Buffalo and beef gyros

I try to be as authentic as I can when making a culture’s recipes, but sometimes I just have to experiment. While I know gyros (pronounced YEEH-rohs) are traditionally made with lamb and pork, I wanted to mix it up, so I swapped the lamb for buffalo and the pork for beef. I also “Americanized” it a bit by adding lettuce. Personally, the crisp freshness of the lettuce really rounds out the combined texture. If you've never had buffalo, its much leaner than beef and has a bit more of a gamier taste than lamb. I know labeling a meat as “gamier” often turns people away, but trust me... with these spices, creamy tzatziki, and fresh squeezed lemon, it is so. damn. good. These can also be made ahead for a protein packed lunch the next day or are easy to turn into a gyro salad if you want to lay off the pita. Normally gyros have thinly sliced meat, instead I kept it whole to make this an even easier grab-and-go meal.

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 30 min

The Goods:

1 lb ground buffalo

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp thyme

1 tbsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp marjoram

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small red onion, minced

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

The Wrap:

4 flatbreads

4 romaine leafs

1 sweet onion sliced

1 tomato, sliced

tzatziki to taste

The Method:

1. In a large bowl, add both meats and spices along with the garlic, red onion, and lemon juice. Mix together well by hand, squeezing everything together to make sure the spices are evenly distributed.

2. Once the meat is thoroughly seasoned, grab about 4 to 5 ounces of meat and form into a five inch long brick of meat.

3. On a stovetop, place a 9 inch cast iron pan with ridges on medium high heat. Once pan is warm, begin to grill the meat. Cook until internal temp reaches 155-160 degrees

4. While the meat is cooking, it's now time to set up the wraps. Grab the flatbreads, and spread about 1-2 tbsp of tzatziki on each. Place your lettuce leaves on top, and then your tomatoes and onions.

5. Once the meat is fully cooked and has rested for 5 minutes, place them on the flat breads and enjoy!