The ‘gyro’ is a Greek inspired sandwich, with meat (generally beef and lamb) cooked on a vertical roaster, placed in a pita, dressed with tomato, cucumber, and tatziki sauce.
Some purveyors add lettuce and onion. The word “gyro” is from the Greek word for “circle” or “turn.”
The meat is generally seasoned with salt, hot and sweet paprika, white and black pepper, dried parsley, garlic powder, and oregano.
First developed by the Turks in the 19th century, and called “Doner Kabab” it took until 1971 for the entree to be popular in the US (primarily Chicago and New York) and til the mid 70s before a select group of companies entered large scale production.
Today, nearly any diner or local fast food place in Chicago will offer you a gyro sandwich or plate (no bread). But as much as Chicago is also a “sausage town” I’ve always been curious as to why someone hasn’t taken gyro seasoned meat and placed it in a natural casing to eat on a hot dog bun.
Inquiries to the largest gyro meat suppliers in Chicago have gone unanswered.
So I’m on one of my wandering trips last week, Southern Wisconsin, pull into the burg of East Troy and discover small processor Hometown Sausage Kitchen.
And darn if they don’t make them (gyro sausages). They run about a quarter pound each, at $9.00 a pound.
Ingredients are ground lamb and pork, water, salt, garlic, spices, red wine veingar powder, lemon juice powder, citric acid in a natural hog casing
I brought some home, par-boiled them, and finished them off on a flat top before slapping them into a substantial Turano roll with the aforementioned condiments.
Hog heaven, so to speak.
The sausage makers have perfectly captured the flavor of gyro meat. The grind is fine and the casing just sturdy enough. These would be a great addition to any cookout. This weekend, I will try some as a breakfast sausage, fried and cut on a bias.
Chicago sausage manufacturers are missing a bet not getting into this segment.
Hometown Sausage Kitchen is located just outside of East Troy, WI. Exit off I-43, take a right at the end of the ramp, then a left onto County Road L, and it’s about a mile ahead of you on the left. (picture below). They have a lot of spectacular, high quality processed pork products, and while they are primarily a wholesale operation, they do have retail on site, open Tue thru Sat at 9AM. They also appear at farmer’s markets in the Chicago area.
Hometown Sausage Kitchen Gyro Sausage Review
Hometown Sausage Kitchen Gyro Sausage Review