Doner Kebab

Turkish food · rotisserie cooking · world cuisine

Spinning meat tower. Doner kebab is made by stacking seasoned meat in the shape of an upside-down cone on a vertical rotisserie. As it spins slowly next to heat, the outer layer cooks to golden perfection.

Fresh slicing magic. A skilled cook uses a sharp knife to slice thin shavings from the outside of the spinning meat as it cooks. These tender pieces are what you eat, either in pita bread or on a plate.

Ottoman invention. The vertical rotisserie cooking method was invented in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, making doner kebab part of Middle Eastern cooking history.

Inspired many dishes. The genius idea of cooking meat on a vertical rotisserie spread around the world. Greek gyros, Arab shawarma, Mexican al pastor, and Canadian donair all came from this same cooking technique.