What’s Different About Gyro Versus Shawarma

What's Different About Gyro Versus Shawarma

If you’re always looking for something different to eat at a restaurant, you can try out either gyro or shawarma. However, what’s different about gyro versus shawarma?

We will look at both foods to see what makes them healthy and if you can eat them for lunch or dinner at a restaurant.

What’s Different About Gyro Versus Shawarma?

Gyro

For the first part of what’s different about gyro versus shawarma, we need to look at the history of gyro. This food has a long history revolving around Greece. Over the years, gyro has been spread around up to the point that it is easily found in different restaurants around the world.

The gyro meat is often made from chicken and pork. Considering that both types of meat are easily available, you’ll probably find gyro to be common in your favorite Mediterranean restaurants.

Gyro Versus Shawarma

Some chefs put a little twist on the traditional gyro dish, making it a little bit different. It is why you can now find gyro made of veal and beef to make it more diverse.

To prepare gyro, the meat is formed into the shape of a loaf and then it is roasted on a spit. As it is roasted, several chunks of the meat are cut and then seasoned. The meat is seasoned in a blend of thyme, salt, pepper, marjoram, and rosemary to give it that unique taste that made it popular.

Shawarma

If you are going to understand better what’s different about gyro versus shawarma, we also have to look at what shawarma is all about.

Shawarma is popular in the Middle East, but it has its roots in Turkey. The refugees from the Ottoman Bursa settlers were the ones responsible for spreading it to various parts of the Middle East.

Originally, shawarma was made of pork, however, we all know that Arabs do not eat pork. It is why the shawarma most people know now is made using beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, or sometimes a combination of all of these meats.  

The meats are prepared by slowly roasting them to end up with a savory flavor that many people want. Some use a special blend of spices applied to each layer of the meat as it is chopped away to be served so that customers can have the best shawarma experience.