I was trying to replicate a Gyro. While this was delicious, it was not a Gyro. Next time I have a hankering for a Gyro – I’m going to try this recipe to make Gyro meat. But that Gyro Meat recipe is a lot more work than the lamb burgers so if you want something pretty darn good, try these lamb burgers with Tzatziki Sauce.

Time Estimate

10 minutes to make lamb burger patties

10 minutes to prep the veggies for the lamb burger pita’s

15 minutes to make the Tzatziki sauce.

15 minutes to cook lamb burger patties

Prep Equipment (Nice to Have)

1. Mini-Burger Maker (Option – divide the meat mix into 9 portions and make patties)
2. Zester (no real option for this) – this recipe really needs a tool like this)
3. Temperature Probe (option – hold your thumb to your pinky finger and touch the pad of your hand by your thumb – when the meat feels this firm, it’s well done.)
4. Food Processor (option – grater for cucumber)

Ingredients (makes about 4-6 servings)  

• 1 Pound Ground Lamb
• 1 Tablespoon Flying Pig Pork Rub (equal parts salt, fennel, coriander, rosemary, pepper)
• 1 Tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
• 1 tbs chia seeds
• 4 pita breads
• 2 tomatoes sliced into 8 inch slices
• 1 cucumber peeled and sliced into 1/8th inch slices
• 1 cumber peeled, cut into quarters and remove all the seeds
• 8 leaves of romaine lettuce
• 1 tsp diced shallots
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups whole milk greek yogurt

Directions 

1. Lamb Burgers
   1. Mix all the ingredients together (I use my hands).
   2. Make 9 mini burgers.
   3. Cover and set in the refrigerator for several hours (gives time for the ingredients to meld into the meat).
   4. Put a meat thermometer into one of the burgers and either put on a grill pan or cookie sheet into a 350 degree oven, cook in a fry pan over the stove or on the grill.  the burgers are done when they reach 165.
2. Tzatziki sauce
   1. Shred the four seedless cucumber sections, and squeeze out any water.
   2. Add the shredded cucumbers to the yogurt. Mix in the salt, dill weed, shallots, and lemon juice.
   3. You can get really fancy with this by straining the yogurt through a cheese cloth over night for a thicker Tzatziki sauce. For this recipe, I prefer it less thick.
3. Prep the lettuce, sliced tomatoes and sliced cucumber
4. Cut the pita bread in half – and make a pocket in it.

Serve

In the pita pocket, put in one lamb burger, a leaf of the romaine lettuce, slice of tomato, 1/8th of the sliced tomato and about 1/4 cup of the Tzatziki sauce.