# I don't understand how gyros meat passes food safety rules **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2014, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214 "2014-12-14T16:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/21 "2014-12-15T19:59:56Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > You think they changed because their electric bill was too high, or what? Nah. I have no idea WTF they were thinking. Plenty of places do “al pastor” without a spit, and just slap some chopped up, marinated pork from the cooler onto a griddle or pan and fry it up. It makes no sense to go through the trouble of stacking raw meat on a spit, only to cut it up and cook it on the griddle, while falling afoul of food safety laws. It seemed so absurd to me. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/22 "2014-12-15T20:15:22Z")
For whatever it’s worth, I will mention that at least one gyros place I’ve been to will (maybe only during slower hours) slice the meat off the cone and then toss it to cook extra on the flatiron grill. ---
**Author:** ![jbarro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@jbarro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jbarro)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/23 "2014-12-15T21:34:53Z")
Here in Nova Scotia, where donairs were invented (they are pretty much the same meat as a gyro) there is a specific part of the food handling act that deals with donair meat. You can see it here: [http://novascotia.ca/agri/documents/food-safety/NSFoodCode.pdf](http://novascotia.ca/agri/documents/food-safety/NSFoodCode.pdf) It’s on pages 48-50. Basically, the meat must be cooked to the proper temperature after slicing, and any leftovers need to be cooked then frozen (can be then used for donair pizza, etc) Here’s an article from 2008, when the new regulations were put into effect, quoting a restaurant owner who says they were doing that all along anyway. > **[SaltWire | Nova Scotia](https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/)** > > News by location across Atlantic Canada. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/24 "2014-12-15T21:48:56Z")
> [@jbarro](#): > > Here’s an article from 2008, when the new regulations were put into effect, quoting a restaurant owner who says they were doing that all along anyway. > > [http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/Living/2008-07-03/article-389096/N.S.-to-adopt-stricter-regulations-for-handling-of-popular-treat-donairs/1](http://www.cumberlandnewsnow.com/Living/2008-07-03/article-389096/N.S.-to-adopt-stricter-regulations-for-handling-of-popular-treat-donairs/1) > [@](#): > > In 2004, undercooked donair meat led to 43 confirmed cases of E. coli in Calgary. Eight people were hospitalized and two cases of kidney failure occurred. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/25 "2014-12-15T23:09:45Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It’s definitely not this. They have a little “catcher”, vaguely reminiscent of a dustpan, that they hold to catch the meat as they cut it off the spit with a long straight knife. (I [found one](http://www.amazon.com/Shawarma-Pan-Drop-Catcher-Doner/dp/B00MPX3PSO) on Amazon just now.) Then they go make the gyros directly from this meat without ever putting it anywhere else. Some do, some don’t. I’ve had them both ways here in the US. [This place](http://www.vertskebap.com/) did what I was describing- they had some already sliced browned parts ready, while they sliced off a bit more when I ordered. I suspect it was more so they could meet demand than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/26 "2014-12-16T06:30:47Z")
Huh, okay. I suppose that might be safer, but I wonder if the meat would taste as good. Seems like it might either lose that fresh crispiness and get soggy, or conversely, get too dried out. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/27 "2014-12-16T16:28:42Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > For whatever it’s worth, I will mention that at least one gyros place I’ve been to will (maybe only during slower hours) slice the meat off the cone and then toss it to cook extra on the flatiron grill. I thought that’s how all places did it… that’s how you get the nice crunchy bits on the edges! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/28 "2014-12-16T17:25:07Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Huh, okay. I suppose that might be safer, but I wonder if the meat would taste as good. Seems like it might either lose that fresh crispiness and get soggy, or conversely, get too dried out. Not that I’ve noticed; I think they don’t have a tremendous amount held aside. Basically I suspect they fire up the spit, and slice the meat off when appropriate, and serve the customer the best meat, whether it’s the browned stuff right off the spit, or some that’s been held for a bit. In other words, your average US gyro place can’t just let the meat on the spit cook non-stop if they have a stretch without a customer (overcooking/burning), so they have to slice some off periodically, I figure, and if someone comes in 4 minutes after they did that, they’re getting pre-sliced gyro meat. But if they come in at the right point, they’ll likely get the whole meat spit theater. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/29 "2014-12-16T20:01:37Z")
Makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/30 "2014-12-16T20:07:49Z")
> [@amaguri](#): > > I thought that’s how all places did it… that’s how you get the nice crunchy bits on the edges! No, it usually crisps up and browns nicely on the spit. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/31 "2014-12-16T20:50:41Z")
Now I need to get me some gyros. Maybe even make some gyros sausages - I bet those would be good on the grill. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/32 "2014-12-17T02:58:18Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No, it usually crisps up and browns nicely on the spit. Unless they’re busy. On the spit is better–crisper and drier–but finished on the griddle is good. ---
**Author:** ![Jamicat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jamicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamicat)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/33 "2014-12-18T05:40:02Z")
I had to eat Gyro’s for all week cause of this thread. :mad: Once its made you gotta use it up while its all still fresh. Ok, it only took three days. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/34 "2014-12-18T17:24:17Z")
