Richard Kaszeta > wrote in message >...
> notbob > writes:
> > All the gyro/shwarma meat I ever encountered on these spits in local eateries
> > looks like some kind of pre-ground processed meat product. It certainly
> > isn't leg of lamb.
>
> Yes, it's usually the infamous Kronos Gyrokone[tm],
> http://www.kronosproducts.com/pages/products_frame.htm, or one of their competitors.
>

In my experience here in Chicago, gyros is pressed seasoned very
finely ground meat formed into a cone or cylinder and shawarma is thin
slices of seasoned meat. Both are cooked on a vertical split, or
"autodoner", and shaved off for serving. There's a place in my
neighborhood, Optimal Automatic, that sells autodoners:

<http://chicago.agrino.org/greek_restaurant_supplies.htm>

(Scroll down to #8).

> However, I do know of some gyro joints that do actual cuts of meat on
> the spit, but they are a rare find.
>
> >I've noticed a similar vertspit/procmeat thingie in
> >local taquerias. What are these?
>
> "Taco al pastor" is the classic Mexican-as-in-Mexico way of producing
> the tacos. They are actually pork most of the time.

Yes, "tacos al pastor." In my experience, slices of seasoned pork
layered on an autodoner along with fat and onions. I've never seen
this with "processed" meat. Some places serve "tacos al pastor" as
pork tacos that are not cooked on an autodoner, but in my experience
these are inferior.

-bwg