Cyprus Gyro Burger

This dish is a delicious crucible of American, Greek, and Turkish cuisine. My entire family and friends love it so much, it makes a regular appearance at all of our cookouts. It's spicy, it's zesty, it's pure deliciousness. Enjoy!

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 574 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 hamburger buns
• ½ tablespoon ground cumin
• cheesecloth
• 1 small sweet onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• ¾ cup peeled, seeded, and shredded cucumber
• 2 ¼ cups plain yogurt
• 2 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon Urfa biber

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Step 2

Place the grated cucumber on a heavy-duty paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Top with another towel, and pat dry; set aside. Scoop the yogurt into a large square of fine cheesecloth, twist the ends to close, and squeeze to remove excess moisture.

Step 3

Transfer the strained yogurt to a bowl, and stir in 2 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Gradually add 1 tablespoon olive oil, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Mix in the garlic, dill, and drained cucumbers; cover and refrigerate.

Step 4

Combine the red onion, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and sumac. Cover and refrigerate.

Step 5

Place the ground beef in a bowl and add the minced onion, red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, Urfa biber, and butter. Mix gently with your hands until all of the ingredients are well distributed.

Step 6

Place bell pepper in blender and blend until it is mostly pureed. Pour off any excess liquid, and add the bell pepper and kosher salt to the meat; mix well. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form into patties slightly larger than the buns, as the patties will shrink a bit.

Step 7

Brush the patties with 2 tablespoons olive oil and grill on high and direct heat about 5 minutes per side or until done to your liking. Place each burger on a bun; top the burgers with cucumber and yogurt tzatziki and the lemon-soaked red onion and sumac mixture.