Hah, I went back for more last night myself, though I normally don’t eat there so frequently. The proprietor (tough to understand due to his heavy accent, but I think I got this right) said that he uses a “better” grade of meat than most gyros places do, even though it costs 75 cents more a pound. In Chicago (where he moved from), he claimed, there are 5,000 gyros joints and only 100 use this grade of meat. ---
**Author:** ![Mongox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Mongox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mongox)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/35 "2015-05-09T00:44:40Z")
Good Heavens, never heard so many people guessing. Or supposing. Or without a clue! # Most County health boards require: • Cook gyros meat to at least 155°F to kill E.coli and other food-borne pathogens. • Continually cook the meat roll once it is on the broiler. Intermittent cooking is not Allowed and the broiler elements must be turned on whenever the meat is Present. • Cook and slice the entire meat roll within 4 hours. The meat roll should never be cooled and reheated. Due to the slow cooking process, parts of the meat roll are kept in the temperature danger zone for extended periods of time making safely cooling and reheating impossible. • Hold the cut slices of cooked meat in a steam table or other hot holding unit so the meat remains at 135°F or above until served. • Rapidly cool any leftover slices of cooked meat to 70°F within 2 hours and to 41°F within 4 more hours. The meat slices must then be rapidly reheated to 165°F before serving. Some locales allow tough standards if you want to use the cone the next day. 40F to 70F within 2 hours after removal from the heat source (broiler) and then from 70F to 40F within an additional 4 hours. This is basically impossible - almost all cones should be discarded at the end of the day. And many cones when removed are still slightly frozen in the center. A broiler is not a good defroster. Meat cooks to 165 outside, a slice or two in depth, then you have to wait. That’s when the earlier slices come out of the steam table. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/36 "2015-05-09T01:02:50Z")
That all totally makes sense, but I don’t think that’s what is actually happening at most places. ---
**Author:** ![Dalbaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dalbaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dalbaby)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/37 "2017-03-31T04:37:21Z")
I have a restaurant. We serve gyros and shawarma, and Mongox is right on. We, and a lot of other restaurants with diverse menus, use pre-sliced gyro meat. It comes in a box, frozen, and you take off the number of pieces you need and grill them. (We throw ours on the charbroiler for a couple of minutes. ) our health dept strongly disapproved of cones. I have also been noticing that there are now lots of small (@5 lb) cones available, and even small doner broilers specifically for them, in an attempt to address this problem. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/38 "2017-03-31T04:41:06Z")
> [@Dalbaby](#): > > I have a restaurant. We serve gyros and shawarma, and Mongox is right on. We, and a lot of other restaurants with diverse menus, use pre-sliced gyro meat. It comes in a box, frozen, and you take off the number of pieces you need and grill them. (We throw ours on the charbroiler for a couple of minutes. ) our health dept strongly disapproved of cones. I have also been noticing that there are now lots of small (@5 lb) cones available, and even small doner broilers specifically for them, in an attempt to address this problem. Interesting! The one in our town still uses a big ol’ cone, and when it’s not busy, they only flip on the broiler when they get an order. They also do not appear to do any secondary cooking of the slices. I still eat there from time to time though! It’s just so damn tasty. :o ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/39 "2017-03-31T10:31:02Z")
> [@jbarro](#): > > Here in Nova Scotia, where donairs were invented (they are pretty much the same meat as a gyro) there is a specific part of the food handling act that deals with donair meat. Where donairs were invented? Erm. That seems to be another variation on the name donner, and I ate my first donner kebab in Greenock, Scotland in 1984, and they certainly were not invented there either. The term donner/gyros has been a generic term for the grilled meat dish across europe for decades never mind centuries. Like chinese food, each usually has their variation (indeed most middle eastern ones I’ve seen recently has been spiced chicken pieces formed into a cone, built from component meat). They are called donner kebabs in the uk, but if I ask for one in Budapest, Hungary, I will have to ask for gyros (pronounced gir-osh) and sometimes I will get donner meat, other times the pork based meat you get from most german donner kebab places (in that lovely bread). Other times I’ll get indian chicken tikka used as well… If I ask for a donner in a greek restaurant (like I regularly did in Antwerp, around 2000), they’d cut it off the spit, and then fry it separately. It was far less spiced, mostly just lamb with maybe numeg. So any claims of ownership or invention of the said dish, is a bit provincial and wrong… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214/40 "2017-03-31T13:41:25Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > They are called donner kebabs in the uk, but if I ask for one in Budapest, Hungary, I will have to ask for gyros (pronounced gir-osh) and sometimes I will get donner meat, other times the pork based meat you get from most german donner kebab places (in that lovely bread). Other times I’ll get indian chicken tikka used as well… In Budapest, the typical gyros meat at a Turkish joint (the ones that are seen all along the ring road) is veal (_borjú_) in the dark cone and turkey or chicken (_pulyka_ or _csirke_) for the light-colored cone. The Greek restaurants (not as common) I’ve never been able to pin down exactly, as they usually just advertise it as being made from “gyros meat.” I’m not sure I found a lamb gyros in my years there, although I think one of the Greek restaurants we used to visit did have one, or at least a mix of lamb & beef. I do vaguely remember coming across pork. And Indian tikka gyros sounds awesome, though I’ve never seen that, either. They also go by both gyros or döner, depending on the restaurant, but the former is more common. Also, in my experience, “gir-os” (_gírosz_) not “gir-osh” is the usual pronunciation, despite Hungarian "s"es being pronounced as "sh"es. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-understand-how-gyros-meat-passes-food-safety-rules/707214.md?page=3)