Mutton gyros recipe for charcoal grill

The most important element of this recipe is the type of meat. Choose leg of mutton that has been dry-aged for 10-15 days in the butcher’s fridge. Remove the fat and slice the meat thinly. If you can’t fillet the meat, you could ask your butcher to do it for you. You will also need caul fat from the mutton to skewer it between the meat pieces. The fat won’t be added to the marinade. After slicing the meat, grate onions on the largest holes of a grater. Inside a cooking vessel, layer the slices of meat; one layer of grated onion followed by one layer of meat. Cover the vessel, leave it in room temperature for 2-3 hours, and then, put it in the fridge to marinate for 18-24 hours.

The next day, remove any onion residues from the meat. Coat the slices with Dijon mustard (a spicy one) and add a mixture of salt, oregano, and pepper, after you have ground these in a mortar. Place the meat, in one layer, inside a cooking vessel and drizzle herb-infused oil on top. You should have prepared the herb-infused oil, one week before grilling, and drain it just before adding it. Repeat the process with the rest of the meat, until all the slices are covered in oil. Mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly and leave it to marinate for 1-2 hours max at room temperature.

Gyros is indirectly grilled, which means that the charcoals are placed next to, not directly under, the gyros. For this purpose, we have created a special charcoal basket that assists indirect grilling that can be supplied with new charcoals during grilling. The charcoal basket is higher than the gyro’s level to add new charcoals without any problem. It’s best to light the charcoals inside a basket like this by adding the kindling (alcohol-soaked cotton) on top.

Until the charcoals are lit, you will have the time you need to skewer the meat. Prop the spit up vertically, using a special base. Use the special gyros spit with a 7cm diameter disk. First, skewer three slices of meat and add one slice of lamb caul fat. Repeat this step; for every three slices of meat add one slice of caul fat. 

Give gyro a cylindrical shape by trimming the excess meat around the edges that doesn’t fit in this particular shape. Stack these excess pieces between larger meat pieces. When the spit is full, add last the second disk (both disks are provided). Compress the meat and secure tight. Lay down the spit horizontally, until you’re ready to grill. This way you’ll also get rid of the excess oil.

When the charcoals are fully lit, place the spit next to the charcoal basket, as close as possible. It’s necessary to grill gyros on high heat from the beginning. When it takes a nice brown color, remove it from the grill. Use a sharp long knife to slice vertically in thin, crisp shavings. This first cut (shaving) will give gyros a perfect, uniform shape. Keep grilling and cut again when the outside of the meat is nicely roasted. Repeat successive grilling and cutting, until you get all of the roasted meat off the spit.

It takes time to complete this process. That’s the thing with gyros; you’re grilling, cutting, eating together with your friends and the longer it takes to finish, the more time you spend together around the table eating, drinking and chatting. Grilling is communication!

Accompany gyros with grilled pita bread, roasted peppers, tzatziki sauce, onion, tomato, and good quality wine.

Happy grilling to everyone!