Recipe Spam Gyro Meat

[The Late Night Gourmet]

In honor of Spam's 80th Anniversary, I bring you my favorite use for the....er....meat. The picture here shows my treatment of the Spam on a homemade gyro with homemade tzatziki sauce.

Ingredients

12 ounces Spam, light
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon rosemary
1⁄4 teaspoon thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon marjoram
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Slice the entire block of Spam thinly along the narrow side.
2. Blend the remaining ingredients thoroughly, and mix in with sliced Spam so that each piece is coated.
3. Chill in refrigerator, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
4. Cook in a medium-hot pan in a single layer, turning each piece over after a few minutes.
5. Place on freshly-made Gyro bread, and top with chopped tomato, onions, and tzatziki sauce.

 

[Morning Glory]

Well I don't know what Gyro meat is or what Gyro bread is - but this is an intriguing recipe!

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

Well I don't know what Gyro meat is or what Gyro bread is - but this is an intriguing recipe!

It's funny how I assume that dishes from European countries will be commonly known to people in Europe, but I have to realize that not all dishes are as popular everywhere. I'd say Gyros are by far the most popular Greek food export to the United States. They consist of flatbread with rotisserie meat, and usually come with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce, and a side of rice. Serving with a Greek salad, of course, is also very common. In the US, it's also not unusual for the gyro to have a side of fries, but I generally don't.

 

[Morning Glory]

It's funny how I assume that dishes from European countries will be commonly known to people in Europe, but I have to realize that not all dishes are as popular everywhere. I'd say Gyros are by far the most popular Greek food export to the United States. They consist of flatbread with rotisserie meat, and usually come with tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce, and a side of rice. Serving with a Greek salad, of course, is also very common. In the US, it's also not unusual for the gyro to have a side of fries, but I generally don't.

It is indeed surprising how dishes we take as the norm are not so for others. Maybe I am alone in not knowing what Gyros are though? Its entirely possible!

 

[sidevalve]

Nope-never heard of them here either. You guys in the states have to remember though that europe is quite big overall and more importantly unlike the USA it is made up of lots of separate countries. Things that have made it over there [perhaps with the immigrants in the last century ?] have often, until recently anyhow not moved about much over here.

 

[Toffeeapple]

I had never heard of Gyros either but then, I am Welsh.

 

[epicuric]

I've never heard of them either, and I've spent lots of time in Greece and Cyprus! I wonder if they are one of those 'manufactured for export' dishes that don't really feature much in traditional cuisine. A bit like pizza in Italy.

 

[rascal]

I make tzatziki all the time. Never would put it with spam.

Russ

 

[Karen W]

I think you might find it similar to or know it as doner kebab.

 

[Karen W]

In honor of Spam's 80th Anniversary, I bring you my favorite use for the....er....meat. The picture here shows my treatment of the Spam on a homemade gyro with homemade tzatziki sauce.

Ingredients

12 ounces Spam, light
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon rosemary
1⁄4 teaspoon thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon marjoram
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Slice the entire block of Spam thinly along the narrow side.
2. Blend the remaining ingredients thoroughly, and mix in with sliced Spam so that each piece is coated.
3. Chill in refrigerator, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
4. Cook in a medium-hot pan in a single layer, turning each piece over after a few minutes.
5. Place on freshly-made Gyro bread, and top with chopped tomato, onions, and tzatziki sauce.

Very clever. Looks greàt.

 

[medtran49]

I think we'll stick with the gyro recipe I make and Craig cooks on the rotisserie on the grill. I'm a Spam virgin and will be keeping my status intact. LOL!

And the bread served with a gyro in all the Greek restros here is called pita.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I think we'll stick with the gyro recipe I make and Craig cooks on the rotisserie on the grill. I'm a Spam virgin and will be keeping my status intact. LOL!

A rotisserie is the only way to make the meat turn out like it does in restaurants; otherwise, it’s like meatloaf. Not bad, but not the right texture. Spam is a shortcut.

 

[epicuric]

I think you might find it similar to or know it as doner kebab.

Ah, know that I do know well - grilled or barbecued meat in a pita bread. It was the term gyro that threw me.

 

[buckytom]

I've never heard of them either, and I've spent lots of time in Greece and Cyprus! I wonder if they are one of those 'manufactured for export' dishes that don't really feature much in traditional cuisine. A bit like pizza in Italy.

Umm, what?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyro_(food)

It's actually a Greek word for the way it is cooked on a rotisserie.. Pronounced phonetically in Greek: year-oh.

And pizza isn't Italian?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza

 

[Morning Glory]

A bit like pizza in Italy.

I visited Italy over 40 years ago and there seemed to be plenty of pizza. I ate one in a restaurant in that big Pizza in Rome. Possibly

It's actually a Greek word for the way it is cooked on a rotisserie.. Pronounced phonetically in Greek: year-oh.

Possibly in Greece a dish is not referred to by that name even though its a cooking method. We haven't got any Greek members to ask...