Make this delicious Instant Pot Gyro Meat recipe right at home! Use your pressure cooker to get authentic-tasting gyro meat.
Why You'll Love These Homemade Gyros
I never thought I'd be able to make homemade gyro meat but I did it a while ago. But why, you ask me? Why do we need Instant Pot Gyros when we have a perfectly good recipe to make them in the oven RIGHT HERE where I posted it last time?
Well, we don't NEED it made in the Instant Pot. But why not try it and see if it's better? So I made it. Kinda like climbing a mountain just because it's there.
So here's my verdict. The meat looks better if cooked in the oven, but it tastes much better when cooked in the Instant Pot. Moist, tender, and very easy to eat. But I will tell you, it looks like one big, messy, gray lump. When I took it out of the Instant Pot, I really began to question my wisdom in cooking what is essentially a meatloaf in an Instant Pot. I mean, look at it! But honestly, I think I'd do it again.
Do You Have To Use Lamb?
Traditionally, these are made with lamb, or lamb and beef. We had two issues with this.
One, I have one son who refuses to eat lamb because "They're too cute to eat." (??) Two, the lamb was $9.99/pounds. and I was too cheap to risk that on a dish that might not have worked. Besides, there was some lovely ground pork sitting right next to it for $3.49/pounds.
I totally get that it's close to heresy to make a middle-eastern dish eaten originally by Muslims and Jews using Pork. I do, I get it! But see two reasons above. So you can make it with lamb or pork and it will all taste delicious.
One thing I did differently from the last time I made it, was to ask the butcher to grind the beef for me. The grinding of the meat is the WORST part of this recipe. So messy and just...ick. They can't re-grind lamb or pork at my grocery store because of cross-contamination, but I find that ground pork is pretty finely ground anyway, and simply having them grind the beef again makes it a pretty fine mixture.
Ingredients You'll Need
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef- Provides a hearty, rich foundation for the gyro meat. Asking your butcher to re-grind it helps achieve a finer texture, mimicking the dense, sliceable consistency of traditional gyro.
- 1 pound Ground Pork or Ground Lamb- Adds fat, moisture, and authentic flavor. Lamb gives the gyro its classic Mediterranean taste, while pork adds juiciness and a milder richness if preferred.
- 1 Red Onion- Adds moisture, natural sweetness, and savory depth. When blended with the meat, it helps keep the gyro tender while contributing aromatic flavor.
- 6 cloves Garlic- Provides a robust, earthy aroma and enhances the savory Mediterranean character of the dish.
- 2 teaspoons Ground Marjoram- Brings a floral, slightly citrusy note that balances the richness of the meat and ties the flavors together.
- 2 teaspoons Dried Rosemary- Adds an earthy, pine-like aroma that enhances the depth and authenticity of the seasoning blend.
- 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano- Contributes a bold, slightly peppery and herbal flavor that’s essential in Greek cooking, giving the gyro its signature Mediterranean taste.
- 2 teaspoons Salt- Enhances all the savory flavors and helps the meat mixture bind together for a firm, cohesive texture.
- 2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper- Adds mild heat and sharpness, balancing the herbs and rounding out the overall seasoning profile.
How To Make Beef Gyros
So here are the steps:
- Mix the spices into the meats, shape it into a loaf shape
- Cook it in an Instant Pot, and then weight it down
- Cut into thin, long, slices and enjoy.
I made a 1 pound loaf to see if it would work so mine is smaller than yours will be, but don't make it thicker than that, or if you do, adjust the time.
Tips And Tricks
Making Instant Pot Gyro Meat at home is a delicious way to recreate the authentic Mediterranean flavors of your favorite restaurant right in your kitchen. The Instant Pot makes it tender, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to prepare. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to make it turn out perfectly every time:
- Use a Mix of Meats. Combining lean ground beef with lamb or pork adds the right balance of flavor and fat. This keeps the gyro meat juicy and prevents it from drying out.
- Blend Aromatics Thoroughly. Process the onions, garlic, and herbs into a smooth paste before mixing with the meat. This ensures even flavor distribution throughout every bite.
- Press the Meat Firmly. When forming the gyro mixture in the Instant Pot-safe dish or pan, press it down tightly. A compact mixture creates the traditional dense texture found in gyro slices.
Variations
There are several delicious variations for making Instant Pot Gyro Meat, allowing you to tailor the flavors and ingredients to your preferences or dietary needs. Here are some creative ways to switch it up:
- All-Lamb- For the most authentic Mediterranean flavor, use all lamb instead of mixing with beef or pork. It creates a rich, slightly gamey taste that’s classic in Greek cuisine.
- Beef-Only- If you prefer a milder, less fatty option, use 100% lean ground beef. It still turns out flavorful, especially when well-seasoned and seared at the end.
- Chicken Gyro- Substitute ground chicken or turkey for a lighter, leaner version. You may need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to maintain moisture.
