- June 28, 2018
- Gluten Free
Slow Cooker Keto Gyros
This post was inspired by my partnership with Hen House Markets. All opinions are my own.
“A perfect slow cooker recipe with all your favorite gyro flavors. This is perfect for any diet and is easily made for keto and gluten free eaters as well!”
Slow Cooker Keto Gyros:
Growing up in the Chicago area, means I have had my fair share of gyros. Now, you’re probably confused about that statement because you thought all Chicago was about was deep dish pizza and Chicago style hot dogs. Yes, this is true… but you would seriously be missing out on a lot of other foods Chicago does amazingly well. One, being the gyro.
Most mom n’ pop style hole in the wall “restaurants” sell your standard Chicago dog, Italian beef, char burger, and of course gyros. Since moving from the area back in 2014, this is something I crave fairly regularly. I really wanted to make an easy at home version that was low carb and keto friendly. Thus, these Slow Cooker Keto Gyros were created and were very quickly devoured.
Best part? They work perfectly with my Keto Naan recipe too. This really gives you that classic gyro experience without that heavy full feeling. Check out the full recipe for Slow Cooker Keto Gyros below and read on for tips to creating this delicious meal.
“School” Supplies:
- Slow Cooker or Instant Pot
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Tongs
“Class” Notes:
The “Gyro” Meat:
Now, this is not your classic gyro meat. Typically the meat is a combination of lamb and beef that is made similar to a shawarma, cooked on a spit, and shaved off. That is a lot of work and even though I love gyro meat…I kinda hate lamb. Let’s keep this simple for at home use shall we?
This week in my Hen House CSA, I received some grass fed and finished ground chuck stew meat. You could easily buy a whole ground chuck roast and cut it into thin strips (similar to what you see on an actual gyro) for this too. I went with what I had!
To really get that classic “crispy” seared outside you find on a gyro, I seasoned the meat and did a quick and fast sear on each piece using my cast iron skillet. You don’t have to do this, but I think the extra 5-10 minutes definitely make a difference in the overall outcome. Once this is done, toss the meat into the crock pot with some lemon juice and a splash of red wine (optional). Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
The Toppings:
I love tzatziki sauce. This sauce is a cucumber yogurt sauce that is really simple to make at home. Now, I know yogurt really isn’t “keto”. I only use a small serving so I personally don’t shy away from a small amount of Greek yogurt.
You could substitute with sour cream however, if you prefer! The trick to a good tzatziki is all in the cucumber. You want to grate it and place it into a towel or cheese cloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible to prevent the sauce from turning into a mushy wet mess (sounds appetizing, huh). Mix it with the yogurt/sour cream, fresh dill, garlic, salt and pepper, and some fresh lemon juice. Slice some red onion, some tomato wedges, and a few more cucumber slices.
I made my Keto Naan bread for this. Instead of adding the garlic butter, I just grilled them and used them in place of a pita and it worked phenomenally well (I think I even impressed myself here guys). These were so good that I am fairly certain if I don’t make these again next week, there maybe a full on riot in my house.
If you’re a fan of Mediterranean style dishes, check out these easy Greek Burgers and my favorite Low Carb Greek Pita Nachos too!
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Slow Cooker Keto Gyros
Ingredients
- 6 Keto "Naan" Pita Breads optional
- 2 lbs Chuck Roast whole or stew meat
- 1/2 Lemon Juiced
- 2 tsp. Oregano
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 tsp. Dill dried
- 1/4 cup Red Wine optional
- 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
- Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
- 1 Cucumber grated
- 2 tbsp Fresh Minced Dill
- 1/2 Lemon Juiced
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Optional Toppings: Tomato wedge red onion, and cucumber slices
Instructions
- 1. Slice the meat into thin pieces or into 1" cubes. Place in a bowl and combine the salt, pepper, oregano, and dried dill. Mix in the olive oil.
- 2. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high. Quickly sear the front and back sides of the meat. The pan should be hot enough that you literally cook each side for about 30 seconds. TIP- Don't overcrowd the pan. Do this in small, workable batches to make it easier.
- 3. Place the seared meat into a slow cooker. Add 1/2 of a juiced lemon, and the red wine (optional). Set it to low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- 4. To make the tzatziki sauce, grate a cucumber over a dish towel or cheese cloth. Once grated, stand over the sink and squeeze the cucumber into the towel to remove as much water as possible. A LOT of water will come out!
- 5. In a bowl, combine the yogurt or sour cream, the cucumber, lemon juice, fresh dill, garlic, and salt/pepper. Allow the flavors to hang out and develop (still tastes good however if you make right before serving...but it gets better with time).
- 6. Assemble by filling the keto naan/pita bread with the meat, red onion slices, tomato wedge, a few cucumber slices and top with the tzatziki sauce!