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Beef and Lamb Gyro Loaf with Tzatziki

Beef and Lamb Gyro Loaf with Tzatziki reads umami 6.7, richness 5.4 and sourness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Greek main, about 4 hr 40 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.7 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Richness 5.4 · Sourness 5.1 · Citrus 5.0 · Allium 4.5 · Salinity 3.6 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Sweetness 2.4 · Smoke 2.4 · Earthy 2.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.1 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Bitterness 1.4 · Fruity 1.3 · Nutty 1.1 · Floral 0.8 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (15)

• beef — 454 g
• lamb — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 15 g
• dried leaf oregano — 4 g
• cumin — 10 g
• smoked paprika — 5 g
• salt — 9 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• nonfat plain yogurt — 237 g
• english cucumber — 200 g
• lemon juice — 30 g
• extra-virgin olive oil — 14 g
• dill — 7 g
• pita bread — 600 g

Time & effort: about 4 hr 40 min (1 hr 40 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 156 kcal, 12.1 g protein, 3.9 g fat, 18 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (11 steps)

1. Grate the cucumber, toss with a pinch of salt, and drain in a colander for 10 minutes, then squeeze dry in a clean kitchen towel.
2. Stir together the drained cucumber, Greek yogurt, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, dill, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together.
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pulse the onion and 4 of the garlic cloves in a food processor until finely minced, about 10 pulses.
4. Add the ground beef, ground lamb, oregano, cumin, paprika, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and the pepper to the processor; process until the mixture forms a smooth, sticky, almost paste-like mass, 60-90 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
5. Pack the mixture firmly into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan, pressing out air pockets and smoothing the top; cover tightly with foil.
6. Set the loaf pan inside a larger roasting pan and add hot water to come halfway up the sides. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 165°F, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
7. Remove the loaf pan from the water bath and uncover. Weight the meat down with a second loaf pan filled with heavy cans and let cool 30 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate, still weighted, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
8. Turn the loaf out onto a cutting board and slice as thin as you can, about 1/8 inch thick.
9. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Sear the sliced meat in batches until the edges are crisp and browned, 2-3 minutes per side.
10. Warm the pita breads in the same skillet or directly over a gas flame until charred in spots and pliable, about 30 seconds per side.
11. Pile the crisped gyro meat into warm pita with a generous spoonful of tzatziki; finish with the remaining lemon juice squeezed over top.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef Shawarma Tacos — Middle Eastern
• Lamb Kofta with Yogurt Sauce — Greek
• White Bean and Brussels Sprout Hash with Fried Egg — American
• Sheet-Pan Steak Fajita Nachos Bake — Tex-Mex
• Grilled Ancho Chile Rubbed Flat Iron Steak — Tex-Mex

Keep reading: what umami, richness, sourness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.