What is the difference between gyro and shawarma

Other differences such as toppings, seasonings, and garnishes also vary according to this basic difference. Gyro is a Greek dish influenced by the Turkish Kebab Doner.

This dish is usually made from lamb, beef or a mixture of both. Pieces of meat are seasoned with a blend of rosemary, oregano, thyme and marjoram. Then these pieces are placed on a vertical rotisserie, which has the shape of an inverted cone and turned slowly in front of a heat source allowing the meat to cook in its own fat. Gyro is usually served with oiled, lightly grilled pita, rolled with various salads and vegetables such as lettuce and cucumber.

Both versions are then stuffed between two fluffy blankets of pita bread and topped with tomato, onion, and a yogurt sauce called tzatziki. You know you're at a true gyro establishment if it comes piled high with crispy golden French fries and absolutely no silverware to help you make your way through the messy sandwich.

Greek historians attribute the origin of the gyro to soldiers from the army of Alexander the Great , who skewered meat with their swords and cooked it over an open flame. It is believed that the gyro was introduced to the United States by a growing Greek population in s New York City. One could speculate that our current love for food trucks and reasonably-priced, exotic fast-casual food all started with the Americanized gyro sandwich. Despite its Turkish roots, shawarma is a Middle Eastern creation that sprung up somewhere in the Levant.

The main difference between shawarma and gyro is the meat. Unlike gyros, the packed-down shawarma meat can be anything from chicken to lamb to veal to goat.

Not only are they from different countries but the treatment of the meat is also completely different which, in turn, affects the flavor of both.

When it comes down to which is better, well There will be people who prefer the fresh flavors of the gyro as a whole while there are others who will wholeheartedly appreciate the spices, seasonings, and time that goes into cooking shawarma meat. When it comes to these two dishes, the meat matters - both in its cooking, flavoring, and its type, as only one of them is known to have three different options traditionally.

As shawarma becomes even more popular around the world and gyros start gaining a renewed love thanks to Greek restaurant popularity , these are the differences you should know in telling the two apart. It might sound silly to go over every aspect of a gyro since most people only want to know one thing: is it good?

The answer to this, obviously, is yes , but so is shawarma! In short, a gyro consists of meat that has been spit-roasted vertically, and the meat of choice is usually pork. This might sound a bit contradictory since, in North America, a gyro usually comes with a choice of beef, lamb, or a combination of the two. However, a traditional Greek gyro will come with pork that has been slow-roasted and it's the process of carving the meat that truly gives it its unique texture.

In heavily trafficked areas such as Times Square, three stores have opened in the last two months. The same NYT report alleges that Greek historians traced the gyro's origins to soldiers from Alexander the Great's army, "who skewered their meat on long knives and cooked it by repeated turning over an open fire.

Find more gyro recipes here. A shawarma, which is also made with meat that has been cooked on a vertical rotisserie, is a popular street food with Middle Eastern origins. Like gyros, shawarmas are typically served on pitas.

Shawarma meat is exceptionally flavorful and juicy, as it is marinated at length in spices like turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and garlic. While gyros usually come with the same combo of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, shawarmas are often topped with a medley of pickled fruits and veggies.

Shawarma is a predecessor to tacos al pastor , a Mexican dish made of spit-grilled pork.