Gyro spots first appeared in mainstream American cuisine in 1965. Since then, this humble Greek sandwich has taken hold of American taste buds and stomachs.
Tracing the sandwich’s arrival in the US was an adventure and a dash of mystery. Now, it’s time to explore how gyros have evolved.
The Industry of Pre-Seasoned Gyro Cones
Gyros are easy to prepare. One is born from spit roast meat, a few vegetables, and tzatziki sauce, all placed in a pita pocket. Although assembling the gyro is relatively easy, the preparation of the meat is anything but.
Gyro meat preparation takes hours. It typically marinates for upwards of an hour and cooks up to forty-five minutes, depending on the kind and volume of meat. Additionally, gyro meat can be expensive since it requires a lot of it. Some companies wanted gyros to be more accessible and easier to prepare. Therefore, beginning the journey of pre-seasoned gyro cones to the market.
In the 1980s, Gyro Inc., Kronos of Chicago, and Olympia Foods started making pre-stacked, flash-frozen, ready-to-cook cones. These products transformed the gyro industry and made it easier to handle, cheaper, and available for nationwide shipping. It has only solidified the gyro’s place in the American palate.
A Closer Look at Frozen Gyro Cones
Affordability is one of the reasons why frozen gyro cones became widely consumed. The development of the technology to mass-produce cones and the choice to add extenders have contributed to lowering the cost to produce the cones.
Unlike traditionally prepared gyros, gyro cones are made from a mix of ground meat, breadcrumbs, and spices. The meat mix is often made from meat trimmings from lamb, beef, and sometimes, pork.
Although you can use breadcrumbs to combine the meat trimmings into workable cones, they can also act as meat extenders. Meat extenders are non-meat ingredients that can make a meat product look, feel, and taste substantial.
A Glimpse of the Gyro Cone Production
Gyro cones are uncooked cones of meat that are shipped in all fifty states. It means that all shops and restaurants need to do is load the cone into their rotisseries, cook it, and assemble the sandwich.
The gyro cone production starts with grinding the meat trimmings. The meat mix is then combined with spices and other ingredients. As the spiced meat mixture is processed, the temperature drops as it carries the mix along to the cone forming station. Once the cones are formed, the product is flash-frozen before being packaged and shipped off.
With the success of frozen, pre-seasoned gyro cones came the frozen gyro kits. Today, consumers can pick up gyro kits complete with some form of vegetable, sauce, and pita bread from their supermarket’s frozen food aisle.
The Great American Gyro Consumption
The gyro is one of America’s favorite sandwiches. According to Kronos Food studies, Americans consume over 300,000 gyros a day. This number continues to increase as the gyro menus find their way to more and more restaurants.
A food trend report published in 2021 reveals that around 449,538 menus across the country have gyros in their menu. Arby’s, an American fast-food restaurant, was reported to have sold about 27 million gyros per year.
People’s love for the flavorful sandwich did not stop there. Every first of September, foodies across the nation celebrate National Gyro Day. Although it is unclear who started the holiday and why it was started, it still feels fitting to have a day celebrating one of the country’s most beloved food items.
Conclusion
The gyro is a sandwich that has embedded itself in the American palate and stomach. The availability of frozen gyro cones and kits has made the sandwich more widely accessible. It enabled consumers to heat frozen gyros in the morning, grab a quick gyro from a gyro spot on the corner, and order traditional gyros for dinner at their favorite Greek restaurant.
George’s Gyro Spot marries tradition, convenience, and deliciousness. We offer a mouthwatering gyro menu, including polish dogs, cheeseburgers, and other dishes. You can order our food online and have it delivered to your door. Order your gyro online today!