My wife and I are going to have a Greek-themed party this Sunday and am concerned about ordering enough gyro meat for the guests. Here are the particulars:
Adults: 30
Kids: 23 (most avg 12yo, so many will have greek food)
We’re going to offer traditional gyro meat as well as some chicken gyros, probably in a 3:1 ratio (for every four pounds, 1 will be chicken, 3 will be beef/lamb.)
Other foods being served:
Greek salad
Cranberry Rice (side)
Greek potatoes (side)
Chicken Kebobs (appx 8 lbs worth)
Hummus and pita chips (both made that morning, as is the pita bread for the gyros)
Wine and beer are the adult beverages of choice - given the Greek theme, we are offering a selection of red and white Greek wines.
We’ll have hot dogs for the kids who won’t want to eat gyros or chicken.
We obviously don’t want to run out of gyro meat, so any suggestions on how to calculate our needs would be great as what we’re looking at is $12.99/lb. I don’t mind spending the money on needs, but I don’t want to spend it on waste.
I talked to a woman who owned a Greek restaurant today and she puts in 4oz (1/3lb) of meat per gyro. However, if we do self-serve stations (a possibility), most of the guys won’t likely limit themselves to 1/3lbs/gyro.
It’s probably worth the trouble to make the gyros ourselves, but then we might have freshness issues (hot tzatziki sauce or cold meat.)
Note that we’re also offering 8-12 lbs of grilled skewers along with this, so there will be people satisfied with just one of each (gyro+skewer.)
How do you prepare the gyro meat? I have been looking everywhere for meat that I can heat/eat and cannot find it at all. I feel like I"m looking in the wrong store or section or something. I always thought that was something you could find at the grocery easily but no luck (I’m in Miami area if you know where to find it)
1 pound makes 3-5 gyros. So I should estimate 4 gyros for every pound of meat.
Got it.
As for the meat, we’re buying it at Pasha Mediterranean Grill, a local restaurant with 2 locations. I wouldn’t have a chance in hell of making decent fresh gyro meat myself, especially not in the time we have left nor with my skill level in the kitchen.
Buy 15 lbs. of meat. That should be enough for about 60 sandwiches, which should be plenty considering you’re also serving some chicken and other things.
Have you checked the deli area? That’s where it’s sold in my neck of the woods. Or, if are looking for a “kit” (it has the pita bread, tsatziki sauce and the meat) try frozen foods - near where the other dinner stuff would be.
Do the best math of “typical consumption” to find what would be consumed on average.
Double it for the party.
If anyone complains about the budget, answer with, “So there are left-overs. Think of it this way: its Summer and no one will have to cook for a week. A. Whole. Week.”
We’re offering a variety of Greek wines so people can sample. Greek wines are not easily available here in San Antonio, so you’ll have your choice of red or white wine.
Unless you’re Greek you risk treading close to “cultural appropriation” JohnT. I’d suggest you resist the urge to don togas.
It sounds delicious nonetheless.
Heavens. My food budget as-is is already $400. On the other hand, based on your advice I’ll be glad to double it - merely look for the PM I’ll send you so you can add $400 to my PayPal account.
Way too much, because… get this… many of the invitees didn’t know how to make a gyro sandwich! :smack:
I finally figured out to tell them that it’s a “greek burrito”, but alas, too late for many of them.
And these are educated people with kids in private schools who travel extensively, etc etc etc. And I was like “What, y’all never ate a Hot Pocket in your college days? Really?”
Obviously this is an old thread, and you may not care at all anyway, but hummus isn’t really Greek; it’s Middle Eastern. I don’t know where everyone gets that idea from.
I can’t say how much people eat it in Greece nowadays, but the impression I get is that they haven’t made it their own.
Is that common? Most people I know seem to associate it with Middle Eastern food, but there is a reasonable amount of crossover between Greek & Middle Eastern cuisine. Still, when I think Greek gyros, I think tzatziki. When I think Middle Eastern schwarma/doner kebab, I think hummus.
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