Okay, so the other night I was just hanging out at the Instant Pot Community Facebook page (can you say cooking nerd? and proud of it!) when my friend Tonya messaged me. We got to talking about what we wanted to make in the IP (we’re both super psyched about our Instant Pots), and she suggested Instant Pot Greek Gyros.
Instant Pot Greek Gyros
*Swoon!* I love, love, love me some Greek Gyros. How about you? And I thought if I could make them at home…wow, that would be more than a little awesome! And it might be a little dangerous. I mean, c’mon. Gyros! And even better, Instant Pot Greek Gyros that I could make at home pretty much whenever I wanted to. Well, as long as I had the ingredients…
About Instant Pot Greek Gyros:
Well, it just so happened that the store down the road had a roast on sale for $2.99 a pound. It was probably about 9:30 pm, and I dropped everything and ran for one. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized I had my slippers on. Really. *duh* Can we say Senior moment? And worse, it’s November and ccccold outside!
So I started researching, and most of the Instant Pot Gyros recipes were almost exactly the same. I thought this recipe would be a no-brainer. But after trying, there were flaws I couldn’t accept. First, they lacked that certain “exotic” flavor that always makes you wonder exactly “Just what is IN this?” The other? They were cooked in the bottom of the IP so they were basically stewed meat.
I ate them, but they really weren’t up to par.
I wanted my Instant Pot Greek Gyros with more flavor, and I wanted them with a texture that was going to be a lot more like real deal Gyros, not something that resembled pot roast. After all, Gyros are rather dry meat shaved off a spit, and although tender, have just a bit of resistance and chew. (BTW: Did you know that real Greek Gyros aren’t made of pressed meat like most of our American ones are?)
Instant Pot Greek Gyros
Making Instant Pot Greek Gyros:
So I got to work and set up a second batch. This batch I marinated overnight in a secret blend (ok, it’s not secret coz I’m giving it to you) of garlic, spices, herbs, lemon, and red wine vinegar. Much as I hate to add a long marinade to an Instant Pot recipe, it really IS the way to go.
And I figured out how to get that dryer Gyro-like texture while keeping them tender and cooking them for only minutes.
I was able to “cheat” when I made these because I have a kitchen slicer. Yep. I don’t use it often, and it’s cheap and a little rickety, but when I need it, it’s there. Think about getting one, they’re about 35 bucks and worth their weight in gold.
If you don’t have a slicer, then cut the roast horizontally (with the grain) into several sections so it’s about 1 1/2″ thick and freeze for 20 minutes. It will be easier then for you to slice it thinly across the grain. And I do mean thinly. You’ll want to shoot for about 1/4″ thick so the beef will be tender after it’s cooked.
Horiatiki Greek Salad
Serve With:
I used naan for the bread and steamed it right in the Instant pot so you’ll have that freshly made restaurant-style experience!
Slather your Gyro with Tzatziki, (there is a version in the recipe and another version in the link), sprinkle with tomato and red onion (soak the sliced onion in a bowl of cold water while your meat cooks – it takes away the harsh taste), add a little romaine if you want, then wrap it up in foil. I felt like a genius. And you will, too, when you make these!
Sides:
A big Greek Salad can never be wrong, and some want Greek potatoes, not necessarily because they go, but because they’re so good and often a menu item at restaurants. You can’t go wrong with fries, so check out these Stupid Simple French Fries.
I like to make Homemade Baked Pita Chips and some Hummus (I have multiple hummus recipes, but this easy, once can Hummus is one of the most popular on my site) to serve alongside. It makes the meal seem like a party.
Best One Can Hummus
Leftovers:
If you have the bread leftover, consider making either of my Flatbread Pizzas, Cajun Chicken Pizza, or Mushroom Ricotta Pizza.
Of course, if you have any Gyro meat left, maybe you’ll want to design your own Gyro Flatbread Pizza!
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.
The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.
Cheaper Roasts:
See all my tips on buying Steaks and Roasts at the bottom of my Beef Main Dishes and Meals Menu.
- Look for good pricing in the fall, after the cattle go to market. Beef is seasonal, and the fall pricing reflects that. Summer is the worst time to buy; many cheaper cuts are used to meet the demand of ground beef.
- Look for great in the weeks after holidays when ‘fancy” roasts or steaks are featured: Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day. They have to do something else with the rest of the beef.
- Bottom line: to save money, pay attention to sale cycles. Stock up at a low and toss in your deep freeze. Don’t have one? Get one!
Flatbread:
- At the grocery, any type of flatbread can cost an arm and a leg. Check out Aldi or Lidl, or if you have a restaurant nearby, ask if they’ll sell you a half a dozen or so. And of course, put any leftover to good use.
- A real flex is to whip up a batch of Super Easy Flatbread if you bake.
Instant Pot Greek Gyros
Instant Pot Greek Gyros
- Total Time: 30 minutes + marinade
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwiches
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs beef roast, top sirloin, round or another inexpensive roast, sliced thinly (about a quarter-inch) across the grain and an inch and a half wide.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 to 3 cloves finely minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- pinch of ground allspice
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- a good squeeze of lemon, about 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 cup water
- Soft pita bread
- Lettuce, sliced
- Tomatoes, chunked
- Red Onion, thinly sliced
- Tzatziki, below
Instructions
Note:
Grate and drain the cucumber for the Tzatitki (recipe below) the evening before as you marinate the beef.
Place sliced meat in Ziploc and put the Ziploc in a bowl. In a small bowl, add olive oil, garlic, salt, oregano, marjoram, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix together into a paste. Add the red wine vinegar, the lemon juice, and water and mix together.
Pour the marinade mixture over the beef and massage well, making sure that the meat is all coated. Pull up the Ziploc, expel as much air as possible and seal. Refrigerate overnight, turning several times if possible.
When ready to cook, add one cup of water to the instant pot, then add the trivet. Drain the meat and place on top of the trivet in a pile. Try to keep as much of the meat as possible on the trivet (try laying a few larger slices across on the bottom) but don’t stress if some falls through.
Set Instant Pot to high pressure, 7 minutes. When finished, allow to go to the keep warm setting for 10 minutes. Release any remaining pressure manually. Remove meat and set aside, lightly covered.
To steam Pita:
Use something to put the trivet back in the Instant Pot about three to four inches from the bottom; several balls of foil work well. Add the trivet on top. Wrap several pitas in a large, thin kitchen towel, wrapping around several times and making sure all is covered. Carefully place on the trivet, making sure that none of the towel touches the liquid.
Set Pressure to steam, one minute. When the pot begins to make noises and some steam is starting to come up around the back of the lid, push the cancel button and remove the pita. Remove towel and wrap in a dry towel to keep warm. Warning: some of the pita may be a little on the wet side so it’s a good idea to steam one or two extra.
To assemble Gyros, lay out a square of foil, put a pita on top. Spread a little Tzatziki down the center of a pita, add several slices of meat, top with more Tzatziki, slices of onion, tomato & lettuce. Wrap up with the foil and serve.
Tzatziki:
- 1/2 a large cucumber, peeled and seeded
- 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced or 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill or about 1/2 teaspoon dried
Grate the cucumber and drain through a fine-mesh sieve overnight in the fridge or place on a clean kitchen towel and wring the moisture out. Combine with the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt and dill and stir to combine. Taste and adjust any seasonings and add additional olive oil if the mixture needs to be thinned.
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