Is Gyro Meat Gluten Free?

Last Updated on April 20, 2022

Today, we’re going to be answering the question: is gyro meat gluten free? And taking a look at how to make your own gyro meat at home and the best gluten-free brands when it comes to gyro meat. Gyro meat is a weakness of mine, and nothing beats meat in pita bread for me. So when I received my diagnosis, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to eat it again – so let’s find out if gyro meat is gluten-free.

What Is Gyro Meat?

Gyro meat is most often associated with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Gyro meat is typically either beef, lamb, or chicken that is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It’s often full of spices and herbs, which makes it extra tasty. Once cooked, it’s usually sliced and added to pita bread or kebabs.

Learn more about: Where To Buy Gluten Free Pita Bread: Our Top Picks

Is Gyro Gluten Free?

Gyro meat is considered naturally gluten-free. Typically it’s just meat, seasoned with herbs, spices, and salt – so there’s no reason it’s not gluten-free, right? Unfortunately not. Some restaurants and brands will add gluten to their meat as gluten works as a really great binder. It’s frustrating as gyro meat definitely does not need gluten, but it sometimes can be added.

If you’re ordering gyro meat from somewhere new, always check with your server the ingredients they use in their meat, as every place is different.

Gluten Free Gyro Meat

When it comes to premade gyro meat in your local grocery store, there’s a high chance that it’ll contain gluten. Wheat is one of the most common ingredients when it comes to store-bought gyro meat. However, there are a few gluten-free brands that you can use in place of gyro meat. Let’s take a look.

Perdue

While gyro meat isn’t usually fully breaded, you can quite easily add gluten-free chicken tenders to your pita bread instead – it definitely tastes just as delicious! And my go-to chicken tender brand is Perdue Gluten-Free Chicken Breast Tenders. They come frozen, which is super convenient. They contain no preservatives or fillers and are made with 100% natural ingredients.

The ingredients in these chicken tenders are:

• boneless chicken breast with rib meat
• water
• rice flour
• yellow cornflour
• yellow cornmeal
• salt
• corn starch
• brown sugar
• raisin juice concentrate
• honey
• yeast extract
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• white peppers
• spices
• celery extract

Plant Basics

If you’re vegan and looking for more protein in your diet, and the perfect “meat” to add to your gluten-free pita – look no further. Plant Basics have Hearty Plant Protein Strips which are the perfect substitute for gyro meat. They’re not just gluten-free and vegan, but also non-GMO, low fat, and low sodium. The only ingredient in this product is defatted soybean flour.

Old Neighborhood

The best option for gluten-free gyro meat is the Old Neighborhood Shaved Beef Steak. It comes frozen and is also low fat and low sodium. This is the perfect meat to add your own herbs and spices too, as it’s absolutely delicious.

Popular Brands Which Are Not Gluten Free

As we’ve seen, most premade brands are not gluten-free. However, it’s worth mentioning that the following popular brands are not gluten-free, and should not be consumed when following a gluten-free diet, as they contain wheat.

• Kronos Gyros Slices
• Daphne’s Beef & Lamb Gyro Meat
• Corfu Foods

It is definitely best to avoid the brands above.

Make Your Own Gluten Free Gyro Meat

If you’re wanting to make your own gyro meat (this is definitely the way to get the best tasting results), this recipe from Gluten-Free Recipe Box is to die for! It’s super easy and will be ready in no time at all.

Ingredients

The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:

• Greek cucumber dill sauce
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced into rings)
• 1 small sliced onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1lb of skirt steak
• salt
• pepper
• 4 gluten free pita/naan

Recipe

Now all you need to do is follow these steps:

1. Over medium-high heat, preheat a skillet with your oil
2. Add the onion and pepper and sauté until soft. This should take around 8 minutes
3. Now add the garlic and cook for a minute or two
4. Remove the ingredients and set aside
5. Cook your steak in the same skillet until brown. Re-add your vegetables to the pan with the cooked steak
6. Add salt and pepper to the pan
7. Add the mixture to your bread and drizzle over the cucumber sauce
8. Your meal is ready to serve!

Read more about Do Pita Chips Have Gluten?

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped to answer the question: is gyro meat gluten-free? And give you an idea of how to make your own gluten-free gyro meat at home. Always check with your server before ordering, as they may surprise you with the knowledge that their gyro meat is gluten-free!

Do you like gyro meat? Kebab is personally one of my favorite takeouts! Let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!

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