Venison gyros are one of my favorite recipes for using ground deer meat, or any wild game, for that matter.
Every year at our local fair, my first stop is the legendary gyro stand. It’s run by a man who, I swear, could go toe-to-toe with any authentic Greek restaurant. His gyros are sloppy, saucy, and absolutely mind-blowing. Unfortunately, he only appears once a year, and that’s just not enough.
So, I did what any venison-loving person would do. I created my own venison gyros recipe using venison that I had stashed in the freezer. It’s a flavors of Greece meets backwoods ingenuity kind of deal. And the results? Out of this world.
Why Venison Makes for a Good Gyro
A traditional Greek gyro recipe usually calls for lamb or pork, but venison meat is the star of the show here. It’s lean, flavorful, and when combined with just the right amount of fat and seasoning, it becomes the foundation of a seriously authentic gyro experience.
Want to make your own ground venison?
Fat Content: To grind venison for gyros, you must have the right amount of fat. I use about 20% pork fat. But if you can’t find any at your local butcher, you can substitute pork belly with good results.
This fat percentage gives the mixture a juicy, sausage-like texture. For best results, we need to do a double grind. Start with a first grind using a coarse plate. Then run it through a food processor that gives it a smoother, more cohesive texture.
No Grinder? If you don’t have a grinder, don’t worry. You can use a food processor for the entire process. You will just need to cut the meat into smaller pieces before processing. Just make sure the fresh meat and fat are ice cold and cut into chunks before blending. Otherwise, the mixture could separate, leaving you with a crumbly loaf.
As of now, I don’t own a vertical rotisserie, so this one is baked in the oven. But fear not, it is still delicious, and on top of that,
And I know that gyros are traditionally assembled with pita bread (like these venison arayes), but there’s just something about roti that I love.
I cooked these roti in rendered wild hog fat, so there’s even more to love. You can also cook them in duck fat or clarified butter with great results.
What to serve with venison gyros
I like to serve mine on a homemade roti or warm pita bread with thin slices of gyro meat, a big spoonful of Greek tzatziki sauce, and all the fixings. Below are my go-tos.
- Diced fresh garden tomatoes
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Sliced red onion
- Drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil
- Chopped fresh herbs like fresh parsley or basil
sTORING LEFTOVER GYROS
If you have leftovers you can freeze gyro meat if needed. Wrap well or store in an airtight container. The meat will keep fresh in the freezer well stored for around 1 month. Reheat gently in a low temperature oven or pan. Using a little water to create steam will help keep the gyro meat moist.
Looking for other ground venison recipes? These are my favorites:
Lastly, if you make this recipe using Homemade Venison Gyro Recipe be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you’ve made.
VENISON GYROS
Ingredients
Gyro Meat Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground venison, (around 80% lean)
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Roti Ingredients (makes 5)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup plain yogurt (don't use Greek yogurt. It's too thick)
- 5 teaspoons olive oil, rendered pork or duck fat (for cooking the roti)
Instructions
FOR THE GYRO MEAT
Process the Ingredients
- In a food processor pulse the onion until it is finely minced. Pour the onions into the center of a kitchen towel. Twist the towels squeezing out all of the juice from the onions. Discard the onion juice.
- Add the onion, cold ground venison, and the remaining ingredients to the food processor. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, or until a thick paste forms.
Press and Refrigerate
- Place the deer meat mixture into a loaf pan and press down hard ensuring there are no air pockets left in the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Cook the Meat
- While the meat is chilling, pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place the loaf pan into a water bath and cook uncovered until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Drain out any fat from the pan. Line the top of the meat with a few strips of aluminum foil.
Press and Rest
- Now you want to place something on top of the meat to weigh it down while it's resting in the pan. This can be a few canned food items (you may need to cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the meat to balance the cans). If you have a brick or something similar in shape, even better. Just wrap it up and place it on top of the meat. Let the meat rest while the weight is on top for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Now your gyro meat is ready to slice and serve.
Directions for the Roti
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Add the yogurt and mix with your hands until the dough just starts to form and come together. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead for about two minutes. Alternatively, you can place all of the ingredients in a stand-mixer bowl and mix with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.
- Let the dough rest for 15 minutes covered with a damp paper towel. Divide the dough into 5 pieces and roll out to around 1/8″ thick circles.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the rendered fat on medium-high heat in a cast iron or non-stick skillet. Cook the roti on each side for about two minutes or until nice and golden brown. Place the roti on a dry paper towel and then repeat with the rest of the dough.
3 thoughts on “HOMEMADE VENISON GYROS”
Easier to make than i Thought. My jusband made a pickled slaw to go with them.
You ever tried to make these with ground deer?
Venison is deer