- Spicy- Increase the heat by adding crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or even a touch of harissa paste to the seasoning mix.
What To Eat With Homemade Gyros
Serve this Instant Pot Gyro Recipe with homemade Tzatziki, 5-minute Hummus or a Pressure Cooker Hummus made from dried chickpeas. You could also make a lovely Kushari, a rice and lentils mix very quickly in your Instant Pot.
How Long Does It Last?
Instant Pot gyro meat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days when kept in an airtight container.
Allow the meat to cool completely before sealing it to prevent excess moisture from building up, which can affect texture and flavor.
Can You Freeze It?
For longer storage, you can freeze gyro meat for up to 3 months. Slice the cooked meat and portion it into freezer-safe bags or containers, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
When ready to enjoy, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a skillet, air fryer, or oven until warmed through.
If you love this Instant Pot Gyros recipe as much as we do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can enjoy it too!
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453.59 g) Lean Ground Beef, (ask butcher to re-grind for you)
- 1 pound (453.59 g) ground pork or ground lamb
- 1 (1) Red Onion. chopped, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves (6 cloves) Garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) ground marjoram
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Dried Oregano
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Place onions and garlic into a large food processor and process until finely chopped but not liquefied.
- Place the meat in the bowl of a good Stand Mixer. Add the onions and garlic. Use your stand mixer with the paddle, paddle the living daylights out of the meat with the spices until it's a sticky mess. Don't skip this step, otherwise, you will have a hamburger with seasonings, not a smooth gyro loaf.
- Place 2 cups of water in the bottom of an Instant Pot. Place a steamer basket on top of it.
- Lay out a sheet of foil and on top of it, make one or two meatloaf shapes out of your meat, each no thicker than 4-5 inches. If you do one big one, you will have to adjust the time accordingly. If your Instant Pot won't hold both, you could always cook one in the Instant Pot and another in the oven and see which one your family likes better (350F for 60 minutes or until internal temp of 175-180). Put this sheet of foil+ meatloaf on top of the steamer basket, leaving enough space on the sides for the steam to circulate.
- Set your Instant Pot for 15 minutes at High Pressure and let it release pressure naturally.
- When you open it, try not to despair at those big, gray, lumps.
- Take out the two and cover them with foil and then place something heavy on it to compress it. I put a cast iron skillet on top and then carefully placed 3 cans of beans on top of the skillet to compress it.
- Let it rest for 30 minutes and then slice into thin slices.
- Gyros!
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Mary
I can't believe I never reviewed this recipe! Or that more people haven't done so!
Before trying this, I had made Alton Brown's recipe, and THIS method became the basis for my own recipe through the years. I make it twice a year...4 lbs of meat, makes me 2 2-lb loves that I'm able to wrap into flat loaves about 2" thick, each and stack them in the IP for just one cooking time. I have an extra IP trivet, so I put one in the bottom, place one loaf, and then invert the second trivet so the handles are facing downwards, and put the 2nd loaf on that. This creates some space between the loaves. I usually freeze one of the loaves for the future, it freezes very well if well wrapped. For the foil wrap of the loaves, don't over wrap it because that will increase your cookingn time. One layer of foil, well sealed is all you need for each loaf...and make them as wide as you can, using much of the width your IP pot allows for. That's how you're able to stack 2 loaves in at once.
I recommend people play with the herbs and use what they think they'll like best. If you're not sure if you like your final mixture, before you wrap it up for the IP, make a little patty of the meat mixture and fry it in the pan. I often have to tweak it a bit this way or that.
If you don't have marjoram on hand, you can make this recipe with just oregano, but I wouldn't add more oregano to replace the marjoram. I found I don't like rosemary in mine, but I do add cayenne.
The mixing of the meat can be a pain, I tried the stand mixture and didn't care for it...I prefer making the pate in my 7 qt food processor, but I do have to do it in stages. For clean up, rinse ONE piece of meat coated tool (the bowls, the blade, spatrula, etc) at a time with warm water. Set them aside and once you have all the meat film off each tools you can wash them as normal. (If you put it all in the sink at once, the meat you clean off of one tool falls and sticks to the meat on the other.)
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Excellent blog you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any message boards that cover the same topics discussed here? I'd really like to be a part of online community where I can get opinions from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Thank you!
Di
Definitely no video. Really wanted to see it being done.
Terry
3 carbs per serving how big is a serving?
Holly King
Amazing recipe! I have never seen pressing the meat before or working it. I used my hands instead of a mixer and it turned out great. As suggested I did one in the oven and one in my instapot. I took the meat out of the oven when the instapot process was completed which was about 35 minutes in total and the oven beef was completely done and cooked through. The oven meat didn't seem to shrink up as much, but both were excellent! Great job and thanks for sharing!
slowbob
No link to the video
URVASHI PITRE
It plays automatically on the top of the screen. Did you turn off the popups or ads?