Homemade gyro seasoning blends spices and herbs to infuse dishes with a Mediterranean flair. I developed this seasoning after visiting the Greek island of Grecos.
I gained a lot of inspiration during this trip, and yes, thanks to this, my Greek salad perfectly matches the taste. In it, I’m sharing a little secret that I got from the owner of one of the local restaurants. She told me because of my curious nature, I recognized a specific herb.
What is Gyro Seasoning
If you’ve never tried making your own spices, you absolutely must start experimenting. I love creating my blends because they allow me to give dishes the exact flavor that I want. The first spice blend I made twelve years ago was Homemade Gingerbread Spice. I love the aroma and flavor it adds, and the cakes I make with it are always the first to be sold at every school party. These are just some of the additional benefits of making your own spices at home—the aroma lingers for a long time.
Gyro Seasoning is the perfect combination of herbs and spices to enhance the flavors of chicken, lamb, beef, or pork.
With homemade Gyro Seasoning, you can enjoy the taste of the Mediterranean without leaving home.
How to choose the best ingredients for Gyro Seasoning
Make sure to dry all spices to the best quality available. Store them in a sealed container away from light to preserve their aroma. When purchasing spices from a store, consider how they are stored.
Salt: The best would be kosher salt, which not only adds flavor but also tenderizes the meat and contains many valuable minerals.
Sweet Paprika: In addition to its health properties, it adds aroma to the meat and enhances its taste.
Garlic: Although garlic is not very noticeable, it gives the dish a characteristic taste and aroma. It blends perfectly with the rest of the spices, giving Gyro Seasoning a slightly spicy flavor.
Coriander adds a slightly sweet, spicy flavor to spices, which is characteristic of Indian and Mediterranean cuisines. It doesn’t dominate this spice, but it is a great complement. I wouldn’t say I like its soapy flavor in its fresh form, but I love it in this seasoning.
White Mustard Seeds are a great complement to meat, perfect for marinating and enhancing its flavor. They are extremely aromatic, and the amount of spiciness is perfectly balanced to enhance the flavor of the meat without overpowering it.
Majoram: I can’t imagine a spice for meat without marjoram, and as you can see, the Greeks do, too. This amount doesn’t dominate the taste, but it still goes perfectly with the other spices. Marjoram improves our digestion, and Gyros is quite a fatty dish. For that reason, it is in this seasoning.
Rosemary: is another spice without which I cannot imagine seasoning meats and soups. Here, it adds flavor and aroma, perfectly complementing the rest of the spices.
Juniper Berry: The next spice provides a distinct taste and aroma that cannot be substituted for any other.
Onion Dry: another spice that I add to marinate meat when I don’t use fresh.
Chili: The amount is perfect here: not too much so that the meat doesn’t burn like Hungarian goulash and not too little so that the spiciness is still noticeable. The chili enhances the other hot spices.
Allspice Grounds: has a spicy flavor similar to that of ginger and cinnamon, with a hint of heat. When ground, it enhances the dish with more flavor and complements other spices in Gyro Seasoning.
Clove Grounds: are not only suitable for sweet dishes; in small quantities, they also blend perfectly to enhance the flavor of meat further.
Basil: A pinch adds lightness and freshness to the spice with a slight lemon note.
Savoy: goes perfectly with the spicy seasonings in this set.
Black Pepper: it is a distinctly hot spice that enriches this Gyro Seasoning note.
Dry Parsley Leaves: this is my hint of flavor that I added. It perfectly complements the hot flavors in this spice blend.
Step-by-Step for Gyro Seasoning
Ideally, you should put everything in a blender and grind it. However, such a combination would cause the spice to mix too much and lose its individuality where the flavors intertwine.
Step 1: For best results, it is recommended to combine all ground and dried spices, such as salt, sweet paprika, garlic, coriander, marjoram, rosemary, dried onion, chili, turmeric, basil, savory, and dried parsley leaves in one bowl.
Step 2: Next, put the remaining whole spices, such as white mustard seeds, juniper berries, allspice, cloves, and black pepper, into a mortar and grind them until fine, or use a coffee grinder.
Step 3: Finally, combine all the ground and whole spices in a bowl and transfer the mixture to an airtight container, storing it in a dark place to preserve the spices’ aroma.
Enjoy!
Sides To Serve
Gyro seasoning is perfect for chicken, lamb, beef, or pork. It gives them a distinctive flavor. The perfectly matched spices in this mixture bring out the best in the meat, allowing you to enjoy its taste fully. I like to use this seasoning for chicken, so I often marinate it in the seasoning when I plan to prepare Air Fryer Chicken Breast, which pairs perfectly with Tzatziki Sauce or Chicken Alfredo Linguine. I usually use this spice to prepare chicken for the Chicken Dried Tomatoes Green Olives Salad. My daughter loves grilled chicken pieces, especially when seasoned with Gyro Seasoning and served with a Salad with Roasted Seeds. You can also use it to season meat for Gyros or any Mediterranean dish.
Gyro Seasoning
Ingredients
- 6 tsp salt
- 4 tsp sweet paprika
- 4 tsp garlic
- 4 tsp coriander
- 3 tsp white mustard seed
- 3 tsp majoram
- 3 tsp rosemary
- 2 tsp juniper berry
- 3 tsp dry onion
- 2 tsp chili
- 3 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp savoy
- 1 tsp black papper
- 1 tsp dry parsley leaves
Instructions
- For best results, it is recommended to combine all ground and dried spices, such as salt, sweet paprika, garlic, coriander, marjoram, rosemary, dried onion, chili, turmeric, basil, savory, and dried parsley leaves in one bowl.
- Next, put the remaining whole spices, such as white mustard seeds, juniper berries, allspice, cloves, and black pepper, into a mortar and grind them until fine, or use a coffee grinder.
- Finally, combine all the ground and whole spices in a bowl and transfer the mixture to an airtight container, storing it in a dark place to preserve the spices' aroma.
Nutrition
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