemon flavor didn't come through the way it should.

It made me realize how much I rely on instinct when cooking traditional Greek food. I rarely write down recipes, so explaining every little detail is harder than I expected!

For those who make Greek lemon potatoes regularly, what tips would you give someone who's just learning?

My Family’s Keftedes Recipe

Keftedes are one of those foods that always remind me of family gatherings. Everyone seems to make them a little differently, but this is the basic version my family has always used.

For about a pound of ground beef, we add one small grated onion, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a little fresh mint, one egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Sometimes we add a little grated garlic as well.

The important part is mixing everything well and then letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a little while before shaping the keftedes. We make them fairly small, roll them lightly in flour, and fry them in olive oil until browned on the outside and cooked through.

We usually serve them with lemon, potatoes, salad, or tzatziki.

How does your family make keftedes? I’m especially curious about which herbs and seasonings everyone uses. Thought I'd share!
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