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!

Step: 1

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: 2

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: 3

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

Step: 4

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: 5

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: 6

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

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.

Per Serving: 574 calories; protein 31.6g; carbohydrates 41.3g; fat 31.4g; cholesterol 84.7mg; sodium 910mg.