Chapter 1
Night markets and neon lights
Chapter 2
Portable pockets of dough
Chapter 3
Fire and spit-roasting
Chapter 4
Morning rush-hour bites
YOUR GOAL
Master of Street food around the world
Ch 3 · Fire and spit-roasting
renato Fire and spit-roasting
Watch it spin, over the fire low, a street food secret, everyone should know. From the al pastor trompo, to the döner's glow, global flavors, watch them grow.
renato Greek gyros are made from seasoned pork or chicken cooked on a vertical rotisserie, wrapped in flatbread with tomatoes, onions, and yogurt sauce.
renato Shawarma consists of stacked meat layers slow-roasted on a vertical spit, a culinary technique dating back to the Ottoman Empire.
Fun Fact
Pineapple tenderizer: The pineapple placed atop a taco al pastor spit contains bromelain, an enzyme that naturally tenderizes the pork as its juices drip down.
Glossary
rotisserie (noun)
A device or cooking method in which meat is rotated on a rod over a heat source. In 1960s Mexico City, street vendors used this vertical method to create the iconic tacos al pastor.
A device or cooking method in which meat is rotated on a rod over a heat source. In 1960s Mexico City, street vendors used this vertical method to create the iconic tacos al pastor.
Quiz
What is the name of the vertical spit-roasted meat dish that first appeared in 19th-century Anatolia?
Quiz
Which group of people in 17th-century Jamaica developed the preservation method known as 'jerk'?